Beech Tree News Network

Undaunted by a 14-point second quarter deficit, the Butler County Bears rallied on the road Friday night to hand Apollo a 44-36 loss. 
The Eagles used their first possession to get on the board - a 9-yard touchdown run at 8:13 in the first.  Pass completions from Butler quarterback Rex Henderson to receivers Jacob Hixenbaugh, Daltyn Havens, and Blake Graham led to a touchdown by Henderson on a first-and-goal keeper.  Logan Richardson's kick tied the game at 7 apiece.

Both teams traded possessions without scoring for the remainder of the quarter and well into the second quarter.  It was Apollo that struck next - converting a fourth-and-two before reaching the end zone on a 1o-yard pass play with 7:36 left in the first half. 
The Bears went three-and-out on their next possession.  Good fortune favored Apollo on their next drive as they recovered their own fumble in the end zone for a touchdown at the 4:01 mark. 
Now trailing 21-7, Butler County's offense found its rhythm as a Henderson to Hixenbaugh pass completion resulted in an 80-yard touchdown.  The extra point was blocked - Bears 13, Eagles 21.

A costly Apollo fumble came back to haunt the Eagles late in the half.  With good field position at the Apollo 43-yard line, the Bears scored on three plays.  Henderson passed to Graham for 28 yards; Henderson connected with Hixenbaugh for 14 yards; Henderson scored from one yard out.  Henderson passed to Ian Embry for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 21-21. 

But, the Bears were not finished.  A second Apollo turnover - this one an interception by Rex Henderson - led to a touchdown on a pass from Henderson to Graham on a first-and-goal from the two-yard line with less than a minute left in the half. 
Butler County kept up the pressure early in the second half as Henderson scored on a 36-yard touchdown run at 9:36 in the third.  Brendan Shanklin caught a Henderson pass for the conversion to give the Bears a 36-21 lead.

Apollo got on the scoreboard again with a little help from a pair Butler County penalties.  The Eagles scored on a 35-yard touchdown run at 8:41. 
Leading 36-28, the Bears added their final touchdown of the game.  Following to pass completions to Hixenbaugh (30 yard total), Henderson scored on an 8-yard run at 6:38 in the third. 

Apollo scored with 4:19 left in the third quarter on a 40-yard pass play to narrow the margin to eight points at 44-36.  But, that was as close as the Eagles could get as both teams tightened up their defense during the final quarter.  Henderson snatched an errant Apollo pass with 2:14 left to end the Eagles' final offensive drive and secure the win for Butler County.    
Below are film grade stats provided by Coach Mark Allen, director of football operations for Butler County.    

Butler County Defensive Stats vs. Apollo

D. Lineman / Tackles/ Assists/ Misses/  Big Plays
Courtenay        1           0               2
Hunt                 2           0              1            recovered fumble
Markham        1           2               0
Flener              1           0               1
Arnold             2          4                3
Lee                   2          0                0
Cameron         3          1                0    QB Sack -6yds
Richardson     2          0               0
Wood               1          0                1

Linebackers
Smith                6          3           6     QB Sack -5yds/ recovered fumble
Brosnan            5         4           4
Graham            3          0          5
Kirby                 5           1          1     broke up (1) pass

D. Backs
Henderson      1             0           6     (2) interceptions +34/ broke up (3) passes
Hixenbaugh     0             1           4
I. Embry            4             2           5
Havens              0             0          2

*41 missed tackles

Butler County offensive stats vs. Apollo

Passing:      Completions-  Attempts- Yards- TD- Interceptions
Henderson         20                  32            297     2           1
Graham                 0                    1                0     0           0

Receiving:      Catches         Targets      Yards      TD
Hixenbaugh        8                      9             196        1
Graham               5                      9               43        1
Shanklin              3                      5                18       0
Embry                  2                      3                  3       0
Havens                2                      3                 32      0
Cameron            0                       2                  0       0
Brosnan              0                       1                  0       0

Rushing:           Carries           Yards            TD
Henderson          18                 100               4
Brosnan                 5                    21               0
Graham                 4                    15               0
Embry                    5                    13               0

Bears Total Offense
Total Offensive Plays - (65)  (33 Pass/32 Run)
Total Rushing Offense- 149 yards (32 carries)
Total Passing Offense- 297  yards (33 passes)
Turnovers-  (2 lost fumbles & 1 interception)

BCHS Offense by Quarters vs Apollo
1st Quarter Offense- 18 plays (11 pass/ 7 run)  74 yds pass/19 yds rush
2nd Quarter Offense-11 plays (8 pass/ 3 run)  137 yds pass/10 yds rush
3rd Quarter Offense- 23 plays(11 pass/12 run)175 yds pass/89 yds rush
4th Quarter Offense-13 plays( 3 pass/10 run) 0 yds pass/  31 yds rush

BCHS  First Half Possessions
1st Poss- 3 plays & punt
2nd Poss- 12 plays & TD/ PAT good
3rd Poss- 3 plays & punt
4th Poss- 3 plays & punt
5th Poss- 1 play & TD/ PAT no good
6th Poss- 3 plays & TD/ 2 pt. conversion pass good
7th Poss- 3 plays & TD/ PAT good  ( Halftime)

2nd Half Possessions:
1st Poss-  7 plays & TD/ 2 pt. conversion pass good
2nd Poss- 1 play & interception
3rd Poss-  6 plays & TD/ 2pt. conversion pass good
4th Poss- 4 plays & fumble lost
5th Poss- 8 plays & turned ball over on downs
6th Poss- 3 plays & punt
7th Poss- 1 play & fumble lost
8th Poss- 4 plays & took knee game ended*

Apollo by Possessions 1st Half:

1st Possession:   (3 plays & punt)
2nd Possession:  (2 plays & TD) PAT good
3rd Possession:  (3 plays & fake punt failed)
4th Possession:  (12 plays & TD) PAT good
5th Possession:  (5 plays   & TD) PAT good
6th Possession:  (2 plays & lost fumble)
7th Possession:  (2 plays & interception)
8th Possession:  (2 plays & halftime)

Apollo by Possessions 2nd Half:

1st Possession:   (1 play & lost fumble)
2nd Possession:  (2 plays & TD) PAT good
3rd Possession:  (6 plays & TD) 2 pt. Pass conversion good
4th Possession:   (6 plays & turned ball over on downs)
5th Possession:    (3 plays & turned ball over on downs)
6th Possession:   (11 plays & turned ball over on downs)
7th Possession:  ( 1 play & interception)  game ends

QB- #10  Alexander-  13 carries 29 yards/ 1 rushing TD
RB- #20  Morris-         12 carries 57 yards/ 2 rushing TD
RB-#34  Willis-               1 carry  (-1) yard
RB- #9   Cain-                 1 carry  8 yards

Apollo 1st Half Stats:
Total Offensive Plays (31)
1st Quarter Total Offense: (17 yards- 8 passing    / 9 rushing)
2nd Quarter Total Offense (138 yards-109 passing/29 rushing)

First Half Total Yards Rushing:  16 runs for 38 yards) / 1 TD
First Half Total Yards Passing:   (8 of 15) for 117 yards/ 2 (TD's) 1 (interception)
First Half Total Offense:             (155 yards)

Apollo 2nd Half Stats:
Total Offensive Plays (32)
3rd Quarter Total Offense:  (171 yards- 125 passing    / 46 rushing)
4th Quarter Total Offense:  (37 yards-   28  passing    /   9 rushing)

Second Half Total Yards Rushing: 13 runs for 55 yards) / 1 TD
Second Half Total Yards Passing:  (10 of 19) for 153 yards/ (1 TD/ 1 (interception)
Second Half Total Offense:            (208 yards)

Apollo Offensive Game Totals:
Total Offensive Plays (63)
Total Rushing............ 29 runs for 93 yards) / (2 TD's)
Total Passing............ (18 of 34) for 270 yards/ (3TD's) (2 interceptions)
Total Offense............ 363 yards
Turnovers................. (2) interceptions/ (1) fumble lost