Not even the rain could slow down QB Hammond and Cleburne’s offense in big district win
The Cleburne Yellow Jackets jumped out to a 20-0 lead in the first 5 minutes and never looked back in a 47-3 win over Waco University on Friday night at Yellow Jacket Stadium.
Cleburne improved to 3-0 on the season and started District 5-5A Division II play 1-0 with the win while Waco University fell to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in league action.
On the second play of the game, Cleburne sophomore quarterback Gunner Hammond found a wide open Jamari Bradley for a 56-yard touchdown pass.
Two drives later, Hammond scored on a five-yard touchdown run. University then fumbled the ensuing kickoff — the first of two lost fumbles on kick returns by the Trojans — and Cleburne scored two plays later on a 16-yard pass from Hammond to Isaak Cunningham for a 20-0 lead en route to a 44-point win.
After not reaching the 40-point mark once in 2017, Cleburne has scored at least 40 points in each of its first three games this season.
Game was over when: After a 45-minute lightning delay, Cleburne’s Jacob Reynolds scored on a 31-yard run to give the Yellow Jackets a 27-3 lead. Waco University then fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Cleburne recovered, and the Jackets scored on a 38-yard pass from Gunner Hammond to Isaak Cunningham on the next play to make it a 34-3 lead.
Play of the game: With the rain coming down hard, Cleburne junior running back Jacob Reynolds broke a couple of tackles and took off for a 58-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Reynolds finished with 189 rushing yards.
Offensive player of the game: Cleburne sophomore quarterback Gunner Hammond accounted for five touchdowns. It’s the second time in three varsity starts he’s accomplished that feat. Hammond finished 11-of-17 passing for three touchdowns of 56, 16 and 38 yards to go along with a pair of rushing touchdowns from five and four yards.
Defensive player of the game: Cleburne linebacker Braxton Bailey was dominant throughout with several tackles for loss, including a key stop on fourth down inside the red zone near the end of the first half to keep the score 34-3. Bailey also had a sack on fourth down for another turnover on downs in the second half and a fumble recovery.
Unsung hero of the game: Cleburne running back Brett Hodges rushed for 57 yards on 14 carries to grind out the clock in the second half.
What’s next? Cleburne visits Joshua while Waco University has a bye week before also facing the Owls on Oct. 5.