Brentwood's Win Vaults Eagles Into Postseason

TOWN AND COUNTRY — Walking around the field at Principia High School’s John Jamerson Stadium before Saturday’s Class 2 District 3 championship football game, head coach Keith Herring was a little concerned that his players weren’t really as ready to play as they let on.

Herring told his assistant coaches that he hoped his Eagles would be loose for the biggest game of the year, but with just minutes to go before the opening kickoff, the head coach thought the team was too loose.

“It was bothering me a lot,” Herring said. “But I thought, once we get going, the kids will ratchet up the intensity and we’ll be fine.”

It didn’t work out that way at all, as Brentwood barely survived a shaky first half, and trailed the host Prin Panthers 13-7.

“At halftime, we knew we had to do something to get the guys going,” Herring said. “So we just challenged them to play their best ball, and man, did they come through.”

Boy did they ever, as Brentwood came out blazing with 34 points in the third and fourth quarters. That led to an eventual 41-19 win over Prin, which gave the Eagles their third straight football district championship.

“It feels great,” junior running back said. “Especially to win districts, because that was one of our goals this season. I don’t know what to say, I’m just excited for me and my teammates. This was a great win.”

And Owens played a key role in helping the Eagles get it.

It was his sensational 58-yard burst up the right sideline, on the second play of the third quarter, that gave Brentwood its first lead, and helped spark the Eagles to the win.

“I just saw the sideline open up,” Owens said. “And I just went for it. I knew they weren’t going to catch me. The line opened up some real nice holes for the backs today.”

In fact, all five of Brentwood’s second-half scores came on run plays. By the end of the game, each of Brentwood's three-headed rushing monster (Owens, Tyler Jones and Dan Lynch) chipped in two touchdowns.

“Everybody on our offense has scored,” Herring said. “Anybody can score at any time. That’s what I love about it. And the kids, they’ve bought into it fully.”

Brentwood is now 6-3 on the season, and has not only earned another district championship, but will also get to host a home playoff game, when the state sectionals begin around the state on Wednesday night.

The Eagles will host District 4 runner-up Carnahan High of St. Louis, Wednesday at 7 p.m.

The winner of that contest will advance to the super-sectionals, where it will face the winner of the other Midtown-area sectional round game between Principia and Maplewood.

That game is also scheduled for a 7 p.m kickoff on Wednesday evening, and will be played at .