Burnet football runs out of time against Lampasas
CAPTION: Burnet junior running back Josiah Coronado led the Bulldogs’ rushing attack thanks to generating more than 100 yards against Lampasas. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography
The Burnet High School football team lost to Lampasas 42-38 Oct. 18 in a contest that was decided in the final minutes when the Badgers got a first down to run out the clock.
Before that, the Bulldogs (5-3, 1-1) and the Badgers (7-1, 2-0) matched each other play for play.
“It was a heavy weight battle,” Burnet head coach Ben Speer said. “It played out like how we thought. Whoever could get a turnover or got a stop or whoever had the ball last would win it.”
Burnet got the scoring started on a 42-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Colt Stanford from senior quarterback Rhett Murray. Marco Campos added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.
But Lampasas tied the contest on a 21-yard run.
Campos connected on a 35-yard field goal for a 10-7 advantage in the second quarter only to have the Badgers answer with a 72-yard touchdown run for the 14-10 lead.
Burnet junior Peyton Lopez answered with a 54-yard scamper to paydirt for the 17-14 advantage. A 10-yard touchdown pass gave Lampasas the 21-17 advantage.
And right before the intermission, junior Riley Howell caught a 10-yard pass from Murray for a 24-21 lead.
A one-yard plunge into the end zone gave the Badgers a 28-24 advantage in the third quarter.
Then Murray found senior David Prather for a 59-yard touchdown to regain the lead 31-28.
A two-yard run to paydirt rewarded Lampasas with a 35-31 advantage going into the final stanza.
With about five minutes left in the game, senior athlete Marcus Pimentel went to the end zone from four yards out only to have the Badgers answer with a 41-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Reed Jerome to junior receiver Jaden McElwain for the final score.
To illustrate how close the two teams were, consider this. The Bulldogs ran 65 offensive plays to the Badgers’ 64. But of Lampasas’ 460 yards of total offense, the Badgers generated 324 on the ground. By contrast Burnet had 290 yards in the air that contributed to 479 yards of total offense. Neither team turned the ball over.
But Lampasas was 7 for 9 on third-down efficiency, while Burnet was 7 for 13.
Lampasas senior quarterback Reed Jerome had 15 rushes for 107 yards and three touchdowns and completed 11 of 18 passes for 136 yards and two scores.
“He’s big,” Speer said. “He’s physical. He can run. We did everything right and covered everything. He finds ways to extend plays.”
Senior running back Daemian Rivas has 12 carries for 105 yards, and junior KJ Reed had eight rushes for 98 yards and a touchdown. Junior receiver Bryson Roberts had four catches for 31 yards and a score.
Murray completed 15 of 25 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. Stanford had seven receptions for 112 yards and a score, and Prather caught three passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Senior Khris Kassner had four catches for 86 yards and a score.
Junior running back Josiah Coronado had 16 rushes for 118 yards, while junior Peyton Lopez had seven carries for 86 yards and a score.
Burnet and Lampasas have a rivalry and Speer noted his players didn’t get caught up in the emotions of the contest as it played out.
“I was proud of how they handled the game,” he said. “Coming in as a 14-point underdog, you have a chance to win it. I thought we had a chance and definitely credit our offense on how they moved the ball. It was a very physical game, and I was proud of our boys and how they went toe to toe. It gets you more excited about things to come. We are better than we were last year. There’s no time to move mope around and feel sorry for ourselves.”
Burnet travels to Brownwood (3-3, 0-1), while Lampasas welcomes Stephenville (6-1, 1-0). Both games are at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25.
CAPTION: Burnet senior David Prather and junior Riley Howell celebrate a touchdown against the Lampasas Badgers. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography
