Bruins Win Season Opener Against Ripley 48-0

Three touchdowns on the ground, three more through the air and a seventh by way of a kickoff return propelled the Brooke Bruins to a 48-0 win over visiting Ripley Friday night.
Brooke dominated on both sides of the football Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
The Bruin offense used seven different players for its seven scores, while the defense limited Ripley to just 73 total yards of offense and sacked the Viking quarterback five times.
Bruin quarterback Braelyn Sperringer threw for 154 yards and three touchdowns.
Senior Tyler Wise blocked a punt, as the Bruins ran up 359 total yards of offense at Paul “Bud” Billiard Field at Brooke Memorial Stadium.
After Ripley failed to do any damage, the visitors were forced to punt and Wise burst through the line and blocked the kick with Brooke recovering at the Vikings’ 39.
On the first play, Sperringer connected with Gavin Moore for a TD 6:59 left in the opening period. The PAT failed but Brooke led 6-0.
After another punt from Ripley, the Bruins used just five plays to go 60 yards.
Sperringer hit senior Anthony Bachinski for 30 yards 3:35 to play in the peiord. After a second missed PAT, Brooke led 12-0.
Brooke began its next drive at its own 30 and marched down the field in eight plays for its third score of the evening.
Moore carried the ball in from 10 yards out with 10:36 left in the half.
A Sperringer-to-Colton Palmer connected was good for two-point conversion and Brooke edged out to a 20-0 advantage.
The Bruin defense sacked the Viking quarterback twice and forced a punt.
Gus Gilbert grabbed the pigskin at the Vikings’ 35 and returned it 20 yards to the 15.
Four plays later, Sperringer found his brother, sophomore Ty Sperringer to the right for the score with just 1:35 to go in the half.
Rocco Sacripanti’s point-after put the margin to 27-0 at the break.
In all, the Bruins recorded four sacks in the first half and held Ripley to 27 total yards of offense.
Just 14 seconds into the second half, junior Triston Stevens picked up Ripley’s kickoff at the Bruins’ 38-yard line, ran left and switched to the right and outraced the Vikings for 68 yards and a score.
The PAT pushed the Bruins’ lead to 34-0.
In the final stanza, the Bruins used freshmen quarterback Michael Gibson and running back Corey Maynard for scores enroute to a 129-yard performance.
After Ripley failed to do any damage from the Bruins’ 37, the visitors were forced to punt only to see Wise burst through the line and block the kick with Brooke recovering at the Vikings’ 39.
Sperringer needed just one play to put the first touchdown of the season on the board when he went deep down the middle to classmate Gavin Moore for the score at 6:59. The PAT failed but the hosts were leading 6-0.
Another punt from Ripley and the Bruins needed five plays to move 60 yards with Sperringer once again going deep, this time to senior Anthony Bachinski from 30 yards away with 3:35 to play in the first. Another missed point-after left the count at 12-0.
Brooke began at its own 30 late in the opening stanza and marched down the field once again, this time needing eight plays with Moore going in from 10 yards away with 10:36 showing in the half. Sperringer hooked up with Colton Palmer for the two-point conversion and the score moved to 20-0.
Following a pair of sacks that left Ripley deep in its own territory, Gus Gilbert hauled in a punt at the Vikings’ 35 and put the hosts in great position with a return to the 15. It took four plays before Sperringer found his brother, sophomore Ty Sperringer to the right for the score with just 1:35 to go in the half. Rocco Sacripanti’s point-after ballooned the margin to 27-0 at the break.
The Bruins recorded four sacks in the opening half, limiting Ripley to just 27 total yards of offense.
Things didn’t get any better for Ripley going into the second half when junior Triston Stevens picked up a rolling kickoff at his own 38, headed left and then broke right and turned on the jets to out race the coverage 68 yards for a touchdown. The point-after made it 34-0.
A pair of freshmen did most of the damage for Brooke over the final 12 minutes with quarterback Michael Gibson and running back Corey Maynard each finding the end zone while combining for 129 rushing yards.
The Bruins, now 1-0, will travel to Wintersville, OH, Thursday night to face Indian Creek.
Ripley, now 0-1, will host Buckhannon-Upshur Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Brooke 48, Ripley 0
Ripley 0 0 0 0 — 0
Brooke 12 15 7 14 — 48
Brooke – Moore 39-yard pass from B. Sperringer (kick failed), 6:59.
Brooke – Bachinski 30-yard pass from B. Sperringer (kick failed), 3:35.
Brooke – Moore 10-yard run (Palmer pass from B. Sperringer), 10:36.
Brooke – T. Sperringer 9-yard pass from B. Sperringer (Sacripanti kick), 1:34.
Brooke – Stevens 68-yard kickoff return (Sacripanti kick), 11:46.
Brooke – Maynard 1-yard run (Sacripanti kick), 11:13.
Brooke – Gibson 4-yard run (Blair kick), 5:39.
Rushing
Brooke 22-205-3 (Campinelli 7-26; Moore 6-46-td; T.Sperringer 1-7; B.Sperringer 2-(-3); Gibson 2-82-td; Maynard 4-47-td).
Ripley 41-54 (Lawrence 13-27; Pritt 9-(-33); Domico 4-13; Creel 6-19; Vaughn 2-0; Pe. Keller 1-0; Huffman 2-3; Pa. Keller 4-25).
Passing
Brooke: 8-17-154-3 (all by B. Sperringer).
Ripley: 3-12-19-0-x (Pritt 2-11-11-x; Moore 1-1-8.).
Receiving
Ripley: 3-19 (Boyd 2-11; Smith 1-8).
Brooke: 8-154-3 (Moore 2-64-td; Bachinski 2-45-td; Gilbert 1-31; Haught 1-15; T. Sperringer 2-14-td).
First Downs: Brooke 12, Ripley 6.
Penalties: Brooke 4-25; Ripley 5-30.
Fumbles: Brooke 7-2; Ripley 3-0.