Bobcats’ special weapon Bradshaw became a fourth quarter playmaker
Cy-Fair – Receiver/defensive back Ryan Bradshaw blocked a 40-yard field goal attempt as time expired and quarterback Logan Taylor’s game winning two-point conversion pass to tight end Will Dawson sent the Cy-Fair Bobcats into the playoffs, by eliminating its rival, Cy-Creek Cougars 15-14 on Friday night at Pridgeon Stadium.
The Bobcats’ win settled a two-way tie for fourth place and cleared up the final spot for district 17-5A.
Leading by a point, 15-14, Cy-Fair’s defense battled a Cougars offense on the move with little time left. Cy-Creek spiked the ball with seconds left, lining up in position for a 40-yard field goal attempt. But all would fail when Bradshaw, the man of the fourth quarter, stepped up and blocked the attempt as time expired leaving the Bobcats celebrating as Cy-Creek players fell to the carpet in disbelieve.
Cy-Fair’s drive before the block kick, gave it all the points it would need, including a two-point conversion.
Facing win or go home, the Bobcats trailed 14-7 with 3:43 left, with a drive that starter at its eight-yard line. The drive was ignited by, two momentum-swinging 4th down conversions. On fourth and 15, Logan found Bradshaw down at the 40 yard line for a 22-yard pickup. Then, running back Jacorey Aleem took a screen pass up the left sideline into Cougars territory at the 42. Three plays later, while facing fourth and three from the Cougars 35, Taylor found Bradshaw over the middle at the 30 for the first down. The play setup Bradshaw’s sliding 14-yard touchdown catch with 1:19 left before Dawson’s two-point conversion grab, handing the Bobcats a 15-14 lead. Logan and Bradshaw hooked up five times on the winning drive.
“I was talking to the guys upstairs (Cy-Fair Assistant Coaches in press box) as we were moving the football, I asked, what they thought. Our thoughts, we had the momentum, we were doing a few good things on offense and let’s just keep it going. Not to dis-credit our defense because our defense had stopped them the prior two possessions. I just felt like, we had a little confidence going, if we were to score, just go ahead and pull the trigger, try to go for two and win it.
Coming into the contest, stakes were high. Winner takes all, loser goes home.
As expected, a defensive struggle fashioned most of the first half with the district’s top ranked defense in Cy-Creek and third in the Bobcats, which led to a scoreless first quarter.
Capitalizing on fullback Drew Tolber’s fumble, Cy-Creek marched 53 yard in 10-plays to grab a 7-0 lead after receiver Bobby Chan-Chan squeezed inside the left pile on to cap a nine-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Zachary Williams with 2:17 left in the second quarter.
Before, it was all defense. Neither team could sustain a lengthy drive. Early in the first quarter, Cy-Fair enjoyed its best drive of the game from its 26 yard line and moved into the Cougars’ territory at the 25 before defensive back Detrick Brown Hornsby intercepted Williams at the 9.
Logan led Cy-Fair on a 66-yard drive, tying the score at 7 with 4:49 left in the third quarter. Wide out Price Cole was on the receiving end of a 34-yard touchdown pass from Logan.
The battle continued until Creek started a drive at the 41 near the end of the third quarter which followed into the fourth. Running back Davion Masters had a hand in five of the ten plays, which resulted in Masters connecting with Kyle Huff for a 19-yard score from the wildcat position to retake the lead, 14-7, following Kevin Patterson’s extra point kick.
After, Bobcats and Cougars traded possession before Cy-Fair’s thrilling comeback.
“First of all, congratulations to Cy-Fair. They did an excellent job and they made the plays when they had to. Good luck to them in the playoffs. We fought our butts off; it was a close game between two good football teams,” Cy-Creek coach Greg McCaig said.
