Kicker Caragher is Clutch for Brentwood Eagles

The game clock read 2:48 in the fourth quarter when Brentwood kicker Jake Caragher stood at the 17-yard line, waiting for the ball to be snapped.

Caragher, a senior, kept telling himself that this kick was no different than an extra point. Never mind that and Carnahan were tied 14-14 with the season on the line.

Finally, the snap came, and the hold was perfect. Caragher powered the ball through the uprights, prompting the home Brentwood crowd to erupt in cheers. The 27-yard field goal would prove to be the deciding score in a game that featured an explosive first half but quiet second one.

"I don't even know what to say right now," said a smiling Caragher after the game. "This is amazing. There is no other feeling."

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With the win, The Eagles (7-3) snuck past Carnahan (3-6) in Brentwood's first postseason game of the year.

Both teams' defenses recovered from a high-scoring first half to keep things quiet in the second. In the third quarter, the offenses were able to muster only two first downs.

But Brentwood responded when it needed to.

The Eagles were marching down the field in the fourth quarter when junior running back Rekardo Owens fumbled the ball on the 10-yard line. 

Brentwood's defense responded by forcing a three-and-out, which gave the Eagles great field position with six minutes left in the game.

Starting on the Carnahan 45-yard line, a mix of running plays chipped away at the Carnahan defense. Senior Tyler Jones started with 9 yards. Senior Danny Lynch added 10 yards. Junior quarterback Jordan Groth collected 5 yards. Owens added another 8-yard run.

Three plays and five yards later, Caragher was ready to kick the winning field goal for the Eagles.

"All the kids said, 'Coach, if we don't get it, Jake can make it,'" Brentwood coach Keith Herring said. "We had total confidence in him."

The first half was very different for both teams.

Within the first 10 minutes of the first quarter, Carnahan held a 14-0 lead over Brentwood. Carnahan junior quarterback Dejon Shelton ran an 84-yard keeper for the first score, while sophomore Dontrelle Busby returned an interception for a score just 90 seconds later.

The Cougars had a third touchdown in the first quarter, but a 69-yard rush for a score was brought back because of a penalty.

The Brentwood offense was able to orchestrate its first score with seven minutes remaining in the second quarter. Lynch capped a drive with a 28-yard touchdown run.

The Eagles added a second score just before the first half ended. The key play occurred with only 48 seconds remaining. Groth dropped a 45-yard pass into the hands of Caragher, who was pushed out of bounds at the Carnahan 5-yard line. Lynch punched the ball in for Brentwood's second touchdown of the half.

"The kids fought. Nobody panicked," Herring said. "We settled in and started playing our brand of football.

also won on Wednesday night, which means the rival Blue Devils (9-2) and Eagles will meet in the next round of the postseason on Monday night. 

The game is a rematch from the second week of the season, when .

But this Brentwood team is different, and the rematch is something that Caragher is looking forward to.

"Tell Maplewood we're ready for them this time," Caragher said.

Brentwood will host the game at 7 p.m.