Bearcats defeat burleson 56-14

Aledo (4-0) opened district play with a win 56-14 Friday at Burleson (2-2).

The Bearcat’s offense was balanced and prolific in all facets of the game against the Elks. Quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi had 156 yards passing and running back Ryan Williams finished just over the century mark with 103 yards rushing.

The Aledo Bearcats jumped out to a 21-0 lead and never trailed Burleson. Aledo held a 28-7 lead at halftime.

Fowler-Nicolosi threw three touchdowns in the first half.

The Bearcats scored first on a 35 yard Hauss Hejny reception.

Hejny scored again later in the first quarter on another deep pass, this time from 46 yards from Fowler-Nicolosi.

Hejny was dialed-in against the Elk’s defensive scheme.

“They played a really different coverage, with a tight corner to the boundary and a safety that was stacked on top of him. Our whole scheme was to just attack that,” he said.

Brain Fleming scored Aledo’s third touchdown on a 28 yard throw from Fowler-Nicolosi.

Fowler-Nicolosi escaped the pocket with a quick spin to the outside multiple times in the first half.

His ability to evade pressure and see down field helped propel the Bearcats past a challenging Burleson defense.

“He does a good job of keeping his eyes down field when he escapes the pocket,” Hejny said. “My job is just to get into his vision. That’s what I did and I made something happen when I got the ball.”

Later in the second quarter, a promising scoring drive ended for Burleson when Aledo’s Taylon Kessler returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown.

The Elk’s passing game improved in the second quarter and Dylan Raiola threw a 21 yard dart to Luke Peterson to score the Elks’ first points on the ensuing drive following the interception.

Burleson’s defense then managed to make a big stop, but with just 38 seconds remaining, the Elks opted to take the game to halftime.

Burleson scored quickly to start the second half on a 43 yard Peterson catch from Raiola, but the Bearcats quickly rebounded with a 17 yard Williams touchdown run.

From that point, it was all Bearcats.

Aledo scored three more times, once in the third quarter and twice in the fourth quarter.

Since halftime at the Frisco Lone Star game, the Bearcats have had to learn to play more aggressively in all four quarters of the game.

“We weren’t really hungry for more (against Lone Star),” Hejny said. “Coming into this game, 28-7 at halftime, our coaches emphasized at halftime to keep our foot on their throat and we kept the same hungry mentality the whole game. It shows on the scoreboard, 56-14.”

Aledo’s intensity showed on both offense and defense, and the intensity remained to the final last whistle.

Fowler-Nicolosi rested in the second half, as a precaution, and Brant Hayden and Hejny both played behind center in the final half.

Buchanan feels confident in the depth the Bearcats have at quarterback.

“It’s a really good luxury,” he said. “Both of those kids are starting quarterbacks (Hejny and Hayden). They’re both good players. The only negative is when we put Hauss (Hejny) at quarterback, we lose him at receiver.”

Jason Llewellyn caught the final offensive touchdown on a 14 yard pass from Hayden.

The final scoring play occurred off a Cap Mooney fumble recovery that was returned for 27 yards.

Up next for the Bearcats is a district matchup against Everman (2-2) on Homecoming.

Everman defeated 6A Haltom for their first win on Sept. 10.

The Bulldogs defeated Mansfield Timberview 35-33, Friday night.

“I wish I wasn’t having to play Everman for Homecoming,” Buchanan said after the game. “I wish we could have worked it out, to where it was a non-district game, but it doesn’t happen that way. Everman is a good football team. Believe me, they will use this to motivate their kids.”

The Homecoming game kicks off next Friday at 7 p.m. in Aledo.

Scoring

1st Quarter

A — Haus Hejny 35 pass from Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi (Clay Murador kick) 8:21 7-0
A — Hejny 46 pass from Fowler-Nicolosi (Clay Murador kick) 4:56 14-0
A — Brian Fleming 28 pass from Fowler-Nicolosi (Clay Murador kick) 1:05 21-0

2nd Quarter

A — Interception by Taylon Kessler returned 99 yards for TOUCHDOWN (Clay Murador kick) 8:39 28-0
B — Peterson 21 pass from Dylan Raiola (Mason Whitehead kick)4:02 28-7

3rd Quarter

B — Peterson 43 pass from Raiola (Whitehead kick) 9:49 28-14
A– Ryan Williams 17 run (Murador kick) (9:07) 35-14
A — Ryan WIlliams 22 run (Murador kick) (5:02) 42-14

4th Quarter

A — Jason Llewellyn 14 pass from Brant Hayden (10:07) 49-14
A — Cap Mooney recovers (Burleson) WIlliams fumble at B27, returned for TOUCHDOWN (9:12) (Jace Sims kick) 56-14