Coach Taheric Branley’s debut as a head football coach helped lead the Brownfield Cubs take on a pesky Post Antelope team Friday night in their first football game of the 2023 season and came out on top 28-24. The Cub’s defense stayed strong throughout the game and made the difference.
Post received the ball first and began strong getting a quick first down. However, they would lose momentum and end up punting the ball to the Cubs.
The Cubs would begin on their 27-yard line. After Post and Brownfield traded penalties, the Cubs would lose two yards on first down. The second down was a huge pass play from J.J. Martinez to JoJo Carrillo getting the first down at Post’s 12-yard line. The Cubs would be penalized again for a false start. However, J.J. and George Rivera would connect with about 17-yard passing touchdown. The PAT was no good bringing the score to 6-0 with 7:37 left in the 1st quarter.
On the kickoff, the Antelopes had a great return and set them up with decent field position. Post would get another rushing first down and continued to move the ball to the Cub’s 27-yard line. Post then rushed the ball to the 1-yard line, with the ensuing play giving Post a touchdown. The PAT was no good and the game was tied 6-6 with 4:27 left in the 1st quarter.
The Antelopes on the kickoff, kicked the ball out of bounds and Brownfield elected for Post to re-kick. Clyde Lary would return the ball to the 31-yard line. The Cubs would get to third down on this series and after a bad snap, losing several yards making about third and 25. The Cubs could not go anywhere and were penalized for delay of game on 4th down. The Cubs would punt the ball to the Antelopes 37 with 2:43 left in the 1st quarter.
Post would get another first down after a holding penalty. However, the Cub’s defense stifled Post and forced the Antelopes to punt at the beginning of the 2nd quarter. The Cubs returned the punt to the Post’s 37. Brownfield would run on the first down with no gain. Then J.J. would connect again with Rivera for 37 yard passing touchdown bringing the score 12 to 6, and the PAT was no good with 11:18 left in the 2nd quarter.
On the kickoff, Post would get a 50-yard return. The Antelopes got the ball down to Brownfield’s 11-yard line but fumbled with the Cubs recovering the ball with 9:33 left in the 2nd quarter. J.J. and the Cubs got a 55-yard pass play for a first down and now are on the Post’s 28.
The Cubs then got another false start call bringing them to 1st and 15. However, Brownfield’s J.J. scrambled and dropped the ball, where Post recovered it on the 50-yard line. Post continued to push the ball getting a couple of 1st downs. Then on a quarterback draw, the Antelopes would score making the game tied again, this time 12-12 with 5:43 left in the 2nd quarter and the PAT was no good.
The Cubs would get back to work on offense with a first down pass play from J.J. to Jo Jo. Next, the Cubs got another 1st down with a 15-yard pass from J.J. to Gage McPherson. Then J.J. connected with Q Busby for a 25-yard pass for another first down. However, the drive ended on an interception. Post then took over at their 10-yard line with 3:51 left in the 2nd quarter.
The Cubs defense again stood tall causing a three and out for the Antelopes and Brownfield getting the ball back on their 33-yard line with 1:03 left in the 2nd quarter. Time would run out and the halftime score was 12-12.
In the 3rd quarter, the Cubs would receive the ball and return it to their 32-yard line. Again, Brownfield would get another false start called on them. McPherson got a rushing 1st down to the 47-yard line. Post got a 15-yard personal foul called and would set the Cubs up at Post’s 38.
The Cubs would get the ball down to the 20. On the new series of downs, Brownfield would get another false start, giving them a 1st and 15. In the next play, J.J. would be sacked losing another 10 yards. However, J.J. connected with Jo Jo for a 45-yard touchdown pass, making the score 18-12. The Cubs went for the two-point conversion and got it bringing the score to 20-12 with 10:52 left in the 3rd quarter.
Post received the ball and marched it downfield to the Cubs 45 with 9:28 left in the 3rd. Post then got another 1st down rushing the ball to the Cubs 14 yard line with 7:53 left in the 3rd. Post pounded the ball to the 2-yard line which set them up to get another touchdown with the quarterback keeper. The Antelopes missed their 2-point conversion bringing the score 20-18 in favor of the Cubs with 6:25 left in the 3rd.
Lary returned the kickoff to the 30-yard. Jo Jo would get another huge pass from J.J. getting back into Post’s territory at the 38. Cubs got another first down passing play for 25 yards to the 11.
The game moved into the 4th quarter. The Cubs got a touchdown pass, but a holding penalty brought the ball back making it 20 yards for the first down. That did not deter the Cubs, because J.J. connected with Austin Martinez with about a 15-yard passing touchdown and the two-point conversion was good J.J. to McPherson, bringing the score to 28-18 with 4:46 left in the 3rd.
Post got the ball back and began to move the ball. The Antelope eventually got the ball to Brownfield 15 with 3:38 left in the 3rd. However, Post would cough up the ball and Brownfield recovered it on their 20-yard line. Brownfield would end up going three and out, punting the ball.
The 4th quarter arrived and Post again began to rush the ball down the field. Eventually, the Antelopes scored again but missed the two-point try bringing the score 28-24 in the Cub’s favor with 10:43 left in the game. The next 10:43, both teams would not see the end zone for the remainder of the game. The Cubs would turn the ball over on an interception and late in the 4th Post would fumble with Brownfield recovering the ball with .52 seconds left in the game.
Coach Brantley said, “Post played great. They are tough and well-coached and we knew that going in. They brought the intensity and we had a hard time responding at certain points.”
Coach Brantley also noticed the mistakes the Cubs were making throughout the game. “We are lucky to have gotten a win with the mistakes we made. But that’s indicative of this team’s resilience. We kept fighting through adversity. We have a lot to work on but the kids are up to the task and we expect to be better moving forward.” said Coach Brantley.
| STATS | BROWNFIELD | POST |
| FINAL SCORE | 28 | 24 |
| TOTAL YARDS | 387 | 453 |
| PASSING YARDS | 322 | 84 |
| RUSHING YARDS | 65 | 369 |
| 3RD DOWN CONVERSIONS | 3-11 | 8-14 |
| TOTAL TURNOVERS | 2 | 3 |
| FUMBLES | 1 | 3 |
| INTERCEPTIONS | 1 | 0 |
Next up for the Brownfield Cubs (1-0) are the Tulia Hornets (0-1), Friday night Sept. 1, 2023 at Tulia. Kickoff 7:00 pm
