November 7, 2024

GLADEWATER GETS OUT | Bears lead big early, then hold off West Rusk comeback for 32-20 win

West Rusk’s Cole Jackson (foreground, 6) scored three second half touchdowns against Gladewater Thursday night, running here between blocks by Phoenix Carrillo (55) and Kyron Reed (56). The Raiders were down 19-0 at one point, then 25-7, but cut it to 25-20 before Gladewater finally won, 32-20. (Photo by RONNIE SARTORS – SPORT SHOT PHOTOGRAPHY- ETBLITZ.COM)

NEW LONDON – West Rusk put a scare into Gladewater.

But they did it just a little too late.

Gladewater led 13-0 at the half, stretched the lead to 19-0, and even led 25-7 at one point in the second half before coach Rafe Mata’s Raiders came roaring back, getting within five points before the Bears suddenly woke up, converting a couple of fourth-quarter fourth downs, and escaping Bruce Bradshaw Stadium with a 32-20 win.

Cole Jackson scored three touchdowns in defeat for the Raiders. Luke Brown scored twice for Gladewater.

West Rusk (1-2), with a season-opening loss to No. 1-ranked Malakoff as well, still has one more game – at Tatum next Friday night, Sept. 20 – before they delve into their district schedule.

The Bears (2-1), who were coming off an overwhelming loss at state-ranked New Diana a week ago, also get an extra day off, and then play at Spring Hill next Friday before opening district play the following week at home against Jefferson.

Trailing 25-13, got a 1-yard run by Jackson on the last play of the third quarter, and then forced the Bears to punt.

Gladewater would need a grind-it-out drive to help hold the Raiders off, and they got it, getting down inside the Raiders’ 20-yard-line, helped unfortunately for West Rusk by a pair of offsides penalties.

West Rusk’s Demontrea McGregor (5) is hit at the goal line by Madaxx Vasquez (5, in white) as he makes a catch Thursday night against Gladewater, at Bruce Bradshaw Stadium at West Rusk High School. (Photo by RONNIE SARTORS – SPORT SHOT PHOTOGRAPHY – ETBLITZ.COM)

West Rusk had to use its last time outs to try and preserve time, and Gladewater did a good job milking the clock. Finally, with just under 20 seconds left, Gladewater quarterback Luke Brown went right – everyone else went left – and Brown bootlegged successfully into the end zone, a touchdown with 17 seconds left that would put the Bears up 32-20, out of reach for a further West Rusk comeback.

The Raiders got the ball to begin the game, and the highlight was a 49-yard catch by Kameron Brown, but the drive stalled at the Gladewater 25-yard-line, and a fourth-down conversion failed with a sack.

The Bears would get onto the scoreboard first, a 1-yard run by Brown, but the extra point failed, leaving Gladewater in front by just 6-0, instead of 7-0, with 4:05 left in the first quarter.

Braylon Woods would do the honors in the only score of the second quarter, a 2-yard run, with Grafton Morgan adding the extra point, with 11:55 left in the half. That would be the only score of the second quarter, and the game went to the half at 13-0 Bears.

Gladewater’s Brayson Woods (0) hauls in a catch at midfield. (Photo by RONNIE SARTORS – SPORT SHOT PHOTOGRAPHY – ETBLITZ.COM)

Trayvion Watts brought the Gladewater crowd to its feet with a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half – Watts did a spin move at the Bears’ own 25. It appeared he was down, but he was not; he kept his balance, maintained his feet, spun out of a couple of tackle attempts and went the distance for the score. The two-point conversion failed, and GHS led 19-0, with 17 seconds off the third-quarter clock.

That’s when Jackson and the Raiders’ offensive line began to swing things. Jackson scored on a 2-yard run, and Emiliano Rodriguez added the extra point, with 8:42 left in the third quarter, to finally break the ice on the West Rusk side of the scoreboard.

Gladewater returned fire with a 1-yard run by Mason Budro with 1:41 left in the third – the point after missed, but again, the Bears extended their lead to 25-7. Realistically, it looked like the Bears had put West Rusk away.

That wasn’t the case. Jackson’s two short-yardage touchdowns – the late third-quarter run for the 1-yard score and the early fourth-quarter run – got West Rusk back in the game, within five, before the game’s final sequence, and Brown’s game-sealing TD run.

West Rusk finished with 178 yards rushing, and Jackson had three touchdowns and 138 yards of it. Penalties hurt the Raiders, especially holding, and a few offsides penalties late: nine for 80 yards. And West Rusk had two fumbles, both lost, and two interceptions in the game.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *