Vikes' shootout ends in victory
Focus now shifts to postseason
On the final week of the regular season, the Bryan Vikings finally debuted an explosive offense.
It came just in time. Bryan rallied from an early 14-0 deficit and beat Killeen Shoemaker 49-28 to get a turbo boost of offensive confidence heading into the bi-district playoffs.
Stan McGruder returned from a three-week absence and proved to be the catalyst for the offensive explosion, thanks also in large part to strong offensive line play. McGruder rushed 20 times for 158 yards and two touchdowns. He also started the Vikings' rally with a dodging, 30-yard touchdown after grabbing a short pass.
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Eagle Photo/Gabriel Chmielewski
Bryan's Stan McGruder drags a defender before picking up a first down in the second half of the Vikings' win against Killeen Shoemaker
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That was little more than a footnote in a wild first quarter that last nearly an hour in elapsed time. The Viking Stadium clock conked out before the opening kickoff and before it could be overworked.
The teams combined for seven first-quarter touchdowns and the Vikings emerged with a 28-21 lead. The Bryan advantage grew to 35-21 by halftime, and Shoemaker never got closer than a touchdown.
"This going to be a reminder to our defense that to be good, you've got to go play aggressive," Bryan coach Bob Bellard said. "Offensively, it's a boost in the arm, saying here, you can go put some points on the board and do it in a bunch of different ways."
Bryan (6-4, 4-2 District 13-5A) enters the playoffs on a three-game winning streak. The Vikings will play 14-5A champion Round Rock Stony Point at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Brenham Cub Stadium.
Shoemaker's season ends at 2-8, with a 1-5 record in District 13-5A, but there is promise for the future at a school that has never made a playoff appearance.
Sophomore quarterback Jameill Showers played well in place of injured senior Andre Smith, who was lost to an injury the previous week against Killeen Ellison. Showers followed Smith's lead early, just getting off a pass on the sideline to M.J. Porter, who led District 13-5A in receptions. He led the Viking defenders on a chase to the end zone, turning the reception into a 61-yard touchdown on the second play of the game. Porter's second pass also went for a score, a strike to Derrick Mays on the left sideline as he pulled away from the Vikings' defense.
"It was a frustrating night for us defensively," Bellard said. "We didn't play very well, but you've got to give those guys on the other side some credit. They've got a lot of speed."
Showers, who set himself up with option runs from a full-house shotgun backfield, sliced through Bryan's defense for a 32-yard run and a 21-14 lead. It was the last lead for Shoemaker.
McGruder had four carries in a six-play, 64-yard drive that he started with a 15-yard run. He stepped untouched into the end zone for the final yard behind a Bryan offensive line that had an overpowering game.
"We made some plays, took advantage of a short field when we got it, and it was a bunch of different guys," Bellard said. "We had a real good performance by our offensive line, that took the line of scrimmage from the get-go, and we had guys go out and make plays.
After a fumble recovery, the Vikings needed one play to finally close out the scoring in the opening quarter. Senior quarterback Garrison Kickham launched a long pass to sophomore Krey Bratsen that appeared to be slightly overthrown, but Bratsen made a lunging fingertip grab and tumbled into the end zone for a 50-yard touchdown.
It was an atypical night for the Bryan defenders, who had been so impressive late in their game against A&M Consolidated and in consecutive wins over Belton and Harker Heights.
The offense more than took up the slack, racking up 27 first downs and 527 total yards. It was the kind of explosive game the Vikings had threatened but had not been able to sustain early in games.
After Showers' 14-yard run narrowed Bryan's lead to 35-28, the Vikings pocketed the win. McGruder ran four yards on the first play of the fourth quarter and Tre Odom, who had played well in McGruder's absence, swept 15 yards for the final touchdown.
Bryan's Monterell Washington had 19 carries for 96 yards and two touchdowns, while Shoemaker's Dion Demers led the Grey Wolves runners with 20 carries for 178 yards.
n David Campbell's e-mail is david.campbell@theeagle.com.