By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Around his neck, displaying the prized possession following an outstanding performance, Cal Gates wore an oversized chain-link necklace. Looked like something that needed a combination lock, like it came off a gate with a “no trespassing” sign.
Actually, Gates was the breaker of chains. He broke big plays, three of them, as Bedford North Lawrence trespassed through Jeffersonville’s defense for a crucial runaway victory in Friday night’s home and Hoosier Hills Conference opener.
Chained down by two devastating road losses during the first two weeks of the regular season, the Stars shattered those bonds with a 49-20 triumph over the Red Devils. Gates ran for 108 yards and scored two game-changing touchdowns late in the first half, and his 72-yard touchdown catch triggered the running clock for the final 10 1/2 minutes. Those explosive plays powered BNL to the first win in its HHC title defense.
Locked in turnover-plagued battle with the Red Devils (0-3, 0-2 in the league), the Stars needed separation, and Gates provided it. His first breakaway bolt was a 35-yarder for a 22-14 lead with 3:40 left in the first half, and his second was a 43-yard scamper just two minutes later.
“Those are just big plays,” BNL coach Derrick Barker said. “Once he gets going, he’s tough to stop. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the box or on the perimeter, he’s a load. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he knows what to do with it.”
Some fortune set up the back-to-back blasts. BNL had just received a break on a Jeffersonville personal foul penalty – after a bad punt snap and BNL’s fourth fumble of the first half – that kept a key drive alive. Four plays after, Gates steamed through a huge hole, found a crease on the outside and roared down the right sideline for the score.
After the Devils went four-and-out on their next possession, Gates struck again. Same play, different side. He smashed the middle, bounced outside when the pack of pursuers closed, and raced down the left sideline for a 29-14 lead with 1:40 left in the half.
In the second half, BNL quit dribbling the ball so much. The Stars converted their first drive when Memphis Louden rolled right under pressure, stopped and threw back across the field to Piaire Childs in the back of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown. Jeff’s next drive ended in disaster when punter Dawson Slaughter couldn’t handle a high snap, and BNL’s Brayden Baker buried him at the 5. Two plays later, Zach Brosamle crashed over for a 43-14 lead.
Then Gates capped the blowout. Louden, scanning the deep secondary, checked down to a drop-off pass to Gates in the right flat. He took that short pass all the way, cruising through defenders and cutting back to get a key block en route to the final touchdown.
“We played better in the second half, a lot better than we did in the first half at times,” Barker said. “That was the big challenge, to be a second-half team, finish the job. The first half was pretty ugly at times, but we kept responding, giving ourselves a chance to stay in the game.”
Yeah, the first 20 minutes of the first half was an exchange of turnovers and a comedy (although not funny) of errors.
BNL started with a beautiful 54-yard opening drive, with Louden dashing 19 yards to ignite it, with Childs charging home from 9 yards. Then came the turnovers. An interception by Jeffersonville’s Robert Tucker set up his own 14-yard touchdown catch – a leaping grab between defenders – from Nik Schindler. BNL’s next chance ended with a red-zone fumble.
More fortune smiled on the Stars. Schindler’s pass to a receiver popped off pads and fell in Ryker Hughes’ hands, and he sprinted 29 yards with the pick-six for a 15-7 lead.
“It fell in my hands, apparently,” Hughes said with a smile. “I was as surprised as anybody else.”
The Devils came back with a touchdown, converting a fourth down with Schindler’s 22-yard pass to Brandon Curl, then scoring on third-and-goal from the 24 when Schindler found Raijon Laird behind the secondary.
That set the stage for the Gates lightning strikes.
“We needed a spark,” Barker said. “Ryker provided it with the interception return, and Cal was able to come through when we needed it.”
In addition to the Gates yardage, Childs ran for 70 yards as BNL totaled 213 on the ground. Louden was also efficient, hitting 6 of 8 passes for 140 yards and two scores. BNL’s main issue was the three turnovers.
“We have to eliminate those kind of mistakes,” Barker said. “But if feels good to get a win.”
Schindler completed 12 of 24 passes for 140 yards while Brandon Harris ran for 101 yards for the Devils. Tucker caught five for 64 yards, and backup running back Malachi Sparks scored from 59 yards with less than a minute left. Jeffersonville’s biggest issue was 10 penalties.
“Jeff has a lot of really good athletes, a lot of good football players,” Barker said. “They can hurt you. When we needed stops, we did a good job of it.”
BNL’s ability to overcome the turnovers and bounce back from the two losses was impressive.
“It was difficult. It was hard to get over that hump,” Gates said. “Two losses were really rough. We were that close to ranked teams, so it was hard to lose those games. It was good to get this win. Hopefully it shoots us into the next couple of games.”
“I’m proud of our team,” Hughes said. “We didn’t let those get us down. We kept pushing even harder.”
BNL will host New Albany next week.
Jeffersonville 7 7 0 6 – 20
Bedford NL 15 14 14 6 – 49
First quarter
BNL – Piaire Childs, 9 run (Ryker Hughes run), 9:48; Jeff – Robert Tucker, 14 pass from Nik Schindler (Hannah Magruder kick) 4:12; BNL – Hughes, 29 interception return (Hughes kick) 0:47
Second quarter
Jeff – Raijon Laird, 24 pass from Schindler (Magruder kick) 10:14; BNL – Cal Gates, 35 run (Hughes kick), 3:40; BNL – Gates, 43 run (Hughes kick), 1:40
Third quarter
BNL – Childs, 11 pass from Memphis Louden (Hughes kick), 3:44; BNL – Zach Brosamle, 3 run (Hughes kick) 0:49
Fourth quarter
BNL – Gates, 72 pass from Louden (kick failed) 10:41; Jeff – Malachi Starks, 59 run (pass failed); 0:49
Team statistics
Jeff – First downs 6 (2 by run, 4 by pass); Rushing 30-146; Passing 12-24-1-140; Total yards 186; Fumbles 3 (lost 0); Penalties 10-105
BNL – First downs 10 (4 by run, 3 by pass, 3 by penalty); Rushing 32-213; Passing 6-8-1-140; Total yards 353; Fumbles 5 (lost 2); Penalties 7-66
Individual statistics
Rushing – (Jeff) Schindler 4-(-14), Harris 25-101, Starks 1-59; (BNL) Louden 7-28, Gates 9-108, Childs 10-70, Brosamle 2-5, Bunge 1-0, Kirby 1-1, Horton 2-1
Passing – (Jeff) Schindler 12-24-1-140; (BNL) Louden 6-8-1-140
Receiving – (Jeff) Slaughter 1-1, Tucker 5-64, Curl 3-41, Collins 1-3, Laird 1-24, Gray 1-7; (BNL) Gates 1-72, Hughes 1-21, Childs 2-17, Nelson 2-30
