It was all Batesville on Friday night as the Batesville Pioneers thumped the Brookland Bearcats by a final score of 51-7 at Pioneer Stadium.
The Pioneers wasted no time in getting on the board as they scored on the game’s opening drive when Jace Jeffrey took a pitch from Gabe Witt on a reverse and raced seven yards into the end zone. Aldo Gallardo hit the extra point to put the Pioneers up 7-0. The Pioneers second score of the first quarter came on a 42-yard touchdown pass from Rhett McDonald to Jermiah Strickland. Gallardo’s extra point made the score 14-0, which is how the first quarter would end.
Brookland’s only points came on a touchdown run in the second quarter to cut the lead to 14-7. But the Pioneers would answer quickly as less than two minutes later Conner Foree took a tunnel screen pass from McDonald 34 yards to paydirt. Gallardo would hit the extra point to make the score 21-7. Gallardo would hit a 30-yard field goal to make the lead 24-7.
After a Bearcat punt, the Pioneers would add another touchdown when sophomore Cale Glasgow would run it in from one yard out. Gallardo capped a busy first half with his fourth extra point of the night and the Pioneers lead 31-7 at the break.
The Pioneers scored on their first possession of the 3rd quarter when McDonald hit Jeffrey on a 25-yard touchdown pass. Gallardo’s extra point made the score 38-7. After that, it was the Pioneers defense who got into the scoring column with Wyatt Fowler blocking a Bearcat punt in the end zone and Beau Baxter recovering it for the touchdown. Gallardo kicked his sixth extra point of the night to make the score 45-7 and invoke the sportsmanship timing rule. On the ensuing Brookland possession, Gentry Moody stripped the football from the Brookland quarterback and returned the football 61 yards for the final score of the evening.
The Pioneers improved to 6-2 on the season and 4-1 in the 5A East. Brookland dropped to 1-7 on the season and 0-5 in the 5A East.
The Pioneers will make the short trip south to take on the Batesville Southside Southerners in the first-ever meeting between the schools.
Follow the Batesville Pioneers through radio coverage from White River Now’s 93 KZLE on-air and through the White River Now website or app.
Article by Ronald Richardson
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