Boerne Champion played one of its best football games of the season after the Chargers defeated Wagner Thursday at Rutledge Stadium, 31-26.
It marks the first time Champion has defeated the Thunderbirds in their program’s history. With Thursday’s victory, the Chargers improved to 2-4 in district and 5-4 overall. Champion closes out the regular season Thursday at home against district-leading and undefeated Pieper.
The Julian Navarrete to Brogan Dempsey connection helped the Chargers overcome Wagner running back William Reynolds.
Reynolds was a one-man show for the Thunderbirds and rushed for 271 yards on 24 carries to go with three touchdowns.
Dempsey only had three catches in the game but they all went for touchdowns on throws from Navarrete. The duo hooked up for TDs on distances of 68, 57 and 14 yards.
Dempsey said it’s a totalteam effort to get into the end zone.
“Everyone’s doing their job and it’s a team effort to get into the end zone,” he said. “We wanted this one bad and we want next week’s even more.”
Reynolds scored first in the game on a short run but Dempsey and Navarrete answered with a 68-yard pitch and catch to tie it up at 7-7.
Wagner pulled ahead with a 20-yard field goal late in the first quarter, but Dempsey hauled in his second touchdown grab of the night and the Chargers held their first lead of the game at 14-10 early in the second.
A blocked punt by Ke’von Carter gave the Thunderbirds a short field and Wagner only had to march 14 yards on a drive capped by Williams on a 3-yard scramble to put them back on top, 17-14.
Charger kicker Nathan Bell helped tie it late in the second quarter after he knocked in a 44-yard field goal to make it 17-17 going into the break.
It stayed knotted at 17s until Navarette found Dempsey once more, this time on a 14-yard TD pass to cap an 8-play, 79-yard drive and give Champion a 24-20 advantage.
Champion’s Zachary Lopez had two big catches on that possession after he snagged passes of 17 and 15 yards from Navarette, one of them coming on a 3rd and 8.
Champion added to its 4-point cushion after running back Zachary Garcia busted loose on a 41-yard scamper to give the Chargers some breathing room.
Garcia’s run made it 31-20 after the Bell PAT with 5:26 left on the clock.
Wagner responded with an impressive 11-play drive that resulted in Williams finding the end zone for the third time to cut into the lead, but the Champion defense made them earn it and that possession chewed more than four minutes off the clock.
The Thunderbirds went for two to try and make it a 3-point game but didn’t convert and that left Champion with a 31-26 lead with only 1:19 remaining.
Wagner tried an onside kick but it was recovered by Champion’s Mark Thompson.
The Thunderbirds stuffed the box, but the Chargers still managed to run for a first down and ran out the clock from there to secure the win.
Chargers coach Blane Ellis said they played a great game on Thursday.
“We talked all year, especially this week, about being relentless,” he said. “They were relentless all night and they get all the credit. They were awesome tonight.”
Star photo by Chris Tilton
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