Burnet football beats Andrews for bi-district title

Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography

The Burnet High School football team defeated Andrews 21-7 Nov. 14 for a bi-district championship in the Class 4A Division I playoffs.

The Bulldogs (4-7, 1-3 District 4-4A Division I fourth place) will face Amarillo Randall (9-2, 4-1 District 2-4A Division I runner-up) at 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at Hawk Stadium in Iowa Park. Randall shut out El Paso Austin 49-0 Nov. 14.

“It was emotional,” Burnet head coach Ben Speer said. “You want to be successful and you want to win gold balls, but I wanted it to validate the hard work and the consistency of the senior class. They faced a lot of adversity this year. They kept showing up and playing their hearts out. I wanted them to be rewarded. To have them win a playoff round and beat a one seed I think validates the hard work they put in. I just couldn’t be more thrilled for them and the program. It’s my first one as a head coach, and I love that we won that. It’s great for my assistants and I wanted it for those kids.”

Last year Andrews (5-6, 3-0 District 3-4A Division I champion) beat Burnet 35-21 before losing to Randall 42-36.

But this year the Bulldogs seized control of the contest by recovering fumbles on the Mustangs’ first 2 drives.

Burnet capitalized on the second by driving 53 yards in 11 plays on a drive that ended when senior running back Josiah Coronado ran to pay dirt from four yards out. Senior kicker Marco Campos-Huerta connected on the extra point for the 7-0 lead with 10 minutes and 26 left in the second quarter. The drive took 5:06 to complete.

The Mustangs answered on their next drive thanks to a 48-yard scamper by senior Jean DeBouse to cap an eight-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up 4:10 to tie the game at 7-7 with 6:17 remaining in the half.

The Bulldogs broke the tie on their next drive when Coronado made his way to the end zone from 28 yards out and the 14-7 lead, which was the half-time score. The six-play, 57-yard drive took 2:16 to finish.

Andrews took the second-half kickoff and reached the Burnet 24-yard line before turning the ball over on downs.

The Bulldogs had no such issues as they drove 69 yards in six plays thanks to Coronado, who had runs of 11, three, 16, a three-yard loss, and one yard to get to the Mustangs’ 41-yard line. He completed the drive by catching a 41-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Fisher Powell for the 21-7 lead with 2:56 remaining in the third quarter.

At that point, the defenses took center stage as Burnet forced Andrews to punt, then the Mustangs made the Bulldogs turn the ball over on downs, and Burnet senior defensive back Cohen Jorpeland caught an interception to kill an Andrews’ drive that stalled on the Bulldogs’ 22-yard line. And though Andrews forced Burnet to punt, the Bulldogs replied by making the Mustangs turn the ball over on downs with 1:17 remaining in the game.

At that point, Burnet got into its victory formation and celebrated winning another bi-district crown, its first since 2023.

The Bulldogs had 242 yards of total offense with 183 coming from its ground attack thanks to 39 rushes. Speer said he believes the reason the Bulldogs were victorious was because of “our ability to run.”

“Last year we turned the ball over, and they got up 21-0, and we were trying to play catch-up the rest of the game and we got away from the running game,” he said. “Our ability to actually run (in this game) — even if we don’t score or finish a drive but are moving the chains and gave our defense a little bit of a breather even in the fourth quarter when we don’t score and they don’t score but we’re able to run a lot of clock — cost them.”

The coach tipped his cap to the offensive linemen, who won plenty of individual battles against the Mustangs in ensuring they sprung ball carriers loose or gave Powell time to throw.

“You impose your will on people,” he said. “Establishing the run really gave us confidence.”

Coronado led with 20 carries for 104 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 41-yard touchdown pass.

“When (Coronado) popped off a couple, and he gets that first touchdown, I think everybody on the sideline knew we’re gonna go win this game,” Speer said. “Just to have him back there and doing what he’s been able to do earlier this season, it just gave everybody a whole lot of confidence.”

Senior running back Peyton Lopez had nine carries for 56 yards.

“There are certain plays we call that are better for Peyton,” the coach added. “You have the slasher, and he drags people. Then you have the other guy who’s like, ‘Well, I see space. So I’m just going to lower my shoulder and run over people.’ That’s a great change-up that you get in your backfield. The offensive guys did a great job.”

Powell completed 5 of 8 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown.

“I thought Fisher did a great job,” Speer said. “He was efficient, not perfect. He didn’t turn the ball over. That was huge for us.”

Meanwhile, the Mustangs had 237 yards with 222 coming from its rushing attack on 45 carries.

“I think it was just the intensity of the guys on defense and their willingness make the play or the tackle,” Speer said. “‘I trust my teammates my teammates will just keep coming in waves.’ We knew they’re kind of turnover prone. We just had to get it. I told the guys that god things happen when you fly to the ball.  You get tackles, you get big hits, you get turnovers, and all those things come from that endless pursuit. They were prepared, they were making checks and talking. There wasn’t anything they saw they weren’t prepared for and that speaks volumes about that defense and that defensive staff.”

DeBouse had 20 rushes for 143 yards and a score, while junior running back Beau Hudson had seven carries for 38 yards and junior running back Casey Mendoza had six rushes for 20 yards, all unofficial

“I’ll have to credit the defense,” Speer said. “We made sure kids were aware of (DeBouse) and his speed and the athlete he is. We talked about that you don’t want to get caught up with one person in that offense because if you do, then all of a sudden the fullback’s hit in the trap, and he’s 40 yards down the field, and you’re trying to catch him from behind.  (The Mustang coaches) do a good job of moving him to different spots, and he’s a good blocker. He does a great job. We had one bottled up pretty well and he popped it. But I think the biggest thing was with him is just don’t let him get loose and if he does, get him on the ground and make them snap it again.”