Johnson, Bledsoe combine for five touchdowns as Batesville beats Brookland

Batesville 35, Brookland 20

BATESVILLE — Kendall Johnson scored three touchdowns and Gabe Bledsoe added two as Batesville defeated Brookland 35-20 in a 5A-East homecoming game Friday at Pioneer Stadium.

The Pioneers led 21-14 at halftime and through a scoreless third quarter before scoring twice in the fourth. Bledsoe’s long touchdown run with 11:32 remaining extended the lead to 28-14. Brookland answered with Layton Byler’s touchdown pass to Nick Bates at the 8:21 mark, but the conversion failed after a stop credited to Ty Reynolds, leaving Batesville ahead 28-20.

Brookland then recovered a Batesville fumble but could not turn the takeaway into points. Johnson scored his third touchdown with 6:37 left, and Tristan Prado’s fifth successful extra point established the final margin. Joseph Chunn later made a fourth-down stop to end another Bearcats possession.

Brookland struck first when Byler scored on fourth down with 9:46 remaining in the opening quarter. The extra point failed. After Batesville’s first possession ended with a punt, Parker Childers recovered a Brookland fumble at the Bearcats’ 43-yard line. The Pioneers converted the short field into Johnson’s touchdown reception with 7:18 left, and Prado’s kick put Batesville ahead 7-6.

Bledsoe scored with 2:22 remaining in the first quarter to make it 14-6 after Prado’s kick. Brookland pulled even in the second quarter. Byler converted a fourth down during the drive, Bates scored with 6:15 left, and Jackson Fleer caught the two-point conversion to tie the game at 14.

Batesville answered with a drive that included a Johnson reception and a Ty Reynolds catch that reached the Brookland 20. On fourth down, Hayes Kibe found Johnson for a touchdown with 2:06 remaining before halftime. Prado converted after a false-start penalty on the try. Hunter Howk then stopped a fourth-down completion short of the line to gain with 34 seconds left in the half.

Neither team scored in the third quarter. Rourke Sevier tipped a Brookland pass that Ian Jones secured for a turnover, but the ensuing Batesville possession ended with an unsuccessful field-goal attempt with 1:51 remaining. The Pioneers carried their seven-point advantage into the fourth before Bledsoe and Johnson supplied the final two touchdowns.

Scoring summary

First quarter

9:46 — Brookland: Layton Byler touchdown (conversion failed). Brookland 6-0.

7:18 — Batesville: Kendall Johnson touchdown reception (Tristan Prado kick). Batesville 7-6.

2:22 — Batesville: Gabe Bledsoe touchdown (Tristan Prado kick). Batesville 14-6.

Second quarter

6:15 — Brookland: Nick Bates touchdown (Jackson Fleer two-point reception). Tied 14-14.

2:06 — Batesville: Kendall Johnson touchdown pass from Hayes Kibe (Tristan Prado kick). Batesville 21-14.

Fourth quarter

11:32 — Batesville: Gabe Bledsoe touchdown run (Tristan Prado kick). Batesville 28-14.

8:21 — Brookland: Nick Bates touchdown pass from Layton Byler (conversion failed). Batesville 28-20.

6:37 — Batesville: Kendall Johnson touchdown (Tristan Prado kick). Batesville 35-20.

Players who stood out

Kendall Johnson, Batesville — Three touchdowns, including two first-half scoring receptions and the final touchdown with 6:37 remaining.

Gabe Bledsoe, Batesville — Two touchdowns, including a long run with 11:32 left that opened a 28-14 lead.

Tristan Prado, Batesville — Made all five extra-point attempts.

Parker Childers, Batesville — Recovered a first-quarter fumble at Brookland’s 43, setting up the Pioneers’ first touchdown.

Hunter Howk, Batesville — Stopped a fourth-down completion short with 34 seconds left before halftime.

Nick Bates, Brookland — Two touchdowns, including an 8:21 fourth-quarter scoring reception from Layton Byler.

Layton Byler, Brookland — Scored the opening touchdown on fourth down and threw the fourth-quarter touchdown to Nick Bates.