Despite playing an emotionally charged up McCutcheon football team Saturday, the Brownsburg Bulldogs prevailed with a 36-9 victory. The Mavericks lost a member of their football family last week with the passing of Tammie Beeker, wife of McCutcheon Principal John Beeker and mother to senior football player Jack and daughters Julia and Jade.
Brownsburg coach Brett Comer knew the circumstances could affect his team and give the emotionally drained McCutcheon squad an extra boost.
He wasn’t wrong.
The Mavericks took the opening kickoff back 95 yards for a touchdown and jumped on top of the Bulldogs 7-0.
“It turned out to be a really tough place to play and a tough situation based on the fact that you are playing at noon on a Saturday ... and with the passing of one of their family,” Comer said. “We talked about the fact they would come out fired up, but we didn’t plan on giving up a touchdown on the opening kickoff.”
Brownsburg rebounded, answering with a 16-0 run and took a 16-7 lead into the half.
The Bulldogs put up another 10 points in the third for a 26-7 lead. McCutcheon could only add a safety in the fourth as Brownsburg scored another 10 points in the fourth.
Comer said he was proud of the way his defense played as they did not surrender any points with the only Mavericks TD coming on special teams and the safety going against the offense. The Bulldogs gave up just 21 yards on the ground and 91 yards through the air.
“We had four sacks and three interceptions and gave up minimal yardage,” he said. “Our kids defended it very well.”
Also highlighting the afternoon for Brownsburg was kicker Brandon Dowers who connected on three field goals, one from 23 and two from 43 yards out.
“That’s pretty good in high school,” Comer said of Dowers’ performance.
Offensively, the Bulldogs rode a bit of a roller coaster. While they did put up 36 points, 16 came by special teams with three field goals and a punt return for a score by IU commit Chase Dutra.
“We played well in spurts, but put the ball on the ground six times,” Comer said. “That was a glaring negative that stood out.”
Quarterback Ian Good hit Justin Daun for a 24-yard strike in the first quarter and freshman running back Toke Akinribade tallied a pair of 5-yard TD runs. Akinribade is the first freshman to play varsity for Comer in his seven-year tenure.
“We’re doing the running back position by committee, but he obviously has a little something or he wouldn’t be with us as a freshman,” Comer said. “He’s got a chance to be pretty darn good.”
Dutra was brought up to the varsity level as a freshman, but broke his collarbone in JV action before seeing the varsity field, Comer said.
Brownsburg travels to Noblesville at 7 p.m. Friday to take on the Millers in another Hoosier Crossroads Conference matchup.
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