Braswell Clinches Second Playoff Berth After Lark Scores on Final Play
The Bengals defeated Hebron 20-19 on Thursday to secure their first postseason appearance at the 6A level since 2019.
By Ryan Davidson ·
High school football in the Dallas area saw a decisive shift in the 6A classification on Thursday evening when Braswell secured its place in the postseason. The victory marks a rare milestone for a program that has competed in the state’s highest class for less than a decade. The result ensures the Bengals will compete for another title after a long wait.
The game ended with a last-second touchdown pass. With four seconds remaining and facing fourth-and-goal from the Hebron 3-yard line, Braswell trailed 19-14. Quarterback Khalyl Moore dropped back and threw a three-yard score to running back Chris Lark. The play capped a 20-19 final score. The Bengals did not need to attempt an extra point.
The path to the win involved a sustained offensive drive in the final minute. After taking over possession at their own 19-yard line with 2:15 left, the team needed to travel 81 yards. Lark caught a 19-yard screen pass on fourth-and-10 from the Hebron 49. He then added a 29-yard run on the next play. This sequence put the ball at the one-yard line with 32 seconds remaining. After three plays that resulted in two short stops and an incomplete pass, the final throw found its target.
Braswell’s defense controlled the late stages of the contest. The unit allowed no first downs on Hebron’s three fourth-quarter drives. The final Hebron possession ended with 2:15 on the clock. The defensive effort was supported by a strong first half. The Bengals led 14-10 at the break after capitalizing on two Hebron turnovers.
The scoring flow began in the first quarter with a 33-yard field goal by Beau Merriman for Hebron. In the second quarter, Hebron quarterback Brady Brock threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Holloway, putting the Hawks up 10-0. Brock later left the game with an injury and did not return. Braswell responded to those early setbacks with defensive pressure.
Izayah Broadway intercepted a Brock pass and returned it to the Hebron 17-yard line. Two plays later, Moore connected with Anthony Rivera for a 10-yard touchdown. The momentum continued on the ensuing kickoff. Zaylen Redmond recovered a fumble, and Zahir Trufant ran for a touchdown three plays later. This sequence established the halftime lead.
Hebron cut the deficit late in the third quarter. Ridge Lias threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Robert Smith III with 1:53 remaining in the period. That score followed a safety against Braswell, which had occurred after Hebron turned the ball over on downs from the three-yard line. The safety made the score 14-12 before the touchdown extended the Hebron lead to 19-14.
Coach Justen Evans, in his first season at the school, guided the team to this result. The program played its first UIL season in 2016. It last made the playoffs in 2019 at the 5A Division II level, losing in the second round to Red Oak. Braswell moved to Class 6A the following season and had not returned to the postseason until now. The Bengals are set to face Prosper Walnut Grove in the bi-district round next week. A coin flip will determine the host location since both teams finished third in their districts.
