The Brenham Cub defense continues to be an offensive threat in its own right.
Terrell Reese and Michael Walker each returned interceptions for touchdowns in Friday’s 49-14 Class 4A Division II bi-district victory over the Manor Mustangs, bringing the Cubs’ defensive touchdown count up to eight in 11 games this season.
Senior defensive end Ken-neth Allen has recovered three fumbles for touchdowns this season, giving him the team lead, while Reese and Christian McBride each have a pair of defensive touchdowns. Safety Jeremy Hall has one, as does Walker.
“They’re an athletic bunch and they take advantage of opportunities,” Brenham (9-2) coach Glen West said. “They can go the distance because they are very athletic.”
Friday’s win not only advanced the Cubs to the area round of the playoffs, where they will face Port Neches-Groves (11-0) Friday at Aldine ISD’s Thorne Stadium, but gave the team a boost after a 15-14 loss to Waller in its regular-season finale. Brenham opened that game with a kickoff return by Derek Edwards for a touchdown, and the Cubs pulled a similar trick against Manor when Reese returned his interception to the end zone to give Brenham a quick 7-0 lead. The Cubs would go on to lead 42-0 by halftime.
“We played with a lot of emotion, and when Terrell intercepted that first pass and ran it back for a touchdown, it wasn’t the same as returning the kick against Waller,” West said. “It felt different. We just exploded into it and I think that’s because we were ready to play.”
West said the win lifted the Cubs’ spirits after a disappointing loss the week before, but cautioned that the Cubs haven’t fixed everything yet, especially with a team the caliber of PN-G up next.
“Right now the thing to understand is that we’re living on borrowed time,” West said. “Every week the challenges get bigger and that’s the fun of the playoffs. You go out with everything you’ve got and try to live another week.”
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Port Neches-Groves is coming off a 21-7 victory over Barbers Hill in which Caleb Harmon ran for three touchdowns and finished with 195 yards on 41 carries.
Indians quarterback Brennan Doty completed 18 of 28 passes for 145 yards and an interception.
“This is a team that is extremely disciplined, big, physical and very, very well-coached,” West said.
PN-G coach Brandon Faircloth, like West, is a Brownwood High School graduate who played for the Lions during his own prep football days. Faircloth is in his first season at PN-G after serving as a coordinator at Odessa Permian.
“He’s got them playing at a fever pitch and that area over there will play at a fever pitch,” West said. “They’re serious about their football.”
Indeed, some Indians fans have written e-mails to both West and the Banner-Press expressing displeasure over the game being held at 10,000-capacity Thorne Stadium. PN-G is expected to bring about 8,000 fans to the game.
West said Brenham and PN-G agreed to hold the game Friday due to Brenham’s participation in the state volleyball tournament Thursday and possibly Saturday, and were then looking for available stadiums. Brenham suggested Thorne and PN-G suggested Spring Branch, but Spring Branch’s availability couldn’t be guaranteed until the conclusion of another playoff game Saturday night, and if that stadium was unavailable the teams would have to scramble to find a venue. Instead, both coaches agreed to Thorne Stadium without a coin flip.
The Brenham/PN-G winner will face the winner between Houston Jones and Angleton.
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