MAX Game of the Week Recap: Laidig, Graverson’s terrific performances help Bremen stun Knox, 46-38
BREMEN – The Bremen Lions saved their best game of the season for the Knox Redskins and mounted an impressive second-half comeback to shock the visitors 46-38 on Homecoming at Don Bunge Field.
It was yet another thriller MAX 98.3 FM WYMR has had the privilege of covering this season as it was the MAX Game of the Week.
“Absolutely this was hands down our best performance,” Bremen head coach Jordan Leeper told the MAX crew. “Our guys came to play in the second half.”
Trailing 30-14 at halftime, Bremen outscored Knox 32-8 in the final 24 minutes as the Redskins had no answer for the Lions’ passing attack.
Bremen senior quarterback Silas Laidig and all-state receiver Tyrus Graverson were a lethal combination.
The Lion signal caller threw for 320 yards and four touchdown passes. Laidig is less than 100 yards away from eclipsing 3,500 yards passing in his stellar prep career.
In all honesty, Laidig might have topped the 400-yard mark against the Redskins had his receivers not dropped several passes in the opening half.
Graverson, who per usual drew a lot of extra defensive attention throughout the game, was on the receiving end of 12 of Laidig’s 19 pass completions.
Graverson finished with 233 yards and a touchdown catch, not bad for a player who earlier this season missed some time due to a knee injury.
He also drilled a 28-yard field goal with just over seven minutes left in the game to give his team the lead for good at 39-38.
“He is a heck of a football player,” said Leeper when asked about Graverson.
Yes, players like Graverson are few and far between.
To start the second half he even executed an onside kick to perfection. The entire complexion of the game turned on that play. The Lions recovered it and on the next play Laidig hit senior receiver Luke Kincaid for a 49-yard touchdown strike. Laidig connected with senior running back Carson Anderson (20 carries for 97 yards) to convert the two-point try and Bremen was within one possession, 30-22.
On the Redskins’ first play from scrimmage, senior running back Jake Conroy fumbled after a 14-yard gain. Bremen recover at the Knox 34.
Four plays later, Laidig hooked up with Kincaid again, this time for an 11-yard touchdown pass play on third-and-seven. The two-point try was successful when Laidig found Graverson in the end zone and the game was tied at 30 just 3:30 into the second half.
“When you put the ball in the hands of your seniors good things happen,” Leeper said.
A second Knox turnover sealed the victory for Leeper’s squad.
Junior defensive back Brayden Pearish picked off junior quarterback Myles McLaughlin’s desperation heave and returned it 39 yards to the Knox 1.
Senior fullback Austin Young plunged in from a yard out with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring.
Graverson then executed another perfect onside kick. Bremen recovered and ran out the remaining time.
McLaughlin was terrific again. The all-state back ran for 231 yards on 17 carries and scored on touchdown runs of 69 and 63 yards. McLaughlin is one of the nation’s leading rushers as he’s closing in on the 2,000-yard mark this season.
His teammate, Conroy, topped 1,000 yards rushing this season with his 105-yard performance. He scored touchdowns on three of his 18 carries against the Lions.
Knox built what looked to be a pretty comfortable 30-14 halftime lead.
Conroy scored two of his three touchdowns in the first half on runs of 10 and four yards.
Both of McLaughlin’s long TD runs also came in the first two quarters, that second of which happened with under two minutes left in the second quarter and gave the visitors a 16-point cushion.
Young, who scored three touchdowns on the night, had a hand in Bremen’s first points of the game. He was on the receiving end of a six-yard touchdown pass from Laidig with 2:55 to go in the opening quarter that gave his team a short-lived 7-6 lead.
Laidig went to the air again and hit Graverson early in the second quarter for a 28-yard score that tied the contest at 14.
Graverson also made his presence felt on defense where made eight tackles, including one for loss.
Lion senior linebacker Will Stiles had a game-high 12 tackles (eight solo).
Knox was led in tackles by junior cornerback Maddox Kinder, who had eight tackles (all solo).
The win improved Bremen’s record to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in the new Indiana Northern State Conference entering the final week of the regular season. Next up for the Lions is another home conference game against Tippecanoe Valley on Friday.
Knox suffered its first loss in the INSC. The Redskins are 5-3, 4-1 and will host Bowman Academy Friday.
MAX KNOX PLAYER OF THE GAME: McLaughlin ran for 231 yds on 17 carries & ran for scores on runs of 69 and 63 yds
MAX BREMEN PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Laidig and Graversion were outstanding, throwing for 320 yds & 4 TDs, and hauling in 12 of 19 pass completions for 233 yds & a score, respectively
BREMEN 46, KNOX 38
@ Bremen
Score By Quarters
Knox 14 16 8 0 38
Bremen 7 7 22 10 48
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