Vandegrift rode a breakout performance from a young star and weathered two lightning delays to punch its ticket to the regional semifinals, overpowering San Antonio Brandeis 37-7 on Thursday night at UFCU Stadium in San Marcos.
Sophomore running back Evan Williamson, a name barely on the scouting report before kickoff, turned into the story of the night. Coming in with only 10 carries all season, he erupted for three touchdowns on runs of 24, 7 and 28 yards, each score stretching the Vipers’ lead a little further as the storm-punctuated evening unfolded.
Vandegrift built a commanding 27-7 halftime cushion with Williamson’s early scoring burst, a sharp 10-yard strike from Miles Teodecki to Thomas Buechler and a heads-up defensive play by Parker Davis, who fell on a loose ball in the end zone after a botched Brandeis punt snap.
After the first lightning delay pushed kickoff back nearly an hour, the Vipers stayed locked in. When the second stoppage paused the game late in the third quarter, Williamson needed little time to add one more highlight, slicing through the defense for a 28-yard touchdown moments after play resumed. Earlier in the quarter, kicker Wiley Olson drilled a 44-yard field goal to extend the lead.
Brandeis opened the night with promise, marching 75 yards on the game’s first drive and finishing with a 4-yard rushing touchdown by Wynter Smith. From that point forward, the Broncos found no room to breathe as Vandegrift’s defense tightened and never allowed another point.
The victory moves Vandegrift to 10-2 and into next week’s regional semifinal, where they will meet the winner of Saturday’s San Marcos versus Edinburg showdown. Brandeis wraps up its season at 8-4.
