Lions lock up playoff berth
Quick take
Junior Jaquan Brandon took over at quarterback and ran for 272 yards and three touchdowns, and Yates overcame four interceptions to clinch a postseason berth and the Fall Classic trophy in a 36-27 win over rival Wheatley on Saturday at Barnett Stadium.
The teams combined for three touchdowns in 35 seconds in the final minutes, with Kavion Bogan-Peterson returning a kickoff for a 64yard touchdown, but Brandon’s fourth-quarter heroics saved the season for the Lions.
“Getting here five weeks before our first game, as a first-year head coach, nobody thought we’d be sitting at 4-2 in district,” Yates coach Rafael Thomas said. “But it’s like I tell them, it’s us vs. us, and that’s all that matters.
“So we’ll keep pushing forward — and trying to prove everybody wrong.”
Highlights
Yates tried a receiver pass on the last play of the first quarter. It didn’t go great — for the Lions anyway. On fourth-and-6 from the 10, Jaquan Brandon tried to throw back to QB Broderick Brown. Instead, DB Dareion Williams intercepted the pass at the 1 and returned it 99 yards for a Wheatley touchdown.
The Wildcats pushed their lead to 15-0 on their next possession. RB Chetwin Gentry rushed for a 9-yard TD, and then the point-after attempt was blocked, but a Wheatley player scooped up the loose ball and ran it in for two.
Yates responded with a seven-play, 52-yard drive capped by WR Marquise Sattiewhite’s 5-yard scoring reception, and TE Jordan Andrus’ two-point catch to pull within 15-8 at halftime.
Raynard Norman had two of Wheatley’s four interceptions, with three in the second half. He returned his first one 46 yards to set up a 6-yard scoring pass from QB Willie Anders to Williams for a 21-8 advantage early in the third.
Yates had three takeaways. After DL Arthur Hines’ fumble recovery, Brandon ran for a 22yard touchdown to pull within 21-16. Then Yates tackled Anders in the end zone for a safety to pull within 21-18, and Brown checked in to throw a 5-yard, go-ahead TD to WR Keshawn Vaughn for a 24-21 lead with 6:23 left.
What it means
Yates improved to 4-5 overall and 4-2 in District 11-4A Division I, and clinched its third consecutive playoff appearance with the win. It can secure the third playoff seed with a win over Worthing.
Wheatley dropped to 4-5, 2-4, and out of playoff contention with only one district game left.
Quotable
“Jaquan was a difference-maker,” Thomas said. “Broderick was struggling a little bit. He had some issues all week … but he fought through it and gave it his best, and it just wasn’t his night.
“So we had to make a change, and Jaquan came through.”
Game balls
Brandon rushed for three second-half touchdowns, including one for 82 yards and another for 50 yards in the final 1:21. He finished with 272 yards on 27 carries. He also completed four of 11 passes for 29 yards, one TD, and two INTs.
Williams led Wheatley with one TD and 24 yards on three catches and a kick-return TD.
Gentry had 198 yards and one score on 2 rushes.
Up next
Wheatley hosts North Forest at 7 p.m. Nov. 4 at Barnett Stadium. Yates visits Worthing at 6 p.m. Nov. 5 at Butler Stadium.