Gatesville controls clock and game in 19-6 win over Burnet

FROM STAFF REPORTS

GATESVILLE — The Burnet Bulldogs’ offense sputtered again the Gatesville Hornets on Oct. 23, turning the ball over several times on downs. On the other hand, the Hornets used long, time-consuming drives to control the game and beat the Bulldogs 19-6 in a District 13-4A Division I contest.

The loss drops Burnet to 1-2 in district (5-3 overall), while Gatesville gets an edge in the playoff race with a 2-1 district record.

Led by quarterback Jeff Speer, Gatesville’s offense moved downfield into Burnet territory early in the game. But the Bulldogs’ defense held strong and forced Gatesville to settle for a field goal to make it 3-0.

But Burnet couldn’t really get any offensive production through the first quarter and part of the second. With just over nine minutes left in the first half, Burnet had only managed three offensive plays — four, if including a punt.

Gatesville, though not a high-scoring team, played ball-control offense, eating up precious time with its drives.

Speer got Gatesville’s first touchdown at about the 9:40 mark in the second quarter with a one-yard run. The point-after failed, but the Hornets led 9-0.

Then the lightning came, and the teams headed for their respective locker rooms at about 8 p.m. They wouldn’t return to the field until officials gave the all-clear at about 10:25 p.m.

The almost 2½-hour delay didn’t really change anything, though Burnet did start moving the ball. Thanks to a Darius Johnson punt return, the Bulldogs found themselves in great field position on the Hornets’ 45-yard-line on their second possession out of the weather delay.

The Bulldogs managed to work their way down to the 31-yard line but then faltered. On a fourth-and-10, Burnet couldn’t manage to come up with the conversion and handed the ball back to Gatesville. Though the Hornets couldn’t muster much on the ensuing drive, it denied Burnet a chance to get back into the game.

Gateville’s defense thwarted Burnet again, this time with an interception. The Hornets’ offense turned it into three points off a 30-yard field goal, giving them a 12-0 lead.

After halftime, things continued much the same offensively for the Bulldogs, though the defense kept the Hornets’ offense from getting much momentum.

But with 4:24 left in the game and the Bulldogs pinned on their own nine-yard line in a fourth-and-14 situation, Burnet again went for the conversion and failed.

Gatesville wasted little time in taking advantage of the situation as Dakota Vernon bounced into the end zone on the first play of the Hornets’ drive for a 19-0 lead.

But Burnet wasn’t done. After an Austin Moore-to-Joel Johnson pass play for 34 yards to set up the Bulldogs on Gatesville’s eight-yard line, the two capped it off on another pass for a touchdown to make it 19-6.

But it came too late to change the outcome.

Burnet returns home Oct. 30 when they host Waco La Vega with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. The Pirates are 3-0 in district, coming off a 39-16 win over Lampasas on Oct. 23. Listen to the game on KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune or at KBEYFM.com under “Burnet Football” starting with a 7 p.m. pregame show.

editor@thepicayune.com

SCORING AND STATS

FIRST QUARTER

G – Saldivar 27-yard field, 4:27

SECOND QUARTER

G – Jeff Speer one-yard run (kick missed), 9:45
G– Saldivar 30-yard, :05

FOURTH QUARTER

G – Austin Minshew nine-yard run (Saldivar kick), 4:15

B – Joel Johnson for nine-yard pass from Austin Moore (kick missed), 3:45

TEAM STATS

BURNET — Total yards, 248; rushes-yards, 20-90; passing, 158; interceptions, 1; comp-att-int, 14-32-1

INDIVIDUAL STATS

RUSHING – (Burnet), Austin Moore 9-36, Tyler Ford 2-33, Preston Reeves 8-21, Brock Foster 1-0.

PASSING – (Burnet), Moore 14-32-158-1 TD-1 INT

RECEIVING – (Burnet), Joel Johnson 5-97-1 TD, Steven Gallardo 3-24, Wesley Shackelford 1-12, Drew Kiser 1-10, Foster 2-9, Reeves 2-6