By RayJaun Stelly, The Seattle Medium
Starting this season 0–2, the 10U Benson Bruins team looked to finally get their first win of the season in a week three matchup against the CD Panthers. Just like their opponent the Panthers also have not captured a win, and faced the opportunity to end this streak before heading into a bye week.
Hosting their first home game of the year, the Benson Bruins would display how effective their practices were during the week.
Defensively, the Bruins were able to leave their imprint throughout the game in various ways. Whether it was dominating the line of scrimmage by sacking the CD Panthers quarterback, getting into the backfield to prevent positive yards up field, or simply making it difficult for the Panther’ offense to find a consistent rhythm the Bruins did not look like a team that had given up at total of 91 points in their first two games.
Benson’s Nasir Little-Beaver’s presence, speed, and ability to make the right reads against the CD Panthers offensive line benefited the Bruins a great deal.
Little-Beaver dominated the line of scrimmage as he recorded 10 tackles, including five sacks. His play provided the crowd, teammates, and coaches with a sense of excitement and helped sway momentum in favor of the Benson Bruins, which gave their offense some fuel to thrive on as well.
Offensively, Benson had shown glimpses of potential in their first two games despite the losses, and against the Panthers, they fully realized that potential. Running back Kingdom Mize, known for his quick speed and ability to make explosive gains up field, continued his scoring streak with another touchdown. Sharing the backfield with Mize was Osei Trahan-Castillo, who took charge in this game. Trahan-Castillo not only scored his first touchdown of the year with a spectacular 70-yard run but also added 100 yards to his impressive performance. He broke tackles, gained extra yards, and consistently pushed the ball up field, keeping the chains moving and putting pressure on the CD Panthers’ defense.
Although the Bruins appeared to be in control, the Panthers’ offense had its most productive outing of the season in week three, and their defense managed to give them one last chance. Scoring a season-high 12 points, the Panthers applied intense pressure on Benson in the final moments.
Leading by just one point at 13-6, the Panthers found themselves in the endzone with only seconds left, needing an extra point to tie the game and force overtime. The Benson defense faced a critical moment and came through with a stop, preventing the CD Panthers from converting the extra point.
With that crucial stop, the Benson Bruins emerged victorious in a nail-biting 13-12 game, securing their first win of the season.
“I felt good about our team winning. We did really well with our blocking, had excellent practices all week, and everyone was focused and attentive,” commented Adrian White, Defensive End for the Benson Bruins.
Next week, Benson will be on the road against Gridiron, who holds a 1-1 record, while the CD Panthers enjoy a bye week for week four.
