Second half woes contribute to Burton loss at Granger

GRANGER — A tough second half led to the Burton Panthers’ (6-4, 5-2 district) regular season ending on a sour note with a 40-20 defeat at Granger (7-3, 6-1 district). After being tied at 14 going into halftime, the Panthers were outscored 26-7 in the second half. Burton head coach Jason Hodde anticipated a challenging game against a Granger defense that allowed an average of just 13.

6 points in district play. Injuries, fatigue, poor tackling, and three turnovers ultimately contributed to the Panthers’ downfall. “We got worn down and didn’t tackle well,” Hodde said.



“I thought we fought to keep it close, but we ran out of gas. Our effort was tremendous, especially with seven starters out. The younger guys who had to step up, some without varsity experience, did their best, but some days just aren’t your days.

” Entering Friday night, the evenly-matched squads were locked in a back-and-forth battle. Both teams, with 6-3 records and 5-1 district standings in 13-2A Division II, were looking for a win to secure the No. 2 seed and potentially share the district title if Somerville lost to Milano.

November football made its presence felt at Granger High School, with temperatures dipping into the low 60s as the night progressed. The chilly weather didn’t slow the high-powered offenses initially. Granger opened with a four-minute drive, capped by quarterback Wyatt Rochner’s 33-yard touchdown run.

Burton quarterback Kayden Patterson responded with a one-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 7-6. Hodde opted for a two-point conversion after the touchdown, but Burton was unsuccessful. Both defenses settled in through the rest of the first quarter and most of the second, though the Lions reached Panthers’ territory five times in the first half.

Granger entered the red zone before Christapher Young’s strip sack ended a potential scoring drive. Two other drives were halted by personal fouls that proved too costly for the Lions to overcome. Sign up to get our free daily email of the biggest stories! The end of the second quarter saw a return to the fireworks, with Patterson launching an 85-yard touchdown pass to a streaking Drayton Oakes down the Granger sideline.

Braydon Martin hauled in the two-point attempt to give Burton a 14-7 lead. Granger went into the locker room on a high note, tying the game at 14 with 37 seconds left in the half when Rochner connected with Ryder Bice for a five-yard score. The momentum carried into the second half when Oakes fumbled the opening kickoff, leading to a five-yard touchdown run by Rochner just two minutes later.

However, a missed PAT kept Granger’s lead at 20-14. The rocky start to the half continued, as Jose Valverde intercepted a pass on Burton’s second play from scrimmage. Penalties continued to haunt the Lions.

A holding call negated a 62-yard pass from Rochner to Caleb Hobratsch, eventually forcing a punt. Though Burton’s offense struggled, their defense stopped the Lions on a fourth-and-one at the 35-yard line. However, the Panthers didn’t record a first down in the third quarter, putting added pressure on their defense.

A punt return by Hobratsch, combined with a personal foul by Burton, set up Granger at the 30-yard line. Rochner broke multiple tackles for a 34-yard touchdown, increasing Granger’s lead to 26-14 after a failed two-point attempt. Burton’s offense remained stalled entering the fourth quarter, failing to convert on a fourth-and-two play at their own 40-yard line.

Granger took advantage, with Hobratsch scoring on a 13-yard run. Patterson managed a deep ball with six minutes remaining, connecting with Martin for a 48-yard pass, followed by Oakes winning a one-on-one matchup in the end zone to cut the deficit to 33-20. Missed tackles continued to trouble Burton as they sought a late stop.

Rochner sealed the game with a 29-yard rushing touchdown. The Panthers will be the third-place finisher in District 13-2A Division II and are projected to play a bi-district game against Brackett, the second-place team in District 14-2A Division II. “I thought we came in with a solid group of seniors and a young group that was inexperienced but showed a productive season,” Hodde said.

“We fought hard and represented well. When you finish on the winning side, it’s always a big plus. We’re just trying to play one more game.

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