Sep 10, 2016 3 min read

If power is in numbers, Brownsville’s varsity football team looked overmatched just during warmups before its Class AA Century Conference game at Washington. The number of players in white jerseys were dwarfed by bodies dressed in blue.

And that gap was reinforced on the field once play began Friday night.

After waiting out a lightning delay, Wash High came away with a soggy, 48-7 victory over the Falcons.

After recovering a Brownsville onside kick attempt to start the game, the Prexies scored on their first play from scrimmage when senior quarterback Connor Bedillion located a wide-open Andre Jennings who had a clear route in for the touchdown.

The weather from that point was bleak, and so were the Falcons’ chances to stay competitive. They gave up an average of 35 points their first two games, while the Prexies managed 37 in a season-opening shutout of Charleroi.

Multiple lightning delays occurred during halftime, draining the contest of its rhythm, but it ultimately didn’t matter to Washington. The Prexies contained the Brownsville offense and made enough plays to win going away.

Washington defense even got into the act in the second quarter on a 65-yard Isaiah Perry interception return for a touchdown.

Zyan Wallace added to the Wash High’s advantage midway through the first quarter when he managed to keep his balance and the ball after taking a handoff, emerging from a scrum at the line of scrimmage and continuing on past the goal line.

Though Brownsville (0-2, 0-3) couldn’t piece together a sustained offensive attack, the Falcons’ defense held firm, at least in the beginning, keeping the Prexies to 13 first half points. Prexies’ errors kept the game competitive until late in the third quarter.

Washington (2-0, 2-0) appeared poised to score more than that before halftime but a pair of fumbles, one at the end of the first quarter and another early in the second quarter, and clock mismanagement ended potential scoring drives early.

When play resumed after the lengthy weather delay, this pattern continued with a Washington late hit penalty extending a Brownsville drive after a failed fourth-and-two from the 10-yard line. Sophomore quarterback Jake McCormick would score on a 1-yard dive two plays later to make the score 19-7.

Its season shutout streak broken, Washington snapped back into focus, scoring 15 points in the remaining 4 1/2 minutes before the end of the third quarter. Isaiah Perry would extend the lead when he collected a 10-yard pass from Bedillion.

Though the Falcons drove within the red zone midway through the fourth quarter, Washington held them to force a turnover on downs. By then, Washington, it seemed, had finally done enough to relax with the win secured, running out the clock. Backup quarterback Zack Swartz took over with a little more than five minutes remaining in the game and Lyle Webb added the final score for the Prexies with a 10-yard run that put the mercy rule into effect.