Lions roar past Bowie

BRECKENRIDGE — Bowie's running game and sturdy defense were critical in its splitting the District 6-3A championship.

Neither aspect of the Jackrabbits' fared very well against Brownwood in the first half of the Region I-3A Division II bi-district matchup.

Brownwood's Stehl Ratliff rushed for five first-half touchdowns, leading the Lions to a dominant 49-13 victory at Buckaroo Stadium.

Brownwood (7-4) will face today's winner of Bridgeport and Glen Rose in the area round. Bowie ends its season at 6-5.

"This wasn't the outcome we wanted. We couldn't get anything going offensively, and the defense was on the field way too much," first-year Bowie coach Dylan Stark said. "You do things like that against a team like that — the mistakes, the turnovers, the drops — it's going to get you every time."

The two programs couldn't have more different histories. Bowie hadn't won a playoff game in 30 years, while Brownwood has seven state football titles. The Lions' playoff experience appeared to be important early on.

Ratliff scored on short touchdown runs of 2, 3 and 2 yards, plus a pair of 15-yard scores as Brownwood rolled to a dominant 35-7 lead at intermission. He finished with 149 yards and six touchdowns in three quarters of work.

Just as impressive was the Lions' defense. The Jackrabbits didn't get a first down until there was 3:30 remaining in the first half and they trailed 28-0.

"This said that our football team was ready to play in the playoffs. I think they believe in themselves," Brownwood coach Bob Shipley said. "We've been making strides every week."

Brownwood lost two fumbles in the first half — including one of the game's very first play — but Bowie couldn't take advantage of the miscues.

After Ratliff's second 15-yard touchdown run of the second quarter gave Brownwood a 21-0 lead, Bowie fumbled the ensuing kickoff.

Quarterback Mitch Stephens injured his ankle on the drive before, but backup Clint Taylor played well as his replacement. Shipley thought Stephens' injury wouldn't keep him from playing next week.

Bowie finally generated some offense when Weston Bond hooked up with Sam Noble for a 47-yard completion and Anthony Bouldin for 27 yards, setting up Bond's 2-yard TD run with 2:28 left in the half.

But Taylor orchestrated a 53-yard drive with 19 seconds before the half that ended with Ratliff's fifth touchdown.

"I had to turn it up because Mitch is a really good athlete, a really good player and a really good team leader," Ratliff said. "When a team leader goes out, another leader has to step up and produce more."

The Lions started the second half strong as Mack Monsen intercepted a screen pass, returning it 16 yards for a touchdown.

Ratliff's last carry was his longest, as the senior scampered 41 yards for a touchdown that boosted Brownwood's lead to 49-7.

Playing in his final game, Payton Betts rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown, although he had only 19 of those yards on seven first-half carries. Bond was 3-of-14 for 76 yards and had two fumble recoveries on defense.

Despite the loss, Bowie won a share of its first district title since 1982 and played well in district as one of the smallest schools in Class 3A.

"I'm proud of the seniors for the season they've had," Stark said. "We had a great year, and this is something to build on for next year. Hopefully we can get back here and have a better result."

Brownwood 7 28 14 0 — 49

Bowie 0 7 6 0 — 13

FIRST QUARTER

BR — Stehl Ratliff 1 run (Matt McCrane kick), 8:07

SECOND QUARTER

BR — Ratliff 15 run (McCrane kick), 10:45

BR — Ratliff 15 run (McCrane kick), 7:35

BR — Ratliff 3 run (McCrane kick), 4:20

BO — Weston Bond 2 run (Tanner Tomlin kick), 2:28

BR — Ratliff 2 run (McCrane kick), 0:19

THIRD QUARTER

BR — Mack Monsen 16 interception return (McCrane kick), 11:11

BR — Ratliff 41 run (McCrane kick), 6:10

BO — Payton Betts 1 run (kick blocked), 4:23

Brown Bowie

First downs 20 10

Rushes-Yards 51-362 41-160

Passing 95 76

Comp-Att-Int 6-10-0 3-14-1

Punts 4-32.3 5-29.2

Fumbles-Lost 4-3 3-2

Penalties-Yards 6-60 4-40

Individual statistics

Rushing: (Br) Stehl Ratliff 19-149; Mitch Stephens 9-63; Clint Taylor 6-27; Kevin Vaccaro 7-13; Matt McCrane 2-9; Braxton Kilgo 3-9; Kaimon Ontiveros 1-4; Jace Newman 3-4; Marcus Marin 1-1; team 1-(-17); (Bo) Payton Betts 22-143; Anthony Bouldin 8-23; Tanner Monroe 1-1; True Miller 1-(-2); Weston Bond 9-(-5).

Passing: (Br) Stephens 3-5-0, 61 yards; Taylor 3-4-0, 34; McCrane 0-1-0, 0;(Bo) Weston Bond 3-14-1, 76 yards.

Receiving: (Br) Cooper Howery 2-44; Ratliff 1-26; Bryce Vickers 1-16; Derrick Johnson 1-10; Sam Humeniuk 1-(-1); (Bo) Sam Noble 1-40; Anthony Bouldin 1-25; Jake Dunnam 1-9.