CUB FOOTBALL DEFEATS LIBERTY HILL 27-24 FOR THE AREA CHAMPIONSHIP

For the second year in a row, the Brenham Cub Football Team faced off with the Liberty Hill Panthers for the Area Championship. For the second year in a row, the Cubs came away with a hard fought, three-point victory, 27-24.

Liberty Hill had the only score in the first quarter on a 12-yard touchdown run by Bryce Muchow at the 3:28 mark. Luke Barto added the extra point to give the Panthers an early 7-0 lead.

Just 13 seconds into the second quarter, Brenham would respond with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Xyran Upshaw to Cartelle Brown. Brown followed that up by running in the two-point conversion to give the Cubs an 8-7 lead. That pass also put Upshaw over 2,000 yards passing for the season.

The Panthers re-took the lead on a one-yard touchdown run by Preston Benefield. They tried for the two-point conversion, but came up empty. However, Liberty Hill had taken a 13-8 lead with 4:12 left on the clock in the first half.

Brenham came back with a six-yard touchdown run by C.J. Glover to take a 14-13 lead with 3:08 remaining in the second quarter. The Panthers blocked the extra point by Bleu Cienega.

The Cubs added another touchdown with 59 seconds left until halftime as Upshaw found Brown once again, this time for a 38-yard touchdown pass, and Cienega kicked the extra point. That gave Brenham a 21-13 as the teams went into the locker room.

Liberty Hill came out for the second half, and went on a drive that ate up over half of the third quarter, but the Cub defense was able to hold them to just a field goal at 5:49. Brenham still led 21-16.

In the fourth quarter, Upshaw broke free for a 70-yard run down to the Panther two-yard line. C.J. Glover ran it in from two yards out, but the extra point was block again. However, Brenham extended their lead to 27-16 with 11:00 left in the game.

The Cubs appeared to be heading for another score, but Liberty Hill's Orrin Cole picked up a red zone fumble and returned it 93-yards the other way for a touchdown. Jack Pitchford ran in the two-point conversion, which cut the Brenham lead to 27-24 with 7:41 to go.

That would turn out to be the last score of the game.

Brenham's Landon Zelenka punted the ball, and pinned the Panthers deep in their own territory with 2:58 on the clock.

Facing a fourth down and five, Liberty Hill tried to pass, something they have rarely done this season (only their 18th pass attempt in 11 games.) Chris Guidry, who was playing on defense, broke up the play, and the Panthers turned it over on downs.

Two kneel downs by Upshaw, and the Cubs' celebration was on.

With the win, Brenham improves to 11-1 on the season. They will face Iowa Colony next Friday, at 7pm, in Katy. Coach Youngs told KWHI that they are waiting on the outcome of a game being played later today (Saturday) to find out if it will be Legacy Stadium or Rhodes Stadium.

Due to the Aggie-Longhorn game, which is at the same time, KWHI will broadcast the Brenham-Iowa Colony game live on our KWHI.com Sports Alternate Feed, beginning with the pregame at 6:30pm.

PASSING

Xyran Upshaw 6 for 15, 116 yards, and two touchdowns

RUSHING

Xyran Upshaw nine carries, 85 yards

Cartelle Brown five carries, 48 yards

C.J. Glover ten carries, 44 yards, two touchdowns

RECEIVING

Cartelle Brown four catches, 104 yards, two touchdowns

Tristan Shugart one catch, seven yards

C.J. Glover one catch, five yards