With a game and its season on the line, defending Class D-2 state champion BDS put the game in the hands of its best player, over and over again. The plan was simple, but it couldn’t have worked any better. The Eagles gave the ball to running back Easton Weber 27 of the first 28 plays of the second half as BDS overcame a halftime deficit to upset No. 3 seed and previously undefeated Pender, 36-28, Friday night in the second round of the Class D-2 playoffs.
The game was tied at 14 with two minutes to play until halftime. The Pendragons (9-1) took over on their own 18, and quickly swept down the field on just four plays, scoring a 50-yard touchdown when Braxton Volk hit Quinton Heidemann for a 50-yard touchdown pass with just 13 seconds remaining in the half, giving Pender a 21-14 lead going to halftime.
BDS (7-3) took the opening kickoff of the third quarter, but after a long return by Seth Stengel, Chase Hofmeister caused a fumble, recovered by Pender’s Jacob Bruns at the PHS 11. But the Eagles defense stiffened, forced a punt, and then Weber went to work. With the ball at the 25, Weber carried eight times and capped the drive with a three-yard touchdown run. Weber ran for the two-point conversion to give BDS a 22-21 lead with 3:34 to go in the third quarter.
After a Cameron Hoins interception gave the Eagles the ball at their own 26, Weber marshalled another touchdown drive, needing just four plays to cover 54 yards. Weber’s 35-yard touchdown run pushed the BDS lead to 28-21 late in the third quarter. Pender went three-and-out on its next drive, giving the Eagles the ball at their own 14. Once again, Weber led the march, taking direct shotgun snaps to run the ball eight times for 66 yards. A 27-yard Weber touchdown run with 8:39 to play all but sealed the game for BDS, giving them a 36-21 lead.
In total, Weber ran 42 times for 278 yards and four touchdowns. The Eagles defense was opportunistic, intercepting three passes, including two by Jaron Norder. With the win, BDS moves into the state quarterfinal round, where they’ll take on where they’ll face Ansley-Litchfield. The No. 11 seed upset No. 6 seed Mullen in overtime, 50-42.
