As the clouds parted and the rain dissipated right before the 6:30pm kickoff, the 2024 Texas High School football season got started at “The Rig” in Pearland Thursday evening, with a battle between the Fulshear Chargers and the Pearland Oilers. Fulshear, coming off an 11-1 2023 campaign and the District 10-5A title, was looking to make a statement as they enter their first season in the 6A classification. Pearland, coming off a 9-3 2023 season and a share of the District 23-6A title, was looking for a big win to start the season at home.
Game Recap
Pearland came out hot, as they received the opening kickoff and engineered a 10-play drive that stalled at the Fulshear 10-yard line. Zane Adler put a 27-yard field goal through the uprights to give the Oilers a 3-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Adler’s pooch kick was muffed and recovered by Pearland, but the Oilers could not capitalize, as they ran four plays and turned the ball over on downs.
After a three-and-out by Fulshear on the next drive, a mishandled punt attempt was recovered by Pearland’s Anthony DeLeon at the Fulshear 17-yard line. On the fifth play of the drive, Cam Bush dove across the goal line for a one-yard touchdown run to put Pearland up 10-0 with 1:17 left in the first quarter.
Fulshear’s offense finally got something going early in the second quarter behind the legs of Patrick Broadway. On the sixth play of the next drive, Broadway bounced through the left side of the line, and took it down the sideline for a 34-yard touchdown to get the Chargers on the board. The PAT was fumbled and recovered by Pearland’s Quinton Murray and returned all the way to the endzone for two points the other way. That would make it 12-6 Pearland and that is where it would stand at halftime.
After an interception on Fulshear’s opening second half drive and a turnover on downs by Pearland, it took Patrick Broadway one play to tie up the game. Broadway once again found a hole through the left side of the line and took it up the sideline for a 58-yard touchdown run. A failed two-point conversion kept it all knotted at 12.
After the next three drives all resulted in punts, Fulshear got the ball with 9:20 remaining in the game at their own two-yard line. It was Zane Smith time, as the fullback had five carries on the drive for 70 yards, capping off the 10-play drive with a four-yard touchdown run. A successful PAT put the Chargers up 19-12 with 3:05 remaining in the game.
Pearland was not done yet though. A couple of chunk plays from quarterback Jake Westmoreland to wide receiver Jordan Hernandez, with some runs sprinkled in, brought the Oilers all the way down to the Fulshear 10-yard line. But, a couple of big defensive plays from Air Force commits Jerome Drain and Ehimen Ediale in the endzone forced a turnover on downs with 16 seconds remaining and put a stamp on the game.
Fulshear survives in Pearland 19-12!
Player Stats
Fulshear Stats:
QB Ryland Forks (SO): 2/6, 31 yards, 3 INTs
RB Patrick Broadway (SR): 19 carries, 231 yards, 2 TDs
FB Zane Smith (SR): 8 carries, 87 yards, 1 TD
LB Logan Hudson (SR): Sack, 2 TFLs, FR
DB Jerome Drain (SR) (Air Force commit): 1 TFL, 3 deflections
DB Ehimen Ediale (SR) (Air Force commit): 1 TFL, 1 deflection
DL Sheldon Rice (SR) (Houston commit): FF
DL Chance Bryant (SR) (Houston commit): TFL
Pearland Stats:
QB Jake Westmoreland (JR): 7/22, 104 yards
RB Tate Chisolm (SR): 19 carries, 65 yards, 1 catch, 32 yards
RB Cam Bush (SR): 7 carries, 9 yards, 1 TD
WR Jordan Hernandez (JR): 4 catches, 45 yards
DB Quinton Murray (SR): INT, FR (returned for 2 points)
DB Cyrus Reyes (SR): INT
LB Anthony DeLeon (JR): INT, FR
LB Charles Gooden III (SR): TFL
Next week
It does not get any easier for Fulshear next week, as they head on the road again to take on Fort Bend Ridge Point, in what could be one of the best games of the week in the Houston area. Pearland will be back at home hosting Houston Memorial next week, looking to bounce back and gain some momentum before heading into district play.
