On a cool fall Friday night, two of Class 4A’s top teams clashed in a thrilling opening-round matchup, one where a combined 15-3 record would not be enough to guarantee both teams a spot past October 25.
It was all Braves to start this heavyweight battle, as senior running back and Mr. Football candidate CJ Harris set the tone early with a 69-yard sprint to the end zone on his first carry of the game. Brebeuf head coach Matt Geske expressed his gratitude for his star back.
“[Danville] had a nice plan,” Geske said. “They try to take away one or two pieces, but they can’t take all of our pieces away — usually.”
Just minutes later, Harris struck again with a 30-yard dash, putting Brebeuf up 13-0. However, the 8-1 Warriors weren’t going down easily. Senior receiver Jace Scrafton made an acrobatic catch on a 4th and long to narrow the gap to 13-7.
Brebeuf answered with a fade from quarterback Taylor Clark, but Danville responded right back, connecting with Scrafton on a Hail Mary just before halftime, making it 21-14 in Brebeuf’s favor.
The third quarter saw the Braves extend their lead. Senior quarterback Maverick Geske scrambled for a four-yard touchdown, followed by a 66-yard bomb to Clark, putting Brebeuf up 35-14. Yet, even as the Braves seemed in control, Danville showed they weren’t done.
Senior running back Ethan Wooten broke a long run, setting up Sutton Fulwider for a 20-yard touchdown off a rocket toss, cutting the deficit to 35-21. And when a Brebeuf drive faltered, the Warriors pounced. A strong punt return from Cameron McMahon and a Carter Ward option run closed the gap to 35-28 with seven minutes left.
Brebeuf managed to drive into scoring range but missed a crucial field goal, keeping the momentum with Danville. Wooten, Scrafton, and Ward combined for big gains, moving the Warriors into Brebeuf’s red zone. On first and goal, Scrafton snagged his third score of the night, and Ward’s two-point conversion run put Danville up 36-35 with just 40 seconds left.
With Brebeuf driving, McMahon read the route perfectly, intercepting a pass for a go-ahead pick-six. Danville now led 43-35 with only seconds remaining, feeling victory within reach.
But the Braves weren’t finished. A quick strike to Clark and a lateral to Edwin Watson launched a chaotic sequence. After a series of laterals, Clark ultimately found Geske, who took it the remaining 60 yards, miraculously tying the game as time expired. Harris punched in the two-point conversion, sending the game into overtime.
Danville opened the extra period with a touchdown from junior back Minh Vu but failed the two-point attempt, leading 49-43. Brebeuf, facing fourth and goal with their season on the line, saw Geske sacked—but a premature celebration by Danville resulted in an illegal substitution penalty, giving the Braves another shot. Harris, fittingly, carried the ball in for his third touchdown of the night, sealing Brebeuf’s escape in a stunning 50-49 victory.
The Braves’ triumph keeps their postseason alive as they prepare to face Roncalli in the second round of Sectional 22. Questions linger over Brebeuf’s defense, but Geske remains optimistic.
“Our defense has taken a few lumps this year,” Geske said. “But I’m telling you, we’re improving every day in practice. We had three starters go down today, so I’m super proud of our defense. I think we’re going to continue to improve every week.”
The Braves’ resilience and tenacity pulled off an unforgettable win, while Danville’s masterful comeback was tarnished by a heartbreaking penalty, proving once again that in high school football, every second counts.