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Pearland head coach Tony Heath emphasizes that his team must stay focused and play one game at a time and there was no question that the Oilers were focused when they took the field at Hopper Stadium in Clute to face the Brazoswood Buccaneers.

From the very outset, the Oilers dominated in every area of the game leaving those who watched almost speechless at the way No. 5 area-ranked Pearland (8-0, 4-0) totally dismantled a hapless Brazoswood team.

The outcome was never in doubt as the Pearland defense turned in another spectacular performance limiting the Bucs to a total of four possession in the first half with 12 plays netting only 20 yards, plus four punts.

Meanwhile, the offense found little resistence as the Oilers scored on the game's opening possession driving 60 yards in six plays capped off with an eight-yard run by junior running back Fozzy Whittaker who had three carries for 36 yards. Alex Bolan booted the extra point for a 7-0 lead with 10:10 remaining in the opening period.

Brazoswood ran three plays for four yards and punted the ball back to the Oilers.

Starting at their own 18, Pearland took only eight plays to drive 82 yards for their second score. Heath was so confident in his defense early in the game, that the Oilers didn't punt on fourth-and-14 from the Brazoswood 40, but saw Michael Speciale loft a beautiful pass to Ernest Buch in the end zone for a score. Buch battled the Brazoswood defender for the ball and wasn't going to be denied giving Pearland a 14-0 lead following the second extra point by Bolan with 4:10 left in the first quarter.

The two teams traded punts and then Pearland closed out the first half with another score as Speciale rambled 10 yards almost untouched through the Brazoswood defenders taking advantage of the incredible blocking by the Pearland offensive line. The score completed a 10-play, 75-yard drive with 2:42 remaining before intermission giving the Oilers a commanding 21-0 lead.
Whittaker carried five times in the drive for 25 yards while Speciale hit Jeremiah Lesser for a 12-yard completion and hit Roosevelt Weeks for a 20 yard gain.

About the only thing the Brazoswood fans had to cheer about was the performance by their award-winning band at halftime. Following their halftime show, better than half of the fans made their way to the exit before the second half kickoff.

Heath and Brazoswood head coach Dean DeAtley worked together as assistants at La Marque and have been friends for a long time. The showing by Brazoswood surprised Heath.

“Dean comes with so many formations, and it wore us out with all the formations we prepared for prior to the game,” Heath said. “It was really surprising to see them not run more formations.

“Obviously they had an off night because I know coach DeAtley teams, and as well-coached as they are. But we got on them early, and by getting on them early we just continued to gain momentum.”

Brazoswood got the second half kickoff and ran three plays for seven yards and then punted for the fifth time in the game.

Pearland wasted little time as it took less than two minutes for Speciale to score his second touchdown of the game on a seven-yard run with 8:45 left in the third quarter. Whittaker ripped off runs of eight and nine yards, Speciale gained 13, a personal foul on Brazoswood added 15 more yards, and then Speciale hit Weeks for an 11 yard gain prior to the final scoring run that concluded the 63-yard, five-play drive for a 28-0 lead.

The Bucs finally got a first down on the Pearland defense with 6:21 remaining in the third quarter receiving the cheers from the sparse crowd left to see their accomplishment. But the results were the same as Brazoswood punted back to the Oilers.

With 4:03 still left in the third quarter, Pearland drove 52-yards in seven-plays capped off by a scoring run by Kevin Pool covering 10 yards. Bolan added his fifth extra point making the score 35-0. Marcus Bradley had three runs for 31 yards while Speciale hit Karlton Johnson for a seven-yard completion and Minh Tran for 11 yards setting up the scoring run by Pool.
Pearland substituted freely in the final period and Brazoswood finally crossed the midfield stripe with 10:11 remaining in the game, but came up empty against the reserves.

The Oilers were content to leave the score alone, but Brazoswood fumbled at their own one-yard line with 6:05 left in the game and senior Kory Levi put one in the memory book with a two-yard run. Josh Juneau added the extra point and the 42-0 final score was posted.

Pearland is 8-0 on the season and 4-0 in District 24-5A and on their way to their second perfect season under head coach Tony Heath.

Pearland finished the game with 21 first downs, 276 yards rushing and 130 yards passing for 406 total yards. Whittaker had 108 yards on 12 carries and one touchdown while Bradley added 60 yards on six totes. Speciale had 10 carries for 78 yards and was 10-of-14 passing for 123 yards and one touchdown.

The Oilers' defense allowed just five first downs (all in the second half), 116 yards rushing and three yards passing for 119 total yards.
Pearland now gets ready for Homecoming as Clear Creek invades The Rig on Friday, October 28 at 7:30 p.m.

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