SHREVEPORT, LA -- On the strength of an excellent showing by running back Tomario Pleasant and a dominant performance in the trenches, Brentwood Academy (TN) held off Dallas Bishop Dunne 21-14 in a hard-fought opener at the Battle on the Border on Saturday.

The Eagles (4-0) went to the ground early and often, establishing a ball control-oriented offensive attack that would ultimately carry them to the finish line in this one.

Pleasant struck first, capping a nine play, 75-yard scoring march with a 5-yard touchdown run to put the two-time defending Tennessee state champs on top 7-0 with 4:59 to play in the first quarter.

On Brentwood Academy's next possession it was Pleasant again, this time from 46 yards out, providing what appeared to be complete control of the contest to the Eagles at the break. The 14-0 lead felt bigger.



That feeling would quickly dissipate in the second half, however, as Bishop Dunne -- playing in its first game of the season, after Hurricane Harvey resulted in a cancellation of a scheduled season opener in Port Charles, LA, last week -- recovered a fumble deep in Brentwood territory. A lightning-fast three-play scoring drive for the Falcons culminated in a 3-yard Terrance Shaw touchdown run to cut the deficit in half, 14-7.

Eagles quarterback Gavin Schoenwald would provide the answer with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Taylor just 1:20 later -- but, yet again, Bishop Dunne refused to go away.



After trading possessions, track star Marquez Beason got loose behind the defense, hauling in a 24-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Culberson to again trim the Eagles lead to a touchdown with 6:39 to play.

The third-quarter scoring flurry would prove short-lived, however, as both defenses tightened and held the opposition scoreless over the final 18:39.



The ultimate difference proved to be the staying power along the Brentwood offensive and defensive lines. The Eagles limited Bishop Dunne to just 37 yards on 36 carries, while rushing for 211 of their own 270 yards of total offense.

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Friday & Saturday, September 8-9 | 6 PM (CDT)

Shreveport Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA

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