Zachary’s tough start to the season only appeared to be getting tougher Friday with a 15-point deficit at home to Madison Prep and trouble sustaining drives in the first half.
But the Broncos (1-2) roared back after the break with a combination of enough explosive plays and timely stops to rally and hold off the Chargers, 39-36, for their first win of the season.
The teams traded touchdowns in the first half of the third quarter.
A big return by junior running back Brice Fisher set up Zachary’s first score on short strike from senior quarterback JaCori Platt to junior receiver Kylin Jones, and Madison Prep answered with freshman quarterback Jacobe Shannon getting the ball to senior receiver A’Donnice Skinner over a busted coverage 18 yards into the end zone.
Senior running back Jeremey Patton broke a touchdown 60-plus yards to pull the Broncos to within 22-14.
And a fumble forced by senior safety Kevin Johnson and recovered by junior Ivory Johnson on the subsequent kickoff set up a 22-yard field goal for sophomore Evan Lopez to trim the deficit further to 22-17 heading into the fourth.
Platt hit star senior receiver Ethan Kimmie, who came alive in the second half, for a 52-yard bomb into the red zone to open the final period, then found him again for the 14-yard touchdown two plays later and two-point conversion to take their first lead, 25-22.
Madison Prep and Zachary traded quick scores and leads midway through the fourth as senior running back J’on Profit put the Chargers back ahead, 28-25, only for Platt and Jones to answer 21 seconds later and go back up, 32-28.
Junior edge rusher Brendon Hawkins hunted down Shannon for a fourth-down sack and fumble that junior defensive end Josh Morgan scooped and scored to extend the lead to 39-28.
TCU commit Landon “Manu” Johnson launched a deep pass that fellow senior Traven Hayes managed to corral off a deflection and help set up eventual Profit strolls across the goal line for the touchdown and two-point conversion to pull within 39-36.
But the Chargers were less successful hauling in a pooch kickoff along the sideline, and Zachary moved the chains and clock enough to ice away a badly needed first win.
The Broncos had stumbled out of the gates this season with losses to Plaquemine at home, 21-16, and Acadiana on the road, 36-28, and quickly appeared in danger of what would have been their worst start since 2009.
Backed up on its first possession, Zachary’s punter stepped on the back line of the end zone to spot Madison Prep an early safety.
Senior running back Harlem Turner helped further build on that momentum with 60-yard kick return and then second-down touchdown to claim a 9-0 lead in the opening minutes.
The Broncos continued to struggle to find their rhythm, and the Chargers pushed their edge to 15-0 on a fourth-and-13 conversion from Shannon to Landon Johnson.
But Zachary showed no quit, finally found a spark and began piecing together enough key plays in all three phases to provide its home crowd a second half to remember and to build upon.
This article will be updated further…
