‘We’ve got the kids to do it.’ Bryan Station getting more explosive with every win.
Bryan Station wasted little time letting Tates Creek know it had plans for next week.
The No. 6 Defenders scored on each of their first five possessions on the way to a 43-10 victory over No. 11 Tates Creek on Friday at Lafayette High School’s Ishmael Stadium in the second round of the Class 6A football playoffs.
“We just had to start fast and then just keep the momentum going,” said Bryan Station wideout/defensive back JT Haskins Jr., who led the team with 116 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
Bryan Station quarterback Trenton Cutwright threw for 166 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 82 yards and another score.
The Defenders took four plays and 1:03 off the clock to cover 84 yards on the game’s opening possession. Haskins reeled in a 31-yard touchdown pass from Cutwright for a 7-0 lead.
“I think we’re getting to where we can be explosive,” Bryan Station Coach Phillip Hawkins said. “We just need more explosive plays, and we’ve got the kids to do it.”
The Defenders forced the first of three quick Tates Creek first-half punts to set up another four-play drive. Bayubahe Benit broke a 60-yard TD run for a 14-0 lead with 6:48 left in the first quarter. Cutwright then threw a pair of TD passes on each of the next two drives, a 15-yarder to Demond Green and an 18-yarder to Haskins.
After Emmanuel Castro put Tates Creek on the board with a 23-yard field goal late in the second quarter, Cutwright scrambled out of the pocket and eluded would-be tacklers for a 41-yard touchdown to help give Bryan Station a 35-3 halftime lead.
Kalen Washington’s 36-yard TD run early in the third quarter put the Defenders up by a running clock margin of 43-3. Benit finished with 101 yards rushing. Washington added 67 yards.
“You’ve got to be able to run right now,” Hawkins said. “We’ve got a couple of capable running backs. I’m more excited about this team than you can imagine.”
Tates Creek scored again on a 27-yard pass from Andrew Witherington to Luke Cooper on the last play of the game, which was held at Lafayette due to ongoing electrical issues at Tates Creek’s Roy G. Walton Stadium. As District 7 champions, the Commodores (8-4) were the hosts.
“At the end of the day, we had a special season,” Tates Creek coach Jonathan Hawks said. “We had a great group of seniors with some underclassmen who’ve really been working hard to make sure we move this program in the right direction. … To see us take a loss like this is disappointing.”
The win advances Bryan Station (9-3) to its third region championship game in Hawkins’ four years as head coach. The Defenders will host No. 7 Ryle on Friday to try to reach their second state semifinals in a row. Ryle defeated defending Class 6A state champion Bullitt East.
“We know we’ve got tough teams coming down to Lexington,” Haskins said. “We’ve just got to come in and practice hard and watch tons of film. … If we do that, I think we can come out with a win.”
This story was originally published November 11, 2023 at 8:45 AM.
