Dayton clinches playoff spot with 34-25 win over Texas City
DAYTON- You could tell coming into the upcoming season that this Dayton Bronco team was going to be something special and had a great chance to end their playoff drought. Well consider that mission accomplished as on Friday night at Houston Methodist Field at Broncos Stadium, the Broncos clinched a playoff spot with an impressive 34-25 win over the Texas City Stingarees.
Dayton (6-2, 4-1), used 266 passing yards and four touchdowns from senior quarterback Carson Horton and three key turnovers on the way to the win. Not to be outdone was the job kicker Brayan Montes did for the Broncos with field goals of 38 and 41 yards and a crucial 65-yard punt in the fourth quarter that pinned Texas City at their own 1-yard line. That punt led to the Montes 41-yard field which made it a two-score advantage for Dayton.
Leading 24-19 at the break, the Broncos stretched their lead to 31-19 early in the fourth quarter by driving 75-yards on 7-plays with Horton finding a wide-open Vernon Harrison for a 51-yard touchdown.
The Stingarees used a long pass play to get to the Dayton 1-yard line a couple of plays later and after a Caleb Bell 1-yard score, Texas City was back within 31-25 with 10:16 left in the game.
The Broncos could not do anything with their in suing possession and had to punt the ball back to Texas City. Montes delivered big-time and his 65-yard punt was downed at the Stingarees 1-yard line. Dayton forced Texas City to punt from their own 2-yard line to set up the Montes field goal with 7:01 remaining to make it 34-25. The Broncos defense then caused their third turnover of the night and Harrison recovered it at the Broncos 15-yard line with four minutes left. Dayton then picked up three first downs to run out the clock to set of the playoff celebration.
The first half was a shoot-out as both teams combined for 43 points. Dayton needed only three minutes to jump out in front with Horton connecting with C.J. Hubert on a 40-yard score and the Broncos led 7-0 with 8:50 left in the first quarter.
Texas City then turned the ball over on their first offensive snap and Vernon Harrison jumped on the loose pigskin at the Stingarees 31-yard line. Six-plays later it was Horton finding Jerimiah Stevens for a 13-yard touchdowns and Dayton led 14-0 halfway through the opening quarter.
The score stayed the same until 6:09 of the second quarter when Texas City cut into the lead as Aldrick Stromile scored on a 1-yard run to make it a 14-6 game.
Back would come the Broncos to answer the Stingarees scored with Horton finding Braden White on a 40-yard score to extend the lead to 21-6 with 4:49 left in the first half.
The next two scores would both go to Texas City on long pass plays. The first was a Joey Duran to Kenyon Parker 61-yard touchdown at the 2:57 mark and then two minutes later it was Duran hooking up with Clyde Bruton for a 71-yard score and the lead was down to 21-19 with :46 seconds left in the first half.
That proved too much time to be left on the clock for the Dayton offense as they moved down to the Stingarees 21-yard line and Montes nailed a 38-yard field goal with no time remaining in the half and the Broncos would take a 24-19 advantage into the locker room.
Horton finished 12 of 26 through the air with Hubert being his favorite target with four receptions for 73-yards. Harrison caught two passes for 58-yards and added another 42-yard rushing on the ground. Harrison also added two fumble recoveries and teammate Jonah Hearne recovered the other one.
The Broncos will be back in action next Saturday night as they travel to Hall Stadium in Fort Bend and a match-up with the Willowridge Eagles.