BEDFORD, OH — When the Brush Arcs needed big plays Friday night, quarterback Isaiah McClain and the Brush defense answered the call. McClain threw three touchdown passes, including strikes covering 9, 36 and 42 yards, while the Arcs' defense came up with two enormous fourth-quarter turnovers as Brush defeated the Bedford Bearcats, 27-20, on September 11. The victory improved Brush to 2-2 on the season, while Bedford fell to 1-3. It was also the Arcs' highest-scoring offensive performance of the season.
McClain Leads the Aerial Attack
Brush struck first when McClain connected with
Bryce Rucker on a 9-yard touchdown pass, giving the Arcs an early advantage. Bedford answered with a 5-yard touchdown pass, but the Bearcats missed the extra point, leaving Brush with a 7-6 lead. The Arcs' passing attack came alive again as McClain found the end zone for the second time, connecting on a 36-yard touchdown pass to put another touchdown on the scoreboard. McClain wasn't finished. In the third quarter, he delivered his third touchdown pass of the evening, hitting
Zion Kenner for a spectacular 42-yard aerial strike. The three touchdown passes—9, 36 and 42 yards—provided the offensive firepower Brush needed in a game that ultimately came down to the final possession.
Bedford Answers, But Brush Defense Holds
Bedford continued to battle and eventually regained the lead when Rayshawn Duncan Jr. broke free for a 21-yard touchdown run, putting the Bearcats ahead 20-19. Bedford then attempted a two-point conversion to stretch the lead, but the Brush defense came up with a critical stop. That one point would loom large.
Winfrey's Fumble Return Changes Everything
With the game still hanging in the balance,
Antwon Winfrey made perhaps the biggest play of the night. Winfrey recovered a Bearcats fumble and raced 54 yards for a Brush touchdown, turning a Bedford mistake into six enormous points for the Arcs. Brush added the two-point conversion, suddenly taking a 27-20 lead. And that proved to be the final score.
Brush Defense Slams the Door
Bedford had one final opportunity. Late in the fourth quarter, the Bearcats drove deep into Brush territory and moved inside the Arcs' 20-yard line, threatening to tie the game or potentially take the lead. But the Brush defense came up with another game-changing play. The Arcs forced a Bedford fumble, and
Troy Paschal recovered, ending the Bearcats' final scoring threat and allowing Brush to run out the clock on a hard-earned 27-20 road victory.
Dennis Earns Week 4 Game Ball
Leading the defensive effort was senior edge rusher Michael Dennis, who turned in one of the most dominant individual performances of the night in Northeast Ohio.
Dennis finished with:
- 10.5 tackles
- 5 tackles for loss
- 4 quarterback pressures
His outstanding performance earned Dennis an honorary Week 4 Game Ball from cleveland.com, recognizing him among the top high school football performers in Northeast Ohio.
A Statement Road Victory
Brush's victory was a complete team effort. McClain's three touchdown passes provided the explosive offensive plays, with the Arcs quarterback repeatedly finding ways to stretch the Bedford defense. Then, when Bedford threatened to take control, Brush's defense responded. Winfrey's 54-yard fumble return gave the Arcs the lead. Paschal's late fumble recovery preserved it. In between those two defensive touchdowns were relentless efforts from Dennis and the rest of the Brush defense, which repeatedly came up with stops when the Bearcats appeared ready to seize momentum.
After last week's loss, the Arcs refused to let that defeat linger. Instead, Brush responded with its highest-scoring performance of the season, knocked Bedford from its three-game home winning streak and returned to Lyndhurst with a hard-fought 27-20 victory. The Arcs are now 2-2 and will look to make it two straight when they return home next Friday.
NEXT UP
Brush (2-2) hosts Richmond Heights at 7 p.m. Friday. The Arcs will look to build on Friday night's dramatic road victory and continue their momentum as the 2026 season moves forward.
