Brownback, Bulldogs rely on heart, grit for game-turning goal-line stand

By Mike Drago Last updated Oct 11, 2024

Wilson's EJ Brownback celebrates after first-half goal-line stop Friday against Cedar Crest. (Joe Mays photo)

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By Mike Drago — MikeDragoSports.com Managing Editor

Cam Zullinger wasn’t afraid to admit it; he really didn’t think he and his Wilson teammates could stop Cedar Crest from scoring late in the first half Friday.

The Falcons had the ball inches – we’re talking two or three, at most – from the goal line. It seemed like a hopeless situation.

“I can’t lie,” the senior linebacker said. “I was definitely not thinking they weren’t gonna score. But we knew what we needed to do, we know what we can do, and we did it.”

The Bulldogs came up with a goal-line stand for the ages, sophomore EJ Brownback completing it with a fourth-down stop that proved critical in a 14-7 Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 win at Gurski Stadium.

“Our coaches talk about heart all the time,” Zullinger said. “That’s what wins games, is heart. That proved big on that drive.”

The Bulldogs (2-0, 4-1) played a tremendous defensive game, holding a team that had been averaging 38 points to but one trip to the end zone.

They set the tone early with a fourth-down stop at their own 26 after a fumbled punt set the Falcons (1-1, 3-2) up just outside the red zone.

They harassed quarterback Jackson Custer throughout, sending waves of blitzing linebackers at him, making it nearly impossible for him to get the ball down field. He dropped back about 20 times. He only managed to get off 10 passes and completed just four.

Much of the time junior end Gaston Rahmel or Zullinger or senior linebacker Christo Hunsicker was in the backfield, disrupting Custer’s rhythm or forcing him to tuck the ball under and become a runner.

Christo Hunsicker and Madyx Gruber stop Isaiah Zimmerman at the 1. (Joe Mays photo)

The Bulldogs came up with three sacks, half-a-dozen hurries, and seven tackles for loss – and they needed every last one. Especially on that game-turning defensive stand.

The Falcons snapped the ball six times after Isaiah Zimmerman’s 54-yard run to the 1. The Bulldogs jumped offsides on the first two plays, pushing the ball precariously closer and closer to the end zone.

“Oh man, it was so close,” Brownback said, “it had to be two inches from the goal line. I’ve never been in a goal-line stand that close before.”

Custer scored on a sneak on the next play but it was disallowed; a teammate pushed him into the end zone and it cost Cedar Crest 5 yards.

Zimmerman got 4 of those back on the next play. He looked like he was going to run through an open gap off the left side on second down but Hunsicker and defensive back Madyx Gruber met him straight up at the 1 and pushed him back.

The Falcons lined up in “Tush Push” formation on third down but Custer was stoned for no gain.

“We just said: ‘Go play,’ ” Zullinger said the as the Falcons broke the huddle on fourth down. “That’s what it’s about, just playing. Being smart and knowing what you’re doing at all times.”

That describes Brownback, the team’s leading tackler as a first-year starter, to a T. He knew where to be and what to do on fourth down, shot a gap, and met Zimmerman in the backfield, dropping him for a 2-yard loss.

“I thought I was gonna get blocked by the guard,” Brownback said, “but when he went down I said: ‘I’m making this play.’ I thought that was really cool.”

“He’s able to see things no one else can see,” Zullinger said. “He’s a baller.”

Brownback downplayed his fourth-down heroics.

“Hey man, if the play’s in front of you it’s just your job to make it,” he said.

The Bulldogs struck for a pair of touchdowns early in the second quarter, both on Gruber passes to Zullinger, who lines up at H-back or tight end. The first, on a fourth-and-2, went for 16 yards.

“I came across the field and nobody came with me,” he explained. “Madyx saw me and threw a great ball.”

The second score, from 22 yards out on third-and-7, was a little more difficult. Gruber scrambled out of the pocket, bought some time, then lofted a ball over two defenders and to Zullinger in the back of the end zone.

“I was gonna run into the corner (on the play),” Zullinger said, “but I cut it off as Madyx rolled out. I set up and he just found me.”

Cedar Crest cut that 14-0 lead in half late in the third quarter on Custer’s 9-yard swing pass to Cam Tirado.

Wilson’s next two possessions ended on interceptions but Gruber got one back with 6 ½ minutes left, picking off an underthrown pass near midfield.

The Falcons didn’t get the ball back as the Bulldogs converted a pair of third-downs – both on runs by Gruber – and held the ball for the final 6:32.

Correll Akings, who rushed for 120 yards on 25 carries, had a key 14-yard run for a first down that kept the final possession alive and the clock running.

“They gave us fits all night,” Wilson coach Doug Dahms said of Custer and the Cedar Crest offense. “We made some mistakes; they’re still young and they’re still learning. It’s still a ‘W.’ ”

“I’m really proud of our defense,” Brownback said “Not our best performance; we missed a couple broken plays, but we’ll look at the film and should be good to go (next week) against Mifflin.”

Bulldogs’ Monty Greer streaks down the sideline after a reception. (Joe Mays photo)

The Falcons’ last win came in 2001, at Gurski Stadium, 21-0. That was the only shutout during Chad Henne’s four seasons as Wilson quarterback.

	1	2	3	4	Final
Cedar Crest	0	0	7	0	7
Wilson	0	14	0	0	14

Scoring summary

2	Wilson	Zullinger, 16 pass from Gruber (Hunsicker kick)	10:33
2	Wilson	Zullinger, 22 pass from Gruber (Hunsicker kick)	9:11
3	Cedar Crest	C. Tirado, 9 pass from Custer (Bowman kick)	5:44

Team statistics

	Cedar Crest	Wilson
First downs	10	17
Rushes-yards	32-153	40-175
Passing yards	54	137
Total yards	207	312
Passes	4-10-2	10-16-2
Fumbles-lost	0-0	1-1
Punts-average	3-38.0	1-47.0
Penalties-yards	5-42	7-51