Written By: Tripp Vistica
Sept. 13, 2021
The game between CBHS and White Station on Friday night was going exactly as expected. The Brothers were playing for pride to prove last week’s game was just a bad night, and they did. The Brothers were unstoppable in the first half and went into halftime leading 42-6. However, as CBHS began to take the field to warm up for the second half, then in an instant it was total darkness inside Tom Nix Stadium and all over the entire CBHS campus when all the lights went out. The only light was coming from many cellphone flashlights, and there was total confusion on whether they would wait for lights and play the second half and how this game was going end.
The game started with CBHS kicking off to White Station, and the Brothers got a stop on White Station’s first possession. From there, the Brothers took over starting with blocking White Station’s punt, and CBHS running back, Dallen Hayden ran the ball in for the game’s first touchdown.
Hayden had himself an incredible game, scoring four touchdowns. However, it was the CBHS offensive line led by left tackle, Patrick Kudas, and right tackle, Ben Caviness that opened the holes for Hayden to run through. Those guys might not get the glory of the touchdown, but they’re dominance gave Hayden the opportunity to have such an incredible first half which Hayden took advantage of.
CBHS starting Senior quarterback, Ashton Strother, was out for the third game in a row nursing a rib injury, but he is expected to be healthy for the Brothers next game when they host the undefeated Saints of Briarcrest High School at Tom Nix Stadium on the campus of CBHS. However, sophomore backup quarterback, Jack Mclaughlin, threw for two more CBHS touchdowns in the first half.
The Brothers scored 21 points in both the first and second quarters. As it was getting late in the second quarter, CBHS scored to go up 35-0, before making their only costly mistake. The Brothers defense allowed the White Station running back get free and just barely outrun the CBHS defense for White Station’s only score of the game, and White Station’s extra point sailed wide.
That made the score 35-6 in favor of the Brothers, and if a team is up by 35 or more points at halftime there is a running game clock. With a running game clock, the second half usually doesn’t last 30 minutes of real time. Therefore, the Brothers needed to score another touchdown before the second quarter came to an end, and the Brothers were able to do exactly that. Hayden broke through the middle to score his fourth touchdown of the half and put CBHS ahead by a score of 42-6. With that being the final score of the half, there would now be a running game clock in for the entire second half. Or so everyone believed.
Right as the Brothers started to take the field to warm up during halftime, everything went pitch black. All the power in the stadium and the entire school went out. The parking lot lights were still on only because they are solar powered, but every other light was out. When looking around the stadium, there were lights from the flashlights of smartphones everywhere.
As time went on and the power never came back, I started to wonder if they were going to call the game. I didn’t know what that would mean for CBHS, and ai sked anyone I could find in that darkness if the Brothers would still get the win. Finally, I was able to find a CBHS assistant coach who told me that CBHS would be credited with the win.
Later, while waiting for the parking lot to clear out because it was insanity with the number of people trying to all leave at once, I came across CBHS Athletic Director, Coach Mike Kelly. I was informed by Kelly that CBHS head coach, Thomas McDaniel, met White Station’s head coach at midfield, and White Station’s head coach agreed with Coach McDaniel that they should call the game where the White Station coach agreed that CBHS should get the win.
It was one of the craziest football games I’ve ever attended, and I was a part of it covering CBHS football. The situation blew my mind, and I learned how they decide what to do in situations that requires a game to be called before it can end.
Now that CBHS has seemed to regain their momentum they had in their first two games before their loss in their last game against Nashville’s Ensworth High School, they can put their full focus on Briarcrest. It’s been two years since CBHS and Briarcrest played, because last season’s game was canceled due to COVID-19. CBHS has been waiting for this game against Briarcrest after the Saints won two years ago on a Hail Mary pass in the final seconds. I know every player for CBHS that was a part of the team in their last matchup against Briarcrest has been waiting for this game, and now it’s here.
Just like two years ago, Briarcrest comes into Tom Nix Stadium undefeated with CBHS having one loss. It looked like it was certain that CBHS was going to win two years ago when Hayden rushed for the go-ahead touchdown with under a minute left, but then the unthinkable happened with Briarcrest catching their Hail Mary pass to win the game. Now, the Briarcrest game for Brothers feels like a revenge game to me. I believe everyone in the CBHS community wants to see the Brothers get revenge against Briarcrest with a win on Friday night.
I believe the Brothers have plenty of talent to beat Briarcrest, and I’m hoping to see Strother back behind center for the Brothers. He could be the difference maker this week, after resting for three weeks while nursing his rib injury he sustained in the Brothers first game of the season against Germantown High School. I think the entire team will be ready, and I think this could be another classic game between CBHS and Briarcrest. Hopefully this time it will be the Brothers who come away with the win, and they’re more than capable of getting the win.
I believe both sides of the stands will be packed. I’m expecting a full house to be in attendance, and I believe students, parents, teachers, and alumni to be loud. Possibly and hopefully, Tom Nix Stadium will be the loudest I’ll ever have heard it. The CBHS fans will be loud and cheering on the Brothers as hard as they can. As CBHS fans, we need to make sure the team knows that we are all behind them and pulling our hardest for them to get this win, as well as to get the sour taste Briarcrest left CBHS with two years ago. So now, all we can do is wait for Friday and the 7 p.m. kickoff at CBHS.
Tripp Vistica 