CHARLESTOWN
Two fourth-quarter touchdowns lifted Brownstown Central’s football team to a stirring 21-14 victory over Charlestown on Friday night.
Stymied by an active Charlestown defense for more than three quarters, the BC offense finally found traction with less than six minutes left in the game.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the Braves (2-0) relied on the legs and the arm of senior quarterback Derek Thompson.
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Slowed and frustrated for much of the night, Thompson broke through the Charlestown (0-2) line and ran 31 yards for a touchdown with 5:19 to go in the game that narrowed a seven-point deficit to 14-13.
After the Braves failed on the extra point, BC’s defense responded by forcing Charlestown into a three-and-out offensive possession that resulted in a punt.
Brownstown took over at the Pirates’ 49-yard line and immediately began to march. Thompson found senior receiver Jake Cope on a 28-yard pass that moved the ball to Charlestown’s 24 yard line.
Thompson followed with his third TD run of the night, this time a 24-yard scamper with 1:22 remaining that gave Brownstown its first lead of the night.
Leading 19-14, the Braves succeeded on a two-point conversion when Thompson completed an unorthodox jump-pass to Jalen Tiemeyer.
Now down 21-14 with 82 seconds left on the clock, Charlestown’s offense couldn’t get going. Two penalties and an incompleted pass led to a Lucas Hines interception that ended the game.
Thompson finished with a game-high 103 yards on 20 carries. He also threw for 46 yards on 4-for-7 passing.
Hines, meanwhile, continued his strong play, ending with two interceptions, a pass break-up and a team-high nine tackles.
Brownstown Central’s offense was hemmed in by the Pirates’ long and quick defense throughout the first half. Of the Braves’ six first-half possessions, none traveled more than 17 yards and four were limited to six yards or fewer.
The Braves managed just 62 yards on 21 plays in the first half, before gaining 155 yards on 23 plays in the second half.
BC’s defense turned the tables on Charlestown. After giving up 14 points and 145 yards to the Pirates’ offense in the first half, the Braves allowed zero points and just 36 yards in the second half.
Charlestown’s talented senior running back Marion Lukes, an Eastern Kentucky commit, scored two touchdowns on a 26-yard run and a 61-yard reception in the first half, but gained negative-3 yards rushing and just three yards receiving in the second half.
Friday’s victory is Brownstown’s sixth straight over Charlestown.
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Braves;21
Pirates;14
Brownstown Central (2-0);0;7;0;14;—;21
Charlestown (0-2);7;7;0;0;—;14
First quarter
C-Marion Lukes 26 run (Jaron Almeciga kick), 1:43
Second quarter
BC-Derek Thompson 14 run (Cooper Wolka kick), 6:10
C-Lukes 61 pass from Andrew Snider (Almeciga kick), 5:02
Fourth quarter
BC-Thompson 31 run (kick failed), 5:19
BC-Thompson 24 run (Jalen Tiemeyer pass from Thompson), 1:22
INDIVIDUAL BC STATISTICS
Rushing: Thompson 20-103, Braeden Walker 8-38, Brandon Wilson 4-24, Sam Huber 2-6, Eli Brown 1-3, Lucas Hines 1-1.
Passing: Thompson 4 for 7, 46 yards.
Receiving: Jake Cope 2-32, Wilson 1-9, Brown 1-5.
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