Holly Pond wins a high scoring game on Halloween night:
Broncos 5 & 5 gridiron record, their best since 2018:
GDW Analysis:
HOLLY POND: High scoring football was the scene on Halloween evening with the Holly Pond Broncos having the best of it in outscoring the Cleveland Panthers 58 to 40.
A 28 to 6 lead at the half for Holly Pond was never comfortable from Thomas/Michelfelder Field.
Cleveland scored 4 times in the 3rd quarter on 4 possessions to get within striking distance of the Broncos, trailing 44 to 34.
The Broncos collected breathing space with two TDs in the 4th, the final putting the game out of Cleveland's reach with 2:52 remaining.
With the victory, the Broncos have accomplished their best season on the gridiron since 2018 with 5 wins & 5 losses.
In two years with Will McDaniel handling the squad, the Broncos have gone from a 7 & 33 mark between 2020 to 2023 to 8 & 11 in the last 2 years.
The Broncos miss the 3A state playoffs by one game, finishing 5th to Whitesburg Christian.
Holly Pond surprised Cleveland by recovering two onside kicks to take the ball into the end zone and gain a 14 to 0 lead with 9:44 still to play in the opening quarter.
Fox Westall rambled 44 yards for the first score and a 32 yard run was accomplished by Miguel Garcia.
After Cleveland scored to close to 14 to 6, the Broncos added to their advantage after getting an interception at their 49 yard line.
Westall netted his second TDS on an 18 yard run.
Holly Pond led 22 to 6 after the first and had outgained Cleveland in total offense 137 to 96.
The Broncos forced the Panthers to lose the ball on downs at their 35 early in the 2nd. A 65 yard drive would go to the end zone and the Broncos left the field with a 28 to 6 lead.
To start the 2nd half, Garcia took the kickoff and sprinted 70 yards for the score, He added a 2 point conversion and Holly Pond was leading Cleveland 36 to 6.
The game would change from there.
Cleveland produced four scoring drives on a TD run by Hayden Gerlott, two scoring passes from freshman QB Brennan Steele and a Steele 15 yard scoring run.
Holly Pond had one score in the 3rd when Garcia was loose on a run of 50 yards.
The 3rd ended with both teams combining for 44 points, getting to the end zone on six possessions.
Holly Pond's comfortable halftime advantage was now a battle for survival with the Broncos ahead 44 to 34.
Senior QB Boston Gibbs set the tone for the Broncos in the with 2 touchdowns. Gibbs was in from the 1 at 8:08 of the 4th and a 10 yard run with 2:52 to go, completed the Broncos most points in a home game this season.
Steele delivered a 57 yard TD pass in the 4th as the lefthander netted 170 yards in the air in the 2nd half and 3 touchdowns.
For the game, Holly Pond had 334 yards offense, 181 yards rushing and 153 passing.
Cleveland compiled 396 yards as 188 came through Steele's passing.
Even in a high scoring affair, the Broncos defense stopped the Panthers on 4th down plays four times. The last came with 1:56 to play in the game.
Westall claimed a pair of touchdowns with Garcia scoring four times and Gibbs producing twice in the 4th quarter.
In 5 wins this season, the Broncos scored 258 points and allowed 114.
Holly Pond went 3 & 2 at home in 2025 play.
Photo of Holly Pond QB Boston Gibbs from a game at Hanceville August 29.
Gibbs scored 2 TDs in his final game for the Broncos and directed them to 334 yards of total offense in a 58 to 40 victory over Cleveland.
Photo courtesy of Prepsnet.
