Kyree Bronson’s return, 6 TDs spark Conwell-Egan’s first ever state playoff win

Conwell-Egan senior running back Kyree Bronson registered six touchdowns in the Eagles’ 42-18 triumph over Kipp Dubois in the District 1/12 Class AAA semifinal Nov. 12 at the South Philadelphia Supersite. (J.S. Garber – For 21st-Century Media)

PHILADELPHIA – Ejected from Conwell-Egan Catholic’s regular season duel with Bonner-Prendergast on Oct. 22, senior running back Kyree Bronson had to sit out last week’s Eagles’ win over DelVal Charter in the District 12 Class AAA Championship.

The break seemed to serve the halfback well in Saturday’s District 1/12 Class AAA semifinal at the South Philadelphia Supersite. Bronson ran for five touchdowns from scrimmage while adding another on an 82-yard kickoff return, helping No. 4 seed Egan to a 42-18 triumph over top-seeded Kipp Dubois Academy (7-3) – the Eagles’ first state playoff victory in school history.

“I had a lot to think about and I wanted to come back and make a statement – return to the field ready to play,” said Bronson. “That was an unfortunate thing that I did the week before. I came back this week and I felt really confident and I felt confident in my team that we were all going to finish this one.”

The win sends Egan (8-3) to the D1/12 championship against the winner of No. 2 DelVal Charter/ No. 3 New Hope-Solebury. The title game is set for 1 p.m. next Saturday at the Germantown SuperSite.

Bronson got going early and often in the semifinal, which went to a running clock at the half, with the Eagles on top, 42-6.

Bronson’s first score was from four yards out at 8:18 of the first quarter and it came after a short kick by the Lions and a 28-yard punt return by CEC junior Chuck Layton IV to the four.

Kipp Dubois answered almost immediately however with senior quarterback Tyree Howard tossing a bomb down the right sideline that went for an 80-yard touchdown to KD junior Dontay Reis. A missed 2-point conversion left Egan on top, 7-6.

Kyree went right back to work, taking the ensuing kickoff by the Lions at the 18 and going the distance for a 14-6 Eagles’ lead. The 82-yard kickoff return sparked a 35-0 scoring run by Egan that went unanswered by the opponent.

Layton’s next punt return gave Egan another short field with which to work. Beginning at Kipp’s 27, it took the Eagles only five plays to reach the end zone again with Bronson taking it in from seven yards out for a 21-6 lead with 3:37 still to play in the first quarter.

On their next possession, the Lions got a 20-yard pass off to senior Tyree Robinson but the drive stalled at their own 44 when they threw incomplete on fourth down. It took Egan just four plays to reach paydirt again with Bronson capping the scoring drive off with a 35-yard TD run around the left end for a 28-2 Eagles’ lead just 10 seconds into the second quarter.

Just when something seemed to go right for Kipp Dubois, Lions QB Tyree Howard had a ball jarred loose after a 12-yard run to midfield. CEC junior Jonathan Bennett caught the ball in midair, giving the Eagles possession at Kipp’s 45.

Three plays later, Egan was in the end zone again, this time, through the air with CEC senior quarterback Kendall Jones catching a streaking Bronson at the 15 for a 27-yard TD pass that put the Eagles up 35-6 just 3:03 into the second quarter.

Egan failed to convert its next possession into any points when senior RB Victor Nyanway fumbled the ball away on a pitch on the Eagles 46 yard line. However, the Lions gave the ball right back when Layton snared an ill-advised offering by Howard at the 35 and returned it to Kipp’s 48 yard line.

It took the Egan just seven plays to travel the distance with Bronson taking it in from one yard out for his sixth touchdown of the first half.

Kyree did not see action again after that, though the Eagles got the ball back before the end of the first half when Jones stepped in front of another bad throw by Howard and came down with it just inside the sideline marker at Kipp’s 25 yard line.

Playing against Egan’s second team and JV unit, the Lions scored twice in the second half, first on a 5-yard TD run by Howard on the last play of the third quarter and then on a 9-yard TD pass from Howard to Reis with 53 ticks left on the game clock.

CEC senior Danny Green added an interception on the third play of the second half, giving the Eagles possession at Kipp’s 41 yard line.

NOTES: Record keepers are scouring the books to see if Bronson broke Conwell-Egan’s single game touchdown record. CEC Class of 2004 grad Steve Slaton, who played four NFL seasons with the Houston Texans, scored five touchdowns three times in his high school career.

Contact Steve Sherman at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter

Conwell-Egan 42, Kipp Dubois 18

(Nov. 12 at South Philadelphia Supersite)

CONWELL-EGAN (8-3)   21 21 0 0 – 42

KIPP DUBOIS (7-3)           6 0 6 6 – 18

First Quarter

CE — Kyree Bronson 4-yd. run (Jack Berraras kick)

KD — Dontay Reis 80-yd. pass from Tyree Howard (pass failed)

CE — Bronson 82-yd. kickoff return (Berraras kick)

CE — Bronson 7-yd. run (Berraras kick)

Second Quarter

CE — Bronson 35-yd. run (Berraras kick)

CE — Bronson 27-yd. pass from Kendall Jones (Luke Jackson kick)

CE — Bronson 1-yd. run (William Kim kick)

Third Quarter

KD — Tyree Howard 5-yd. run (run failed)

Fourth Quarter

KD — Reis 9-yd. pass from Howard (pass failed)