By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The first half didn’t end very well, but the Brossart Mustangs recovered nicely and defeated Ludlow, 26-17, in an important Class 1A district football game on Friday in Alexandria.
Brossart owned a 12-0 lead with less than two minutes left in the first half, but Ludlow scored on a punt return, intercepted a pass and kicked a field goal that cut the halftime margin to 12-10.
After the break, Brossart continued to play good defense and senior quarterback Landon Spaulding scored twice in the fourth quarter to come away with the victory that moved the Mustangs one step closer to a home game in the first round of the playoffs.
“I thought we came back out (after halftime) with a lot more toughness and we executed well on both sides of the ball,” Spaulding said in a post-game interview.
“(Our defense) knew we needed some big stops and they got them. And on offense we executed and got a good run game going.”
Spaulding was the game’s leading rusher with 148 yards on 18 carries. He also completed 9 of 14 passes for 124 yards, but he got picked off twice.
Ludlow had a net total of 175 yards (96 rushing, 77 passing). Most of the passing yards came on senior receiver Jaylen Stone’s 48-yard touchdown reception from junior quarterback Miller Reed with less than four minutes left in the fourth quarter.
But there was enough time left for Spaulding to get his second rushing touchdown that secured the win for the Mustangs after two straight losses.
“I just wanted it really bad,” said Spaulding, who also scored on a 3-yard run. “It was a great team win. We all worked really hard together.”
The Mustangs’ first touchdown came on a 2-yard run by freshman Tommy Busby that capped a 51-yard drive.
In the second quarter, a 24-yard sweep by senior Brady Boruske put the ball at the 1-yard line. On the next snap, Spaulding lost the ball at the goal line, but junior lineman Jaxon Miller recovered the fumble in the end zone to make it 12-0.
With 1:35 left in the second quarter, Ludlow junior Andre Englemon returned a punt 45 yards to the end zone to put his team on the scoreboard.
On the next play from scrimmage, the Panthers’ defense picked off a pass and returned it to the 3-yard line. After getting the ball inside the 1-yard line, however, Ludlow made a series of mistakes and ended up settling for a 22-yard field goal by Finn McMillan that made it 12-10 at halftime.
Reed finished with 66 yards rushing and 77 yards passing for the Panthers. He completed 5 of 19 throws with one interception.
BROSSART 6 6 0 14 — 26
LUDLOW 0 10 0 7 — 17
B — Tommy Busby 2 run (kick failed)
B — Jaxon Miller recovered teammate’s fumble in end zone (pass failed)
L — Andre Englemon 45 punt return (Finn McMillan kick)
L — McMillan 22 FG
B — Landon Spaulding 3 run (Ryan Eldridge kick)
L — Jaylen Stone 48 pass from Miller Read (McMillan kick)
B — Spaulding run (Eldridge kick)
RECORDS: Brossart 4-4, 1-1, Ludlow 5-3, 1-1.
Friday night football scoreboard
CLASS 1A
Newport Central Catholic 47, Dayton 7
Newport 36, Bellevue 13
Brossart 26, Ludlow 17
Holy Cross 49, Trimble County 6
CLASS 2A
Beechwood 69, Gallatin County 0
Walton-Verona 42, Owen County 6
CLASS 4A
Covington Catholic 35, Harrison County 12
Highlands 61, Mason County 0
CLASS 5A
Dixie Heights 34, Boone County 3
Cooper 35, Scott 7
CLASS 6A
Simon Kenton 13, Campbell County 12
Ryle 27, Great Crossing 6
NON-DISTRICT
Thomas Nelson at Holmes