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X Factor: Brandt burns St. Pius en route to victory
Nevada Daily Mail
Tailback Chaden Brandt's big performance lifted the Nevada Tigers to a 23-16 win over the St. Pius X Warriors, Friday night in Kansas City. Brandt finished the night with 148 yards on 13 carries and three touchdowns.
The victory moves Nevada to 1-2 overall (1-1 West Central Conference play).
A critical play in the game came with just under five minutes to play in the fourth quarter and the gamed tied 16-16, as Brandt took a toss sweep for 20-yards, converting the fourth-and-1 and then some.
Prior to the key conversion, the Tigers had come up empty multiple times on fourth-and-short. Brandt's big gain moved the ball to the Warriors 35-yard line.
Nevada head coach Erik Yoakam said first year offensive coordinator Chris Smoot, elected to go with the toss play, as St. Pius had stacked the box on each of the previous fourth-and-short plays ---- opening up the edge for Brandt.
Two plays later, with 4:38 on the clock, Brandt swept right, shedding four Warrior defenders as he turned on the afterburners for a 38-yard touchdown romp, handing the Tigers a 22-16 lead.
Yoakam described the decisive run as a highlight reel type play.
"It was probably one of the best high school runs that I have ever seen," the elated coach said. "We had a good line surge right off the bat. And if you can do that for Chaden, he's going to do successful things once he gets past that initial surge. Chaden has a special feel for the game."
---- First half ----
Early in the first quarter, Tigers junior linebacker Jacob Johnson, recovered a fumble deep in St. Pius X territory.
Nevada turned the Warriors miscue into three points, as quarterback Jacob Hammontree, also the team's kicker, connected from 30 yards out. Hammontree received some good fortune, as the ball hit the crossbar and caromed over, giving Nevada a 3-0 lead.
Midway through the first quarter, the Nevada secondary yielded a 48-yard touchdown, as the Warriors went in front 7-3.
Nevada responded with smash mouth football, as Brandt and sophomore running back Zach Gardner did major damage on the ground. Brandt netted his first touchdown of the evening via a 22-yard run with 11:05 remaining in the second quarter.
Brandt's scamper was Nevada's first offensive touchdown of the season. Hammontree's extra point was blocked, as the Tigers led 9-7.
Later in the second quarter, Nevada was unable to capitalize on excellent field position courtesy of a Brandt kick return to near midfield. The drive ended when Warriors linebacker Travis Barber came up with an interception.
A few plays later, St. Pius X running back Ryan Vutich, outran a blitzing Tigers defense, going 37-yards for pay dirt. Tommy Givens point after was no good. The Warriors led 13-9 midway though the second quarter.
Brandt once again gave the Tigers a boost, returning the ensuing kickoff 48-yards to the St. Pius X 40-yard line.
After several run plays, Nevada was set up with a first-and-goal. Disaster nearly struck, as Hammontree fumbled at the 1-yard line, but was able to recover. After getting stuffed by the Warriors defense on both second and third down, Nevada faced a decision, and Yoakam elected to go for six.
It appeared as though the Warriors defense was going to hold, when the snap was mishandled by Hammontree. However, Brandt swooped in to save the day, plucking the ball off the ground, eluding defenders as he turned the corner and went into the end zone. Hammontree's point after put Nevada up 16-13 with 58 seconds remaining in the half.
With the Tigers on the move late in the third quarter, Hammontree on fourth-and-7, came up just inches short of picking up a first down at the Warriors 18-yard line.
Facing a third-and-long, Nevada defensive back Hunter Mason was hit with a pass interference on a throw that was well short of the first-down marker, giving the Warriors new life.
Set up at the Nevada 38-yard line, quarterback Joe Witherow hooked up with wide receiver Sam Martino for a 35 yard gain to the Tigers 3-yard line.
After an unsuccessful quarterback keeper by Witherow on second-and-goal, St. Pius went back to the well on third down, as Witherow was able to get out on the edge with nothing but green in front of him.
However, Brandt came out of nowhere to make an all-world play, bringing down the Warriors quarterback at the 2-yard line. St. Pius settled for a chip-shot field goal, knotting the score at 16-16 with 7:18 remaining in the fourth quarter.
"That was another great play for us," Yoakam said. "He closed on it very fast. It was a big momentum swing for us."
Yoakam said he wasn't surprised that the Warriors settled for the field goal.
"When you're down three and you have a great kicker, you have to tie the game," he said. "I would have done the same thing."
Yoakam said he was pleased with the overall performance of his defense.
"The defense played well," he said. "We really just gave up two big plays."
A Braxton Shadden interception with 2:50 remaining in the game sealed the deal for Nevada.
While Brandt had a monster game, Yoakam said the offensive line also deserves much of the credit.
"The offensive line did a great job," he said. "The last two weeks we've been just one guy away from the getting the job done. Tonight, they were a lot more consistent as a unit."
---- Next up ----
The Tigers once again head to Kansas City, this time to face O'Hara, with the game set to kick off at 7 p.m., Friday.
"They're going to have some team speed," Yoakam said. "Defensively, we're going to have to contain the edge."