A fast start by Brandon left Oak Grove facing a quick 17-point deficit, which the Warriors struggled to recover from, ultimately leading to a 38-20 loss to the Bulldogs.
Brandon got on the board on the first play of the game as quarterback Landon Varnes found a wide-open Tyson Robinson for a 69-yard touchdown. Then, on the ensuing kickoff, Brandon successfully recovered an onside kick to set up a 51-yard field goal. Oak Grove's offense then went three-and-out and gave the Bulldogs a favorable field position to lead an 8-play, 61-yard scoring drive that ended with running back Nate Blount scoring on a 2-yard run.
"We spotted a good football team 17 points," Oak Grove coach Drew Causey said. "We didn't execute the way we needed to. They capitalized on our mistakes, and they won.
"The first play was just a blown coverage. They crossed the backs. The linebacker didn't run with the running back. It was just a bust. Then on the onside, kick it right through our hands. It was something that we had worked on, and we told them that they would kick one. It just happened. We just couldn't get anything going on offense right there at the beginning of the first quarter. We punt, and they score, then it's 17-0 right out the gate before we wake up."
Brandon's quick start left Oak Grove's offense pressing to make big plays and instead led to the Warriors punting on their first three drives of the night.
"Our offense wore us down by not staying on the field," Causey said. "We have to do a better job on offense, but Blount is a heck of a running back. He is an extremely talented player, and he showed it tonight."
The Warriors didn't get on the board until midway through the second quarter, with a pair of penalties helping them convert third and short yardage and then a fourth and short. Eventually, AJ Maddox found Hayden Herrin for a 2-yard touchdown to narrow the score to 17-7.
Oak Grove's defense forced Brandon (5-2, 2-0) to punt on the next drive, which gave the Warriors the ball with three minutes left in the half and driving inside the Bulldog's territory. However, Khalil Norwood intercepted Maddox for a 52-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 24-7.
Oak Grove (6-1, 1-1) did respond at the start of the second half with an 11-play, 80 drive that ended with Maddox keeping the ball for a 3-yard touchdown. Maddox finished the game 17 of 28 and threw for 145 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while running for 54 yards and a score.
PJ Woodland then intercepted Varnes, which led to an eight-yard shovel pass from Maddox to Tajii Burkett to cut the deficit to 24-20. However, Brandon answered on the next drive with another touchdown run by Blount, who finished the night with 92 yards on 22 carries.
We came out with a lot of energy. But it just wasn't enough.
Brandon then put the game away late in the fourth quarter after converting a first down after facing a third and 25 with three minutes left in the game, which finished off with Robinson scoring on a 40-yard touchdown run.
"The kids fought all night," Causey said. "It was a bad job of coaching. It was a bad job of executing. It was just a bad night.
"I think you have to show up prepared every day. You have to work, and that's everybody on the football field. We can't be worried about other stuff a few hours before kickoff. We have to be locked in and focused, and hopefully, they'll learn that lesson tonight. If not, then something like this will happen again."
Oak Grove will go on the road to face Northwest Rankin next week.
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