Blue Devils Take Control Of Division With 34–20 Win Over Bruce
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BRUCE – Water Valley opened division play with authority Friday night, knocking off the Bruce Trojans 34–20 in a game that tested the Blue Devils’ composure, conditioning, and depth.
It wasn’t always pretty — two blocked punts, a pair of errant snaps, and an interception — but Head Coach Clint Faust’s team found its footing behind a determined rushing effort from Zae Bradford, clutch throws from Derion Gale, and a defense that delivered timely stops all night.
“This was a special win for me,” Faust said afterward. “You can put all the records on paper you want. The game is not played on paper — it’s played on grass.”
The Blue Devils received the opening kickoff and worked steadily downfield, leaning early on Bradford’s legs. The senior tailback gained seven yards on his first carry and another 12 two plays later, setting the tone for a night of downhill running. Gale kept the opening drive alive with a first down run, then hit Shaddai Freeman on a big third-down pass that was wiped out by an ineligible receiver penalty. A quick punt by Gale pinned Bruce deep at its own 11, setting up an early statement from the defense.
Linebacker Brayden Gray led the charge, recording back-to-back tackles for loss as Bruce went three-and-out. The Devils’ second possession started at their 30-yard line, and that’s when the offense began to click. Bradford ripped off a 12-yard gain, then Gale found Freeman for a 17-yard strike on third-and-long. Two plays later, Bradford broke free around the left edge for a 30-yard touchdown. Gabe Butler’s kick made it 7–0 late in the first quarter.
After another stop by the defense, the Devils wasted no time adding to the lead. On the first play of the second quarter, Gale hit Freeman on a quick slant that turned into a 63-yard sprint to the end zone. Butler’s kick made it 14–0. The Blue Devil defense kept Bruce bottled up most of the first half, with Braylon Benson and J.D. Gooch both recording sacks. Bruce advanced as far as the Water Valley five-yard line just before halftime, but a goal-line stand capped by a swarming tackle from Gray ended the half with the Devils still up two touchdowns.
Channing Freeman (above) wraps up for a tackle against Bruce.
Bruce finally broke through on its first possession of the second half, their quarterback slipping loose for a 16-yard touchdown run to make it 14–6. The response was pure poise from Gale and company. After a 27-yard connection to Freeman in tight coverage, Gale went right back to the air — this time to Kemauri Page — for a 34-yard touchdown. Butler’s kick stretched the margin to 21–6 midway through the third quarter.
Moments later, Gray intercepted a Bruce pass near midfield and rumbled deep into Trojan territory. Though the offense stalled, the defense immediately answered. Channing Freeman jumped a sideline route on the next Bruce possession and took it 16 yards for a pick-six. The extra point was no good, but the Devils led 27–6 and the Water Valley sideline erupted.
Bruce cut the lead to 27–12 early in the fourth after capitalizing on a blocked punt, but the Devils refused to fold. On the next drive, Bradford powered through tackles for an eight-yard first down before Gale took off on a 15-yard keeper. Two plays later, Gale connected with Freeman again — this time on a 24-yard strike in the right corner of the end zone. Butler’s kick made it 34–12 with 3:56 remaining, sealing the win despite a late Bruce touchdown that set the final margin at 34–20.
Final stats told the story of balance and resilience: Bradford finished with 23 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown, while Gale completed 8 of 13 passes for 185 yards, three scores, and one interception. Freeman had four receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns, and Page added another score through the air. Defensively, Gray, Benson and Gooch had big nights, with Gray’s interception and Channing Freeman’s pick-six attributed as the turning point for the contest.
“We’re in the driver’s seat, but we can’t rest,” Faust said. “We’ve got to keep grinding, keep getting better week to week, play by play.”
“We had two blocked punts — that’s got to get cleaned up,” Faust added.
The Blue Devils (5–1, 1–0) will travel Thursday to face Baldwyn, the reigning 1A state champions. Faust said he expects to have Miles Buford back and Tre Adams back on the field. Buford was injured in the second game of the season. Adams has missed the last two games.
Water Valley Blue Devil head coach Clint Faust congratulates his team for a “sweet” win over Bruce. With the win, the Blue Devils are the frontrunners in the division.
