Bradley Defense Smothers Hardin Valley in Statement Win
CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Bradley Central made a loud statement to open Region 2-6A play Friday night, shutting out previously unbeaten Hardin Valley Academy 49-0 at Bear Stadium.
Head coach Damon Floyd praised his team’s near-flawless execution after the lopsided win, the Bears’ first shutout in 15 games and their largest margin of victory in the seven meetings between the programs.
First-Half Domination
Bradley’s offense scored on all six of its first-half possessions, putting the game out of reach before halftime. Senior running back Kenyon Phelps found the end zone twice in the opening quarter, while Tulane commit AJ Westfield powered in another score from a yard out.
The Bears added three touchdowns through the air in the second quarter. Brayden Carroll threw a 24-yard trick-play strike to Westfield, then hauled in a 32-yard scoring toss from sophomore quarterback Tucker Cook. Before the half closed, Cook found Kaden Cantrell on a 24-yard connection, sending Bradley to the locker room with a 42-0 advantage.
The “Black Hole Defense” smothered the Hawks in the opening half, limiting them to a single first down and just 52 total yards.
Record-Breaking Moment
Any hopes of a Hardin Valley comeback were crushed early in the third quarter. Sophomore Jeremiah Brownlow intercepted a pass at the goal line and sprinted 98 yards for a touchdown — the second-longest interception return in the 109-year history of Bradley football.
That defensive score extended the margin to 49-0 and allowed Bradley to rotate in its reserves for the remainder of the game.
Balanced Effort
Cook enjoyed his best outing of the season, completing 10 of 13 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns after struggling in earlier weeks. Carroll led the receiving corps with 71 yards and a touchdown catch, while Brady Lewis and Spencer Makuch added steady contributions. Phelps paced the rushing attack with 82 yards on 14 carries to go with his two scores.
Defensively, the Bears forced four turnovers, held the Hawks to 128 total yards, and surrendered just 34 yards on the ground. Linemen Westfield, Paul Stokes, and Zane McIntosh anchored the front, while linebackers Wiley Suskawicz, Andrew Carroll, and Anthony Perez controlled the middle.
Looking Ahead
The win improved Bradley to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in Region 2-6A play. Next up is a road test against Farragut, a traditional region power still seeking its first victory after a gauntlet of state-ranked opponents.
Hardin Valley dropped to 2-1 and 0-1 in region play.
Head coach Damon Floyd praised his team’s near-flawless execution after the lopsided win, the Bears’ first shutout in 15 games and their largest margin of victory in the seven meetings between the programs.
“I’ve been on them hard about execution, and tonight they came out and did exactly what we asked,” Floyd said. “We’ve got a lot of weapons, and what makes this group special is how unselfish they are. They care about the team first, and it’s fun to watch them play like that.”
First-Half Domination
Bradley’s offense scored on all six of its first-half possessions, putting the game out of reach before halftime. Senior running back Kenyon Phelps found the end zone twice in the opening quarter, while Tulane commit AJ Westfield powered in another score from a yard out.
The Bears added three touchdowns through the air in the second quarter. Brayden Carroll threw a 24-yard trick-play strike to Westfield, then hauled in a 32-yard scoring toss from sophomore quarterback Tucker Cook. Before the half closed, Cook found Kaden Cantrell on a 24-yard connection, sending Bradley to the locker room with a 42-0 advantage.
The “Black Hole Defense” smothered the Hawks in the opening half, limiting them to a single first down and just 52 total yards.
Record-Breaking Moment
Any hopes of a Hardin Valley comeback were crushed early in the third quarter. Sophomore Jeremiah Brownlow intercepted a pass at the goal line and sprinted 98 yards for a touchdown — the second-longest interception return in the 109-year history of Bradley football.
“Jeremiah made a great play and he’s just a sophomore,” Floyd said. “He has a really bright future.”
That defensive score extended the margin to 49-0 and allowed Bradley to rotate in its reserves for the remainder of the game.
Balanced Effort
Cook enjoyed his best outing of the season, completing 10 of 13 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns after struggling in earlier weeks. Carroll led the receiving corps with 71 yards and a touchdown catch, while Brady Lewis and Spencer Makuch added steady contributions. Phelps paced the rushing attack with 82 yards on 14 carries to go with his two scores.
Defensively, the Bears forced four turnovers, held the Hawks to 128 total yards, and surrendered just 34 yards on the ground. Linemen Westfield, Paul Stokes, and Zane McIntosh anchored the front, while linebackers Wiley Suskawicz, Andrew Carroll, and Anthony Perez controlled the middle.
Looking Ahead
The win improved Bradley to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in Region 2-6A play. Next up is a road test against Farragut, a traditional region power still seeking its first victory after a gauntlet of state-ranked opponents.
“Farragut is always a tough place to play,” Floyd said. “We’ll have to be ready.”
Hardin Valley dropped to 2-1 and 0-1 in region play.