Columbus East’s Kyson Villareal runs the ball against Jennings County’s Branden Braun during a game at Jennings County High School. Tommy Walker/For The Republic
NORTH VERNON — After a second-quarter shootout Friday night, Columbus East got back down to the basics of old-school Olympian football.
The Olympians used two time-consuming drives in the second half to break open a one-point game and pull away for their first win of the season, a 49-27 Hoosier Hills Conference victory at Jennings County.
“I thought we played much better in the second half,” East coach Eddie Vogel said. “I thought our offensive line took over, and our backs kind of took over in the second half and kind of wore them down, and we were able to put the thing away.”
The Olympians (1-3, 1-1) overcame a heroic effort by Panthers senior running back Branden Braun. Braun carried 21 times for 242 yards and all four Jennings touchdowns.
“Our guys are hungry,” Vogel said. “They needed a win, and I’m hoping this is something that’s going to give them a little bit more confidence. It was a tough 0-3 start. This is a hard-fought victory. It wasn’t pretty but we will take it.”
Kyson Villarreal’s 9-yard keeper for a touchdown on the game’s first series would be the only score of the first quarter. Both teams then put up three touchdowns in a wild second period.
After the Olympians stopped the Panthers (2-2, 0-1) on downs at their own 39, Caaden Gault punched in in from the 2, and East led 14-0. Jennings struck right back on the next play with a 60-yard run by Braun to cut the lead in half. The Panthers got the ball back and tied it on a 2-yard run by Braun.
East answered with a 1-yard sneak by Villarreal. The Olympians got it back and on the first play, Villarreal hit Keaton Lawson for a 61-yard scoring strike and a 28-14 lead.
Jennings didn’t go away, however. Braun ran 21 yards for his third touchdown of the quarter with 56 seconds left, and the Panthers were within 28-21 at halftime.
“I wasn’t really impressed with our performance in the first half,” Weller said. “I didn’t think we played to our full potential. Then coach Vogel talked to us at halftime, and we came out ready to play defense, and kept pounding the rock on offense. The second half really showed what kind of football team we have this year.”
On the first offensive play of the second half, Braun ran 63 yards for his fourth touchdown, but the Panthers missed the tying extra point. East then drove for a 2-yard run by Weller and a 35-27 lead.
The Olympians then stopped Jennings on downs at the Olympians 11 and drove for a 2-yard run by Gault and a 42-27 lead. Then, after holding the Panthers on downs again, East ate up most of the rest of the clock on a touchdown drive that culminated in an 11-yard run by Weller.
“I felt like we earned it,” Villarreal said. “We came out the second half and ran the ball down their throats. I feel like we ran the ball really well tonight. We haven’t really changed much.”
Villarreal finished with 22 carries for 166 yards and two touchdowns rushing and completed 6 of 13 passes for 117 yards and a score. Weller carried 21 times for 141 yards and two touchdowns.
Sam Burkman, playing in place of the injured Parker Elmore, completed 7 of 14 passes for 81 yards for Jennings.
“When Elmore is in there, it just takes some of the pressure off Branden Braun,” Jennings coach T.J. Newton said. “Even with it all being on him, he played phenomenal tonight. He has to be exhausted, but Elmore in there, it helps it out a lot.”
Several other Panthers were playing with minor injuries.
“I think we showed toughness, and we were hard-nosed,” Newton said. “We executed a lot bit better tonight. They just wore us down. We don’t have depth. We don’t have enough bodies, and that hurt us.”
“A lot of credit goes to Jennings County,” Vogel said. “They have a lot of kids who are really tough kids. A lot of those kids didn’t come off the field tonight, and we were fortunate enough to get a couple stops on defense.”
Columbus East 49, Jennings County 27
Columbus East;7;21;14;7;—;49
Jennings County;0;21;6;0;—;27
CE—Kyson Villarreal 9 run (Skylar Bailey kick), 10:15.
CE—Caaden Gault 2 run (Bailey kick), 11:56.
JC—Branden Braun 60 run (Liam Sherwood kick), 11:37.
JC—Braun 2 run (Sherwood kick), 7:20.
CE—Villarreal 1 run (Bailey kick), 5:03.
CE—Keaton Lawson 61 pass from Villarreal (Bailey kick), 2:10.
JC—Braun 21 run (Sherwood kick), :56
JC—Braun 63 run (kick failed), 11:41.
CE—Tyler Weller 2 run (Bailey kick), 9:22.
CE—Gault 2 run (Bailey kick), :33.
CE—Weller 11 run (Bailey kick), 3:29.
Individual statistics
RUSHING — Columbus East: Villarreal 22-166, Weller 21-141, Thomas Houpey 7-22, Gault 3-5, Brayden Everroad 1-(-2). Jennings County: Braun 21-242, Sam Burkman 9-14, Brandan McCory 2-12, Will Barnes 1-5, Blaine Ison 1-3, Nate Harrison 2-(-9).
PASSING — Columbus East: Villarreal 6 for 13, 127 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions. Jennings County: Burkman 7-14-81-0-0.
RECEIVING — Columbus East: Lawson 5-93, Jared Brooks 2-44. Jennings County: Austin Byford 1-38, Braun 3-14, Ison 1-12, Harrison 1-11, Lane Kirchner 1-6.
