A Tale of Two Halves: Blue Devils Rally Past Strayhorn
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Blue Devil defenders Landyn Logan (9, Parker Turnage (84) and Miles Buford (23) combine to bring down a Strayhorn runner in the second half as Water Valley’s defense helped swing the momentum in Friday night’s win.
WATER VALLEY – It was truly a tale of two halves Friday night as the Water Valley Blue Devils shook off a sluggish start and came alive after halftime, rallying for a 42–28 win over Strayhorn (3-8) to remain unbeaten in region play.
The victory improved Water Valley to 7–2 overall (3–0 in region) and secured the team’s first region title since 2011. The win also marked the Blue Devils’ seventh victory of the season, their best record since 2019. Head Coach Clint Faust said his team simply had to rediscover its identity and respond when challenged.
“I don’t know who played that first half, but it wasn’t our brand of football,” Faust said. “We played our brand in the second half. We had some young kids who had won two big division games and maybe lost a little focus coming in. It was senior night and there were a lot of distractions. The good thing is, we overcame it and made a positive out of it. It was a great lesson to learn.”
Wide receiver Derion Gale hauls in a catch for a key gain in the first half against Strayhorn. Gale made several crucial plays as the Blue Devils rallied from a 20–7 deficit to remain unbeaten in region play.
Strayhorn opened the game with a 57-yard scoring drive, taking a 6–0 lead on a 36-yard reverse. Water Valley answered immediately with a 68-yard march capped by quarterback Zae Bradford’s 18-yard touchdown run. Gabe Butler’s extra point gave the Devils an early 7–6 edge.
The Mustangs regained momentum in the second quarter with a pair of big plays — a 30-yard touchdown pass followed by a 76-yard screen play — to go up 20–7. But Water Valley showed signs of life late in the half when Tre Adams broke free on a 53-yard touchdown run, narrowing the gap to 20–13 and setting the stage for what was to come.
Faust said the halftime message was straightforward.
“We challenged them,” he said. “We told them we’re not fixing anything or throwing anything out. What we have works if we execute and play with heart — and they did.”
The Devils came out of the locker room firing. On their opening possession of the third quarter, Water Valley put together a quick four-play, 60-yard drive, capped by Bradford’s one-yard quarterback sneak to even the score at 20–20 with 10:31 remaining in the period.
Moments later, Landyn Logan and JD Gooch combined on a sack to force a punt, and the offense struck again. Braylon Benson sprinted 36 yards for another touchdown to give Water Valley its first lead since the opening quarter, 27–20.
Strayhorn briefly reclaimed the lead, 28–27, but the Blue Devils dominated the fourth quarter. Following a Mustang fumble, Adams broke loose for his second 53-yard touchdown of the night, and Bradford connected with Shaddai Freeman for a two-point conversion to make it 35–28.
Strayhorn briefly reclaimed the lead, 28–27, but the Blue Devils dominated the fourth quarter. Following a Mustang fumble, Adams broke loose for his second 53-yard touchdown of the night, and Bradford connected with Shaddai Freeman for a two-point conversion to make it 35–28.
Kemauri Page sealed the win with a 26-yard touchdown run late in the fourth, and Butler’s PAT made it 42–28. Channing Freeman’s interception on the next possession ended the game, sending the Blue Devil sideline into celebration.
Bradford finished with 87 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Adams led all rushers with 135 yards and two scores. Benson added 36 yards and a touchdown, and Page chipped in 26 yards and a score. In all, the Blue Devils piled up more than 330 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground, one of their best offensive performances of the season.
Assistant Coach Bryant Mix said the turnaround came from attitude and heart.
“We finally saw some young guys come out and fight in the second half. The way Water Valley football is supposed to be played,” Mix said. “When we decide to do what we do, nobody can stop us.”
He added that the crowd’s energy helped spark the comeback, especially in the final quarter.
“That’s something we’ve been needing,” Mix said. “These kids work hard, and they need that support. Now we’ve got to take that same energy into next week.”
The Blue Devils close out the regular season Thursday night, Oct. 30, when they travel to East Union for the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
“We’ve got a short week and we haven’t done so well in those situations,” Faust said. “We need the best couple of practices we’ve ever had.”
Mix echoed that sentiment and issued a challenge of his own — this one to the fans to support the Blue Devils in their final game before playoffs.
“The last time we played on the road for a Thursday night game, there were just a few people in the stands,” he said
