Seth Brasher’s Long Touchdown Off Deflection Sends Bullard Brook Hill to Wild Win

BULLARD -- It might not have been exactly how first-year Bullard Brook Hill coach Bobby Brasher drew it up, but he'll certainly take it.

Sophomore receiver Seth Brasher, the coach's son, turned a tipped pass into a 79-yard touchdown catch-and-run with 45 seconds remaining to lead the Guard to a 21-18 season-opening win over Frankston on Thursday night at Herrington Stadium.

"In 30 years (in coaching), that's about as crazy as I've seen," Coach Brasher said. "I thought that the game was won and lost about three different times."

Just 30 seconds after Kendrick Rogers' 12-yard touchdown catch gave Frankston an 18-14 lead, Brook Hill quarterback Zac Wilson fired a pass deep down the near sideline. Rogers, who also plays cornerback, leapt up and tipped the pass but it went directly to Seth Brasher, who did the rest.

"Zac waited last second and I didn't think he was going to be able to get it off," Seth Brasher said. "Before (Rogers) tipped it, I looked up and saw it coming down. And I said 'why not make a play for it.' And it ended up working out."

Seth Brasher's miraculous touchdown made sure his father's tenure as head coach at Brook Hill began in winning fashion.

"It means a ton," said Seth Brasher, who finished with four catches for 146 yards. "He's my role model and I look up to him so much. It means the world to me to have this win for him. I just thank him for everything he does for me and making me the man I am today."

Brook Hill (1-0) overcame five turnovers, including three interceptions from its quarterback tandem of Wilson and Grant Hanks.

"I told the guys when we went in the dressing room before the game after we had our pre-game chapel, 'if we don't turn the ball over we have a chance to win,'" Coach Brasher said. "I told them at halftime, 'I told y'all we can't turn the ball over.' Most times you don't win by turning it over five times."

Frankston (0-1) pulled in front with 1:15 remaining when quarterback Ozzie Buckner spotted the 6-4 sophomore Rogers, who made the catch and broke a tackle at the 5-yard line for a 12-yard score.

"Obviously a big receiver like that gives defenses issues," said Frankston coach Matt Nally of Rogers, who finished with eight catches for 53 yards. "Early on we were trying to figure out how they were going to cover him. And once we realized they were pretty much manning him and trying to get over the top of him, we decided to try to him on the sideline a few times. That was the touchdown, we hit him on the sideline. He's a talented kid, we're glad he's a Frankston Indian."

Brook Hill's duo of Wilson and Hanks at quarterback combined to complete 10 of 24 passes for 194 yards, while Clayton Engel the Guard on the ground with 51 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.

Buckner was 18-of-32 for 185 yards, Oran Jenkins had six catches for 78 yards and Daniel Gresham ran 12 times for 75 yards and a touchdown for Frankston.

The Indians turned Brook Hill's first turnover of the night -- a strip-sack of Wilson -- into six points when Gresham found the end zone from 4 yards out just 3:03 into the game.

Brook Hill got on the board early in the second quarter when Engel took Hanks' option-pitch and sprinted 8 yards for the score. Jacob Dumesnil's extra point gave the Guard a 7-6 lead they would carry into halftime.

Frankston re-took the lead on the Indians' first drive of the second half when Kaivon Jackson scored on a 24-yard run. The two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, but Frankston held a 12-7 lead.

It stayed that way until the fourth quarter. Hanks used completions of 15 and 20 yards to Brasher and a 17-yarder to Hunter Scammahorn to set up his 10-yard touchdown pass to Alex Hale. Wilson ran in the two-point conversion to give the Guard a 15-12 lead with 5:32 remaining.

"It was a heck of a ballgame; everybody's cramping, everybody's tired," Coach Brasher said. "Frankston played their hearts out, we played out hearts out. This is one that you hate to see anyone lose because it was so fiercely competitive."

Brook Hill continues its season Sept. 13 at home against Garrison, while Frankston plays host to Elkhart next Friday.

""It was a great game to watch and be a part of," Nally said. "We shot ourselves in the foot real early. We feel like, here in a few weeks, if we execute and do the little things we'll be a pretty good football team."

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Bullard Brook Hill 21, Frankston 18

At Herrington Stadium, Bullard

Frankston            6    0    6    6    --   18
Brook Hill             0    7    0  14    --   21
First Quarter
FRA--Daniel Gresham 4 run (kick failed), 8:57.
Second Quarter
BH--Clayton Engel 8 run (Jacob Dumesnil kick), 9:41.
Third Quarter
FRA--Kaivon Jackson 24 run (run failed), 9:06.
Fourth Quarter
BH--Alex Hale 10 pass from Grant Hanks (Zac Wilson run), 5:32.
FRA--Kendrick Rogers 12 pass from Ozzie Buckner (kick failed), 1:15.
BH--Seth Brasher 79 pass from Wilson (Hunter Scammahorn kick), :45.

                                     FRA               BH
First Downs                       18                19
Rushes-Yards             36-119          35-152
Passing Yards                  185              194
Comp.-Att.-Int.           18-32-0        10-24-3
Punts-Avg.                   4-30.5              0-0
Fumbles-Lost                    1-1              2-2
Penalties-Yards              11-80          10-83

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Frankston, Daniel Gresham 12-75, Kaivon Jackson 5-34, Oran Jenkins 1-8, Kendrick Rogers 1-5, Cory Winks 1-3, Ozzie Buckner 16-(-6). Brook Hill, Clayton Engel 13-51, Grant Hanks 4-31, Jacob Dumesnil 2-30, Zac Wilson 6-24, Gabe Lucio 10-16.
PASSING--Frankston, Buckner 18-32-0--185. Brook Hill, Wilson 5-14-2--100, Hanks 5-10-1--94.
RECEIVING--Frankston, Rogers 8-53, Jenkins 6-78, Justice Bean 4-54. Brook Hill, Seth Brasher 4-146, Dumesnil 2-16, Hunter Scammahorn 1-17, Alex Hale 1-10, Lucio 1-3, Hanks 1-2.