Eastbrook finds redemption with 34-33 win over Bremen in semi-state

One year ago, the Panthers were stunned on their home field, as the Woodlan Warriors hit a game-winning field goal as time expired to deny Eastbrook a second straight state final appearance.

Fast forward to Friday night. Once again, the game came down to a last second field goal try.

But this time, it was the Panthers kicking for the win, and Zane Shilts made no mistake, hitting the game-winning 28-yard field goal as time expired to give Eastbrook a thrilling 34-33 victory over the Bremen Lions in the Class 2A Semi-State.

For Head Coach Jeff Adamson and the Panthers, it’s their second semi-state championship in three years.

“It feels pretty good man,” Adamson said. “I’m so proud of the guys. I am so happy for them, you know, to be able to show so much resilience to get it done. I’m so proud of them.”

Eastbrook’s running game, as has been the case all season, was sensational, racking up 391 yards on 74 carries. Xaine Kirby had a huge night, carrying the ball 35 times for 213 yards and a touchdown, while Justin Singer recorded 97 yards and two touchdowns on 14 attempts. Edward Keasling collected 46 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.

In a game that was an offensive slugfest from start to finish, the Eastbrook offensive line, green and inexperienced back in August, played like seasoned veterans, opening up huge running lanes and keeping the Bremen defense off balance all evening long.

“I thought [the line played well] for the most part,” Adamson said. “There were a couple of times where they caught us and blitzed right into the play and stopped us for no gain or something like that, but I think other than that, we were pretty solid.”

While the Panthers ultimately earned the win, it was no easy task, as the Bremen offense was one of the most talented units that Eastbrook had seen all year.

And the Lions showed their explosiveness on their first play from scrimmage.

Before the game was 10 seconds old, quarterback Ryan Caldwell found wide receiver Justin Zumbrun, who had an incredible evening catching the football, wide open down the middle of the field, and the senior took it 80 yards, untouched, into the end zone to give the Lions an early 7-0 lead.

Eastbrook countered with a 10-play, 74-yard drive on their first possession, capping it off with a Singer four-yard touchdown run on a second-and-goal to tie the game at 7-7.

After airing it out on their first drive, Bremen went to the ground on their second possession, but the Eastbrook defense was up to the task, forcing a turnover on downs to get the ball back deep in their own territory.

More effective running from Kirby, Singer, and quarterback Dylan Bragg gave Eastbrook their first lead of the game, as Bragg completed another 74-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown plunge to give the Panthers a 14-7 advantage.

On Bremen’s ensuing drive, Eastbrook was able to force an incomplete pass on third down, but a questionable pass interference call gave the Lions a fresh set of downs near midfield, and that was all the momentum they needed.

Bremen gave the Panthers a taste of their medicine, as Caldwell, Nick Mullen, and Jacob Wunder ran right at the Eastbrook defense, eventually tying the game at 14-14 on a Caldwell one-yard run.

After Bremen’s defense forced the Panthers into a punting situation, a bad snap led to great field position, as the Lions set up shop at the Eastbrook 24-yard line.

Five plays later, the Lions regained the advantage, as Caldwell scored his second touchdown of the second quarter to put Bremen up 21-14.

With just over a minute remaining in the half, the Panthers quickly drove to the Bremen 11-yard line, but were forced to settle for a field goal. Shilts placed it perfectly through the uprights, as the Panthers headed to halftime trailing 21-17.

Needing to grab the momentum back after halftime, the Panthers put together a near flawless drive, going 72 yards on 12 plays to take the lead back. Kirby scored from one-yard out to put Eastbrook up 24-21.

Eastbrook’s defense forced another turnover on downs and gave the offense the ball back, but another special teams miscue once again gave Bremen favorable field position. Shilts’ kick was blocked, traveling just five yards, and Zumbrun returned it all the way to the Panthers’ 32-yard line.

Five plays later, Caldwell threw his second touchdown pass of the night, this time to tight end Colin Kerr, to make it a 27-24 Bremen lead after a failed two-point conversion.

With the momentum now on their side, the Lions’ defense got a big stop on Eastbrook’s ensuing drive, dropping Keasling in the backfield on a fourth-and-two.

Eastbrook’s defense recorded a six-yard tackle on the first play of the Lions’ following possession, but a 27-yard pass from Caldwell to Zumbrun and a 41-yard scamper from Mullen put the Lions in the red zone.

On third and goal from the two, Wunder crossed the goal line from two yards out, giving Bremen their largest lead of the night at 33-24 with 8:27 to go.

In almost every sport, good teams almost always have to battle through adversity.

And with their backs against the wall, at home, in front of a packed stadium of screaming fans, Eastbrook showed what they were made of.

The Panthers embarked on another long drive – this one for 14 plays – to make it a one possession game on a Keasling one-yard touchdown run.

Trailing 33-31 with under four and half minutes to go, the Panthers needed one more stop.

And they got it.

On third-and-three, Alex Baker recorded a game-changing sack on Caldwell, knocking the Lions out of field goal range, and the ensuing pass on fourth down was incomplete, giving Eastbrook the ball back on their own 46-yard line with 2:41 to go.

Caldwell carved up the Eastbrook defense all night long, completing 12 of his 15 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns, but the Panthers’ secondary forced an incompletion at the game’s most crucial juncture.

“We kind of had them in a little bit of a tough position because they needed to run the ball to take time off, and then when they hit that [33-yard pass to Zumbrun,] I thought it was going to be tough to overcome because it flipped the field,” Adamson said. “But we used our timeouts, tried to make them work the clock as much as possible and just hoped that we had a chance to get it back. Stopping the play on fourth down was huge because it gave us the ball in a place where we could still run our offense and not have to go crazy.”

With no timeouts, the Panthers quickly moved the ball into field goal range. Bragg hit tight end Clay Dalton for 14 yards, while Kirby had a 15-yard run to put the ball on the Bremen 15-yard line.

The Lions’ defense stiffened, sacking Bragg on a third-and-eight to set the stage for a dramatic finish.

Shilts came on to attempt a 38-yard field goal, and actually missed it wide left, but a costly roughing the kicker penalty gave the Panthers a fresh set of downs at the Lions’ nine-yard line.

After Bragg took a knee on first down, the Panthers’ special teams scrambled quickly on to the field for the potential game-winning field goal.

But even with all the commotion going on around him, Adamson knew the outcome before Shilts’ foot even touched the ball.

“[I was] very confident,” Adamson said. “Our plan was after the roughing [penalty] that we were going to try to center it and then clock the ball, but I think the guys on the sideline got a little excited and ran out, but they were able to get it off in time. We’ll take it.”

Even in a high pressure situation, Shilts knew he was going to kick it through the uprights. When asked if he thought there was any chance he would miss it, he responded with one word – no.

“I felt amazing,” Shilts said. “I was a little bit nervous, but I knew I could put it in.”

And the senior did just that, putting the demons from the Woodlan game to rest and punching the Panthers’ ticket to Lucas Oil Stadium next weekend.

Adamson has had an illustrious career with the Panthers. Since taking over the team in 1988, Adamson had won 14 sectional championships, six regional championships, and now three semi-state championships.

The only accomplishment that has eluded Adamson is a state title.

And now, he and his team have another opportunity to bring a Class 2A championship back to southeastern Grant County this coming Friday in Indianapolis.

“It’s really about the kids,” Adamson concluded. “I’m just happy for this group of guys to be able to get to that place where you have a chance to play for one. I think they will do everything they need to do to get ready.”

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