It was a case of too little, too late for the Brandon varsity football team against visiting Lapeer East Sept. 10.
After being shut out in the first three quarters of the contest, the Blackhawks scored 17 points in the fourth quarter. However, the Eagles had already built a sizable lead by the time Brandon scored, and Lapeer East cruised to a 42-17 win.
With the loss, the Blackhawks fell to 1-2 on the season.
Eagles quarterback Dustin Kapral was nearly flawless, completing 15 of 16 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns. Kapral’s three touchdown strikes (two to Chris Francis for 28 and 20 yards, and one to Travis Mullins for 38 yards) all came within the first 20 minutes of action, staking Lapeer East to a 21-0 lead with 7:53 left in the second quarter.
Brandon coach Ron Gill said Kapral was at the top of his form against the Blackhawks. ‘He just had a great game ? you have to give him a lot of credit,? he said.
On Brandon’s next possession after the Eagles? third touchdown, junior Sean Montgomery replaced senior Andrew Burch at quarterback, but Lapeer East recovered a Brandon fumble, and Eagles running back Miles Moran scored from 16 yards out to put East up 28-0.
Moran scored another touchdown, this one from 24 yards, and Jason Barker scored the other East touchdown on a 8-yard run, giving the Eagles a commanding 42-0 lead in the third quarter.
Montgomery was shaken up for the Blackhawks with 1:48 left in the third, and Burch returned to the game for Brandon.
Gill said the Blackhawks faced an uphill battle on defense with the loss of two of their starting linebackers ? Josh Polasek and Eric Cook ? to injury during the LakeVille game Sept. 2.
‘A couple of young kids had to step in and play varsity,? he said. ‘It was a very tough fight, but it wasn’t for lack of effort on our part.?
Junior Darryl Goodrich tallied Brandon’s first points of the game, notching a safety with 9:21 left in the fourth quarter.
Brandon senior Derek Foyt returned the ensuing Lapeer East kickoff to the Eagles 42 yard line, and junior Zac LaFlamme cashed in from four yards out with 5:36 left in the fourth. Burch then connected with senior Jason Ledgerwood on the two-point conversion, reducing the Eagles? lead to 42-10.
The Blackhawks? final touchdown came with 3:38 left in the fourth, when Foyt returned a Lapeer East punt 60 yards for a touchdown. It was Foyt’s second punt return for a touchdown in as many games.
Gill said the fact the Blackhawks kept fighting even when the Eagles had the game well in hand was a positive reflection on the team.
‘There were certainly negative things that happened, but they kept playing hard for four quarters,? he said. ‘They gave their maximum effort and I was proud of them for that.?
Brandon traveled to Linden for a Sept. 17 contest, and return home Sept. 24 for their Homecoming game against neighboring Oxford.
The Wildcats are coming off a 5-4 season in which they finished tied for fourth in the Flint Metro League with a 3-3 record. Oxford is currently 3-0 after defeating Holly 17-7 on Sept. 10.