Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan won a thriller on Friday night over Winner 21-14 to win the 2019 Class 11B state football championship.
Seahawks head coach Jeff VanLeur was asked after the game on what this win feels like. His response was “it never gets old winning a state championship, the only thing getting old out here is me.”
Winner received the ball to start the game and would take it 64-yards and use over six-minutes of the clock. Trevor Peters would run it into the end zone for the Warriors from six yards out, giving Winner and early 8-0 lead.
Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan would go three-and-out on their opening possession of the game, but then the Seahawks defense would step up and force Winner into a three-and-out of their own.
End of the 1st Quarter: Winner 8 Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan
Both teams traded offensive possessions to start the second quarter, which took up two-thirds of the clock for the period.
The Seahawks would get on the board with five-seconds to play in the half when Brady Hawkins found Eric Gustafson for a 7-yard touchdown. This made it an 8-7 game, still in favor of Winner.
Halftime: Winner 8 Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan 7
Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan got the ball first to start the second half. Hawkins got his second touchdown pass of the game when he connected with Chase Arend for a 38-yard score. This gave the Seahawks their first lead of the day, 14-8, at the 9:41 mark of the third quarter.
Winner would answer on their next possession as Peters found the end zone for the second time – this one from 9-yards out. The two-point try was no good though, which kept the game tied at 14-14.
Both squads would then trade offensive possessions throughout the remainder of the third quarter.
End of the 3rd Quarter: Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan 14 Winner 14
The Seahawks would retake the lead when Brady Hawkins found Jonah Hofer for a 33-yard touchdown pass down the sideline. This made it a 21-14 game with 8:22 to play.
Winner was able to push the ball deep into Seahawks territory near the midway point of the fourth quarter, but they would turn it over on downs inside the red zone.
The Warriors defense would come up big with a much-needed play on the next Seahawk possession. Hawkins fumbled the football on a dash up the middle, which was recovered by Winner near the Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan 25-yard line – setting up the Warriors with a 1st and 10 in great field position.
Winner was able to get a first and goal from the one-yard line, but the Seahawks defense came up with a huge goal line stand. This forced a turnover on downs with 1:46 to play in the game.
The Warriors were able to get the ball back one last time with 38-seconds to play. With time running out, Winner took a shot deep down field towards the end zone, but it was intercepted by Chase Arend – sealing the state championship for Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan.
Final: Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan 21 Winner 14
This is the fourth state football championship for Bridgewater-Emery/Ethan, and their first since 2013.
Outstanding Lineman: Oscar Pravecek
Outstanding Back: Brady Hawkins
Jim Langer Player of the Game: Brady Hawkins
