An 80-yard drive in the final two minutes of the game gave Branson a 25-20 win over Republic, and a spot in the state playoffs. The winning drive took only seven plays, and burned just a little over a minute on the clock. It ended on a 13-yard touchdown run by Cameron Chancey. A final drive by the Tigers ended at midfield as time expired.
Trailing 19-14, Republic had scored with 1:59 left in the game to take a 20-19 lead. A long kickoff return by Connor O’Mealy had set the Tigers up at the Branson 45-yard line. They scored five plays later on a 4-yard run by Blaze Carano to take the lead, before Branson answered with its winning drive.
Republic’s inability to stop the run was evident throughout the game. Branson racked up 393 rushing yards, and 434 yards total. Quarterback Cameron Chancey rushed 12 times for 141 yards. Brandon Mahoney ran for 100 yards on 17 carries. And Tee Helsel ran 10 times for 77 yards.
Republic had 237 total yards for the game. They picked up 137 yards through the air, on 9-of-16 passing from Blaze Carano. Ryan Sifferman led the Tigers with 80 rushing yards.
The game looked like it would be a Branson blowout early, with the Pirates scoring twice quickly. They scored on their first drive, on an 8-yard run by Brandon Mahoney. Two possessions later, Mahoney ran it in from three yards out to give Branson a 13-0 lead.
But a 34-yard touchdown pass from Carano to Jaggar Deeds in the second quarter woke up the Republic offense and closed the gap to 13-7. On the Tigers’ next drive, they went 69 yards and scored on a one-yard run by Colton McCarty. Blake Baumberger’s extra point made it 14-13 Tigers.
Republic kept the lead until a Branson touchdown with 3:59 left in the 4th quarter. Isaac Johnston scored on a two-yard run to give the Pirates a 19-14 lead, setting up the back-and-forth finish.
The victory puts Branson into the playoffs, but they’ll have their work cut out for them next Wednesday when they travel to Webb City to face the top-ranked team in the state. Republic ends its season 3-7.