Edna vs East Bernard recap
By Michael Brooks
Staff Writer
Edna's final offensive play on Friday night was a perfect description of their night; just out of reach.
When Cowboy quarterback Thomas Long's pass tipped off the outstretched finger-tips of receiver Ahmad Callis, it gave East Bernard the ball back and effectively ended the game for the Cowboys.
East Bernard controlled the first half of the game. They put together a 78 yard drive on their first possession of the game to take a 7-0 lead.
Edna was forced to punt on their opening drive, and the Brahmas went back to work again, quickly moving the ball down the field.
But just when it looked like the Brahmas offense was an unstoppable machine, they fumbled the ball and Callis scooped it up and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown to tie the score at 7.
Beginning the second quarter, East Bernard drove the ball right back down the field, got a touchdown and a two point conversion, and took a 15-7 lead.
On the following drive, Edna finally started moving the ball but after a fourth and two try came up just inches short, the Brahmas offense once again took over.
With just over a minute left in the first half, the Brahmas covered 67 yards in two plays to take a 22-7 lead.
Edna had one last shot in the first half, with 48 seconds left. After their first play went for a three yard gain, Kenny Haynes broke free on a long run. Just when it looked like the Cowboys would get back into the game, an East Bernard safety made a shoe-string tackle. Haynes had covered 66 yards and was down at the 10 yard line with 4 seconds left before halftime. With only time for one more play, a pass from long fell and Edna went in trailing 22-7.
East Bernard entered the game as the 10th ranked team in 3a Division 2, and they played like it in the first half, completely controlling the game.
But in the second half, Edna showed what they were made of and came out firing.
Callis fielded the opening kickoff of the second half and returned it 46 yards to the Cowboy 48 yard line. Led by tough running by Dayton McCoy and Haynes, the Cowboys moved the chains until Haynes burst straight up the middle for a 22 yard touchdown run that cut the Brahma lead to 22-14.
Edna's defense carried the momentum and held East Bernard to two yards on their first drive of the second half, forcing them to punt for the first time in the game.
The Cowboys would put together another long drive but came up short on a 4th and two from the Brahma's 16 yard line to hand the ball over to East Bernard once again.
With the game moving to the fourth quarter, the Cowboys defense once again swarmed the Brahmas, allowing only 3 yards and forced a second straight punt.
This time the Cowboys offense went 61 yards, capped off by a Haynes 21 yard touchdown run and after a successful two point conversion, the Cowboys had stormed back to tied the game at 22.
East Bernard fired back and put together their only scoring drive of the second half, taking a 29-22 lead, and giving the Cowboys the ball back with just over four minutes left in the game.
Long's pass on 4th and 7 fell just out of Callis's reach and the Brahmas got the ball back and took a knee to run out the clock.
Despite the loss, Edna Cowboy'ed Up and showed what they were made of in the second half and made a statement that they could play with the best teams in the state.