BROWNSTOWN
For the third time this season, a Seymour game was determined by extra points.
Both Seymour and Brownstown Central scored five touchdowns Friday night, but the Owls converted two 2-point conversions and won the Jackson Bowl 34-32 at Blevins Memorial Stadium.
“The last time we were here, we lost 75-14,” Seymour coach Josh Shattuck said. “I don’t have a quote for that. We’ve come a long way. Kudos to Brownstown. They’ve got unbelievable resiliency. We’re 20 pounds heavier at every position but still had to fight. They’ve got unbelievable coaching and unbelievable community support. We want to be what they are and have been for 20 years.”
Seymour scored on both of its possessions in the third period.
Zach Carpenter scored on a 1-yard run, and Alan Perry scored on a 30-yard carry.
In between, Gavin Bane caught a 45-yard TD pass from Kyle Kramer.
Bane also caught 29- and 45-yard passes from Kramer in the fourth quarter.
Carpenter scored Seymour’s final TD on a 5-yard run with 3:02 remaining.
The Owls scored one touchdown in each of the first two quarters and held a 14-6 lead at the half.
However, it was the Braves who scored first.
After they forced the Owls to punt on their first possession, the Braves used their strong running game to move the ball down the field.
Bane gained 38 yards on three carries on the drive, including the final 5 yards for the touchdown.
The Braves failed on their 2-point conversion try, and the score remained 6-0 with 7:35 on the clock.
The Owls came right back to tie the game, marching 67 yards in 14 plays, aided by a 15-yard penalty on the Braves.
Perry completed a 19-yard pass to Tyler Bullard for a first down, and then he completed an 11-yard pass to Jackson Morris for the touchdown. Perry also completed a pass to Morris for the 2-point conversion and an 8-6 lead at 2:04 of the first quarter.
“Their option scheme is hard to defend,” Braves coach Reed May said. “They get their athletes into space, so you’ve got to make plays. That’s hard to do by the third or fourth quarters. Credit to Seymour, they were making plays.”
Brownstown lost two fumbles in the first half. Nick Richert recovered the football at the 43. Two plays later, Carpenter ran 41 yards for a TD with 8:32 on the clock.
The Braves had two more possessions, one ending on a fumble and another on a turnover on downs.
“It definitely wasn’t a defensive struggle,” May said. “It was a good game to watch as a fan, but not as a coach, especially for a coach on the losing end. The two first-half turnovers killed us. (Seymour) did a great job. Offensively, they’ve got a great scheme.”
The Owls had a punt and a pass intercepted on their final two possessions of the first half.
Carpenter finished with 125 yards rushing on 18 carries and three touchdowns.
Bane also had an outstanding night offensively with 142 yards rushing on 13 carries and two scores and 169 yards receiving on five catches and three touchdowns.
“(Bane) is an all-conference player at any school in the state,” Shattuck said. “Kramer threw a couple of absolute money balls. The reason I’m happy right now is Bane and Kramer graduate, and we won’t have to see them next year.”
The Owls are 3-3, and the Braves are 5-1.