Hughes-to-Derrick wins for Brainerd

By Allan Taylor

Correspondent

Brainerd’s defense delivered a fourth-down red-zone stop, and quarterback William Hughes steered a season-saving 89-yard touchdown drive in the closing minutes as the Panthers upset Central 6-3 in a District 6-AA game Friday night.

Hughes’ 5-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Derrick with 10.2 seconds left capped a furious last-gasp march for the Purple Pounders (2-5, 1-3), who barely stayed afloat in the district playoff chase.

“We knew we’ve got to win out to make the playoffs, and that drive was the first step,” said Hughes, who set up the TD pass by connecting with Derrick on an improvised 28-yard toss to the Central 11. “I was nervous all the way down the field on that last drive.”

A facemask penalty moved the ball to the 5, but the clock began ticking and Hughes — his timeouts exhausted — rolled right, needing to make a play. He found it as Derrick crossed in the back of the end zone.

“I just started waiving my hands so my partner could see I was open,” Derrick said. “And he got it to me.”

Excited as the homecoming crowd was, Brainerd’s two-point pass failed and Central had one final chance.

A kick return to midfield and an interference flag on a Hail Mary moved Central to Brainerd’s 32 for one untimed down. Pounders coach Sam Montgomery turned to kicker Quinton Joynes for a 49-yard field goal. Joynes’ 27-yarder had put Central ahead in the third quarter, but this time his kick spun short.

“We felt like that was our best chance to get the game into overtime,” Montgomery said. “He has made them from 50-plus in practice.”

Central (4-3, 2-2) figured to climb higher in the district race, but Montgomery’s crew managed only 67 yards and didn’t pick up a first down until late in the third quarter.

“This loss is my fault, because I didn’t have the guys prepared,” Montgomery said. “You can’t take anyone lightly in this region.”

After surrendering 32 points per game during a three-week skid, Brainerd’s defense held Central to 43 yards rushing on 27 attempts.

The Panthers’ biggest stop came with 4:41 to play, stuffing Central quarterback DeHart Hubbard on a fourth-and-3 at the Brainerd 11.

“Man, that was like the Steelers defense tonight,” Hughes said. “They deserved to win.”

With Central’s offense flatlining, the Pounders’ might not have scored at all if not for its special teams. Dejaun Davis’ blocked punt at Brainerd’s 39 led to Joynes’ field goal.

“We just couldn’t get anything clicking,” Montgomery said.

Central was outgained 147-14 in the first half, but the game remained scoreless because Brainerd fumbled away its opening drive at the Pounders’ 32 and bobbled away a chance before halftime at Central’s 29.

In between, the Panthers failed on a fourth-and-7 at the Central 10 when Hughes threw incomplete on an end-zone fade route for Derrick.

The tandem made up for it on the last series.

Said Hughes: “We just kept fighting and we came through.”