TATUM – The football journey of the Elysian Fields community, which ignited excitement for the first time in five years, came to a close on Friday as Joaquin triumphed with a decisive 74-21 victory in the regional semifinals held in Tatum. The Yellowjackets finished their season with an impressive record of 11-2.
Coach Bo Maines expressed the team”s journey, stating, “We knew coming in the senior leadership was going to take us pretty far this year. We had goals and expectations set on wanting to win gold football. We wound up with a district championship, bi-district championship, and area championship. We definitely exceeded those goals, and it was a tough loss tonight.”
Brandon “Nunu” Kennedy completed 5 of 11 passes for 90 yards, along with two touchdowns and three interceptions, while also rushing for 79 yards and another touchdown on 14 carries. Teammate Corey Hardeman added 53 yards on just two carries, and AK Boyd caught three passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns.
From the start, Joaquin set an aggressive tone, forcing the Yellowjackets to punt early, something they are not used to. The Rams quickly established the lead with Cooper Bragg scoring on a seven-yard rushing touchdown, making it 8-0. Elysian Fields responded with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Kennedy to Boyd, narrowing the gap to 8-7.
As the first quarter progressed, Trenton Runnels executed a four-yard touchdown run, pushing Joaquin”s lead to 16-7. Runnels then scored again, followed by a one-yard touchdown after Kennedy”s fumble, extending Joaquin”s lead to 32-7. Kennedy connected with Boyd once more on a 44-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 32-14. However, Joaquin”s Bragg immediately answered with a 55-yard touchdown run, and the Rams led 38-14 at halftime after scoring on a four-yard touchdown by Bragg.
The second half began with Runnels scoring yet again on a four-yard run, increasing the lead to 52-14. The defensive pressure mounted as Jacob Gatlin intercepted Kennedy, leading to a 12-yard touchdown run by Gatlin that pushed Joaquin”s advantage to 60-14. Kennedy faced further challenges, throwing another interception, which allowed for a 49-yard touchdown by Amarion Williams, bringing the score to 67-14 by the end of the third quarter.
Joaquin”s defense continued to dominate, leading to a final touchdown by Jadyn Brown, concluding the scoring at 74-14. In a show of resilience, Elysian Fields managed a final touchdown, with Kennedy rushing for one yard to finish the game at 74-21.
After the game, Coach Maines reflected on the challenges faced, noting, “Joaquin is a tough offense to stop. It”s an offense that”s geared for weeks 13, 14, and 15 of the football season. It”s very physical, but the kids did fight. We threw everything at them, and, unfortunately, they hit us in the mouth tonight.”
Looking back at their season, Maines noted the resurgence of the program since his hiring, as players who once considered transferring decided to stay. Those who had previously not participated returned to the field, revitalizing the team spirit. “You hate for the season to end like it did tonight, but if you”d have told anybody in this group in August that we”d be standing here tonight, none of them would”ve believed me, so that”s definitely a positive,” Maines said.
Several players, including Braedon Adkins, Spencer Scott, and Evan White, were integral to this season”s success, each sharing their appreciation for the camaraderie they experienced. “This was my last year, and I wanted to fight with my brothers one last time. We”re a team full of talented people, and we deserved this season,” White stated.
Scott recalled how Kennedy encouraged him to return to the team after a year away from football. “Nunu was the reason I came back. He was like, “Man, it”s our senior year. You”re coming out there. It”s our last year.” He kept telling me I needed to play,” Scott said.
The postgame huddle reflected a strong team spirit, with players engaged and positive despite the loss. This new culture, fostered by Maines, has made Elysian Fields football a special program where players fight for each other, regardless of the final score.
