Blue Devils Fall To Unbeaten Bruce In Overtime
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Nehemiah Brown, Derion Gale and Demarea Johnson (right photo) wait for the signal during Friday night’s homecoming game against Bruce at Bobby Clark Field.
WATER VALLEY — Water Valley had unbeaten Bruce on the ropes Friday night.
The Blue Devils led at halftime, answered every Bruce challenge in the third quarter and carried a six-point lead into the closing minutes before the Trojans rallied to force overtime and escape Bobby Clark Field with a 34-26 homecoming victory.
Water Valley led 26-20 before Bruce drove 75 yards in the final two minutes, tying the game on a 22-yard touchdown pass. The Trojans scored on their first overtime possession and stopped the Blue Devils to remain undefeated, a heartbreaking ending after Water Valley repeatedly came up with big plays on both sides of the ball.
The Blue Devils struck first on their opening possession after a penalty backed Water Valley to its own seven-yard line. Quarterback Derion Gale helped dig the Blue Devils out of the hole, connecting with Tavarus Jackson for seven yards on third-and-four to keep the drive alive, then connected with Jackson again for a 67-yard touchdown. The extra point was no good, leaving Water Valley ahead 6-0.
Water Valley’s defense twice kept Bruce out of the end zone on drives in the Blue Devil red zone.
Bruce reached the Water Valley 15 on its opening possession before Demarea Johnson recorded a sack on third down and the Trojans failed on fourth-and-16.
Quarterback Derion Gale scrambles for yardage during Friday night’s homecoming game against Bruce. Gale completed 11 of 18 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns in the Blue Devils’ 34-26 overtime loss.
The Trojans threatened again on their next possession, driving inside the Water Valley 10, but the Blue Devils held on the goal line and took over on downs.
Bruce finally broke through after a bad snap on a Water Valley punt attempt gave the Trojans the ball at the Blue Devil 18. A touchdown pass tied the game at 6-6.
Water Valley answered with a scoring drive of its own.
Gale scrambled for 19 yards on third-and-four and later connected with Jackson for 10 yards. He then hit Kylan Armstrong for 25 yards to the Bruce one-yard-line. Gale finished the drive with a one-yard quarterback keeper, putting Water Valley back in front 12-6 with 4:28 remaining in the half.
Bruce mounted another threat before halftime, moving inside the Water Valley 10, but the Blue Devil defense again turned the Trojans away. Gale broke up a fourth-down pass to preserve the 12-6 halftime lead.
Bruce needed only seconds to change the game after halftime.
The Trojans returned the second-half kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown and added the two-point conversion to take their first lead, 14-12.
Water Valley responded immediately.
Gale connected with Armstrong for 12 yards and Jackson for 16 during the drive. Tre Adams broke a 14-yard run to the Bruce 10 and scored on the next play, putting Water Valley back in front 18-14 with 8:50 remaining in the third quarter.
Bruce answered with a 40-yard touchdown pass to regain the lead, 20-18.
Then came Water Valley’s biggest play of the night.
Back-to-back penalties left the Blue Devils facing third-and-30 from their own 34. Gale scrambled away from pressure and threw deep for Armstrong. A Bruce defender got a hand on the ball, but Armstrong came away with it and raced to the end zone for a 66-yard touchdown.
Demarea Johnson scored on the two-point conversion to give Water Valley a 26-20 advantage.
Bruce threatened again on its next possession, driving to the Water Valley 20. Facing fourth-and-two, the Trojans were stopped after a one-yard gain. The chains were brought onto the field, and Bruce came up about a football length short.
Water Valley then mounted a long fourth-quarter drive that reached the Bruce 12. The Blue Devils were unable to capitalize, however, turning the ball over on downs with about three minutes remaining.
Water Valley immediately got another opportunity when Jonathan Malone intercepted a Bruce pass on the Trojans’ first play of the ensuing possession. A penalty after the interception pushed the Blue Devils back to their own 45, and Water Valley eventually punted.
That gave Bruce one final chance.
Starting at its own 25 with about two minutes remaining, the Trojans moved down the field with a mixture of passes and quarterback runs. A 22-yard quarterback run moved Bruce to the Water Valley 24 before the Trojans connected on a 22-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 26-26.
Bruce attempted a fake on the extra point but failed, keeping the score tied.
Water Valley got the ball back with 38 seconds remaining, but Bruce intercepted a pass nine seconds later. The Blue Devil defense held, sending the game to overtime.
Bruce started from the Water Valley 10 and scored on a four-yard run on third-and-goal. The Trojans added the two-point conversion to take a 34-26 lead.
Water Valley then got its opportunity from the 10.
Adams was stopped for no gain on first down. After an incomplete pass, he was tackled for a five-yard loss on third down. Water Valley’s fourth-down pass from the 15 fell incomplete, ending the Blue Devils’ upset bid.