Sealy-Beeville Battle Of Mill Creek goes to Tigers
From The Sealy News
The ground game dominated the 81st playing of the Battle of Mill Creek rivalry but not by the team operating out of the run-first, slot-T formation.
Bellville and Sealy clashed on the gridiron once again with the Brahmas owning a 48-32 lead in the all-time series and playing host to the 2019 edition.
The visiting Tigers won the coin toss and deferred to the second half and Bellville greeted fans with an 11-play drive that shaved more than seven minutes off the clock before a punt pinned Sealy within its own 10-yard line.
After a run for no gain on first down, senior running back Matthew Lord's number was called again and this time he burst through the line and nobody could catch him on his way to the house for a 90-yard score and a 7-0 lead for the Tigers.
The Brahmas responded with a seven-play drive where they converted two third downs, the latter of which went for six through the air from Jake Lischka to Richard Briggs where only the receiver could haul it in for the touchdown, the first one surrendered by the Sealy defense in its fourth game.
The next time the Tigers took the field on defense, however, they came up with a fumble recovery which brought the offense back onto the field on its own 37-yard line.
Mixing runs and passes Sealy managed its way into the red zone facing only one third down and Lord's No. 20 was called upon yet again from the 11-yard line and the good extra point from Ricky Avila let the Tigers head into the locker room with a 14-7 advantage.
Once again, Sealy struck quickly and on the fourth play from scrimmage Lord broke off a 39-yard score, tumbling into the end zone not even two minutes after kickoff.
His fourth and final touchdown may have been the dagger Tiger coaches had been looking for as the 1-yard plunge pushed the advantage to 28-7 with 6:36 left in the game.
Although Bellville responded with a score in just three plays, again in the passing variety from Lischka to Briggs from 41 yards away after a big connection with Grayson Mays, Carter Cryan found Ja'Marris Cotton on a jump ball to convert a 4th-and-11 opportunity from within the Brahma 30.
After all 14 carries were over and done with, Lord's tally climbed to 185 yards, just about half of the Sealy total. Alvin Nunn was the next-biggest contributor with 80 yards on 13 carries, three of which went for more than 10 yards and nearly all of them ended with multiple Bellville defenders in his wake.
Cryan finished 12-for-19 passing for 162 yards, the touchdown and one interception and showed his poise in the pocket.
On the other side, Richard Reese was the leading Brahma rusher, compiling 116 yards on 16 carries while Lischka completed 6 of his 11 passing attempts for 161 yards and both of the touchdowns to Briggs.
With Friday night's win, the Tigers evened out at 5-5 this decade against the Brahmas thanks in part to three wins in the three years Shane Mobley assumed the role of head football coach in Sealy.
Check back on this link later for full postgame reactions and a more detailed look at next week's district-opener against Fulshear.
