By Travis Chapman
At one of the most beautiful scenes in Louisiana High School football, Bossier High, The Apaches of Glenbrook faced off against Bossier BearKats. Where the Apaches have speared the BearKats the last 3 years by big margins, this year they fell short by a score of 28-9.
The Apaches were set to receive the opening kick off but a nearly missed ball by the BearKat kicker shot forward on an awful looking squib that glanced off the Apache front protection for the BearKats to fall on the ball. BearKats took over on the Apache 47. The Apache defense backed the BearKats up, but the big senior QB found an open receiver that made a Sportscenter Top 10 catch and on the next play, the Apache defense had over pursuit in the backfield and the HB took it to the house for a score from 35 yards out. The BearKats completed the 2-pt try and the score quickly became 8-0.
On the ensuing kickoff, Ryan Reagan set up the Apaches with great field position. The Apaches dawned the jumbo set and had great push from the massive offensive line and picked up a quick 20 yards, but the BearKat defense made quick adjustments and put 10 men in the box and stuffed the Apaches and forced a punt. Senior standout, Seth Mangrum unleashed the first of many booming punts on the night and completely flipped the field. The Apaches’ defense owned the BearKats for most of the night, but on a third and very long the BearKat receiver made another huge catch in tight coverage for a gain of 40 yards, but the next 4 plays in a row, the Apache defense pushed the BearKats straight backward and forced a turnover on downs led by senior LB, Cade Vicious Vining. The Apaches quickly came out and in a spread formation and started seeing separation. But key drops and miscues forced Swiss Army Knife-Seth Mangrum to flip the field with yet another booming punt of 52 yards. The Apache defense came back out stifling with D-Boy Daivari Jackson with a huge sack for a loss of 10, followed by Huddy Glasscock for another tackle for loss that forced a BearKat punt. The Apaches’ offense continued to struggle and get behind the chains from the jumbo set, but on only the 3rd successful play from that package, The Jet Waller followed his sealed edge and picked up 15 yards for an Apache first down. The Apache move to the spread offense and the Field General Easton Sanders threw strikes to receivers and a quick solid run by Seth Mangrum set up the Apaches inside the 10-yard line of the BearKats. After a giant push by the Apache offensive line, Vicious Vining found pay dirt for the only Apache TD of the night. The 2pt try failed from miscues and the BearKats retained the lead 8-6 with 7:17 left in the half.
The BearKats came back out and found another deep pass as the WR broke a tackle and nearly took it to the house before stepping out of bounds. Big D-Boy and the giant Brayson Cummings made 3 great plays in a row to back up the BearKats consecutively, but again on 4th down the BearKats converted a huge play for a TD. The BearKats extended the lead 16-6 with 3:46 left in the half.
In the ensuing offensive possession, the Apaches picked up a quick first down by the sure handed Ryan Reagan, but more out of sync offense forced yet another punt and leaned on the defense to take over as they did, and force the BearKats to a quick 3 and out. The Apaches’ offense with short time on the clock started moving the football out of the spread. Sanders found Vicious Vining for a middle screen and picked up 35 yards and with time running out, Sanders kicked a missile of a FG from 35 yards, but would’ve been good from 50 as the clock expired with the Apaches trailing 16-9 at half.
The Apaches fought hard in the second half, but the jumbo package did absolutely nothing and could not pick up any momentum for the Apaches as the 10 men in the box for the BearKats pushed the Apaches straight backward every time we dawned that set in the second half. The BearKats would still get owned for most of the second half by the Apache defense who pushed the BearKats backward in every single possession of the second half, but scored two more times from a 3rd and 12 and a 3rd and 15 from completed passes and missed tackles on the edge. The BearKats lived on the singular big plays as the Apaches’ defense led by Big D-oy Daivari Jackson, Huddy Glasscock, Ryan Reagan, Awesome Dawson Day, and the Giant Brayson Cummings all had over 5 tackles for loss in the second half alone. But the offense struggled to stay within sync. They showed glimpses of being able to score quickly, but miscues would back them up on every drive and make it tough to get going from behind the chains. The Apaches never gave up and fought hard to get back within striking distance, but fell just short 28-9 against the very big and experienced BearKats. The coaching staff and players will work twice as hard next week to get synced up and come back even stronger. Adversity builds toughness and will, and your Apaches will come out next week with their hair on fire looking to steamroll their next opponent as we travel south to face off with Acadian Renaissance Charter.
IT’S STILL A GREAT DAY TO BE AN APACHE!!
