Grayson holds off Westlake, heads to state semifinals

A heavily favored Grayson squad was put to the test by Westlake Friday night. But, in the end, the Rams advanced to the state semifinals with a 35-28 win powered by the legs of senior running back Cameryn Brent.

Brent dominated on the ground, scoring four touchdowns, and quarterback Chase Brice added a touchdown toss for the Rams, who head to the Class AAAAAA state semifinals next week.

Westlake opened the scoring when senior running back Kristen Griffin tallied from one yard out. But the Rams answered with a touchdown of their own. Brent broke free for a 55-yard score with 1:58 left in the first quarter.

The Rams threatened again early in the second quarter, but junior quarterback Chase Brice was picked off in the end zone.

After Grayson was forced to punt from its own end zone, Westlake took a 14-7 lead with 2:39 left in the second quarter and carried that lead into halftime.

That, despite the fact that Brent carried the ball 11 times in the first half for a whopping 120 yards.

The Rams evened up the score in dramatic fashion. On 4th and 7, Brice hit receiver Austin Nash for a 32-yard touchdown with 10:08 remaining in the third quarter.

Then, Brent struck paydirt for a second time with another big scoring run, taking it in from 20 yards out to make the score 21-14 with 7:29 left in the third.

Westlake equalized with 1:49 to go in the quarter, when quarterback Malik Willis hit Marquez Burdette Jr. on a 17-yard screen pass for a score.

But Brent continued to look unstoppable, busting a 40-yard run for his third touchdown of the night less than a minute later.

Early in the fourth quarter, Grayson stopped a fake punt attempt by Westlake and, one play later, Brent scored his fourth touchdown on a 28-yard scamper.

But Westlake wasn’t done. Willis threw to Ronnie Blackmon for a 12-yard touchdown to make the score 35-28 with 7:32 remaining.

Junior Matthew Greenway ended the Lions’ hopes, though, with an interception with 2:53 left. He returned the pick for a touchdown, but the score was called back by a penalty, giving the Rams the ball on the Westlake 20 yard line.