HOUSTON – That’s why they call this wacky stuff football. Kicks matter. Backup quarterbacks do too. Rock-solid tackling never hurt either for those determined Nederland Bulldogs.

With thunder, lightning and steady rain pelting outside Reliant Stadium, the Bulldogs finally brought the Golden Triangle its only victory in the two years of the Reliant Stadium High School Kickoff Classic. By the narrowest of margins, the Nederlanders jubilantly fabricated a 29-28 upset win over highly regarded Brenham and its own share of thunder and lightning.

Yet when the Cubs had the chance to go for two and win at the end, coach Glenn West opted for a safer extra-point kick and Chase Michalak’s boot sailed wide left with one minute to go. Yet as they return to their Spurlock Road environs, the Bulldogs and their fans can feel more than lucky about this season-opening win.

They played hard, played smart and survived a game-ending ankle injury to heroic quarterback Ryan Sampere late in the third quarter.

Nederland head coach Larry Neumann indicated Sampere’s ankle will undergo an X-ray today.

“The kids did a tremendous job tonight and I can’t applaud them enough,” Neumann said. “Late in the game, we had to turn it over to our defense and we told them, ‘Hey, you’re going to have to pull it off. It was a tremendous overall effort and I’ve never been prouder of a Nederland team than I am.”

Brenham opted to hold out its powerful tailback Lester Ward for this game. Even without Ward, the Cubs owned plenty of thunder and lightning. They owned the stronger end of the first downs, 21-15; the total yards, 302-271; and a substantial stronghold in rushing yards, 136-38.

“We were down 15 in the fourth quarter (29-14) and we’re going to build on that,” Brenham coach Glenn West said. “It’s really tough for either team to have to lose a game like this. Nederland was really doing a great job until they lost their quarterback. Then we got the momentum and took advantage of that.”

Making his first varsity start, Sampere performed like a cool customer, completing 13 of 27 passes for 252 yards, also leading the team with 40 rushing yards and had a hand in all four touchdowns. But even Sampere would be the first to admit that Delbert Spell’s Dogs’ defense won this verdict by denying Brenham time after time and making it hard for the Cubs to gain their yardage. That would especially include the outside pursuit of Dravannti Johnson, Wareall Grogan, Jeremy Stewart, and the sturdy inside defensive work of Chris Gutierrez and Jordan Landry.

“It looked like we had been running the spread offense for a long time, not a just few weeks,” Neumann said. “Ryan had a great supporting cast that played around him too and he would be the first to tell you that. This is a great way to start a season.”

Sampere went down with two minutes left in the third quarter and went to the Bulldogs sideline with a noticeable limp after a short gain to Brenham’s 6 as Nederland gave every intention of fattening a 26-14 lead. The Bulldogs had to go with an untested backup Kirby Bellow and they settled for Taylor Trahan’s 37-yard field goal and a 29-14 edge with 57 seconds left in the quarter.

Sampere’s departure thoroughly changed the game’s momentum. The Bulldogs never notched another first down after that and Brenham quickly answered with eight points, trimming the gap to 29-22 with eight minutes to go.

Kendrick Washington roared home for a touchdown on a 12-yard run and passer Kyler Crenshaw connected on a two-point play to receiver Tremaine Mathis at the eight-minute mark.

Brenham came calling again on the next series but came away empty on downs at Nederland’s 25 with 3:38 to play. After a quick three-and- out, the Cubs covered 47 yards in three plays with Ryan Roberson running the final three yards. That set up West’s extra-point decision.

A Brenham fumbled kickoff return proved as decisive as any one first-half moment in settling the score at intermission. Cubs sophomore return man Russell Sinegal lost the handle on the runback and Nederland’s Jordan Landry covered the ball at Brenham’s 30 in the final five minutes of the half.

Nederland proceeded to show its ability to pound home a scoring drive for a 19-14 advantage with 1:09 left in the second quarter. Chris Gutierrez shrewdly shoved his quarterback Sampere into the end zone for the final yard. Sampere involved three different receivers in that seven-play scoring drive. A key moment arrived when Sampere’s throw for Cardenas was greatly assisted by an obvious 13-yard pass interference penalty against corner Kendrick Washington.

Nederland had dropped the bomb on Brenham moments before that go- ahead score but the Bulldogs did not tie the game due to a missed extra point kick. Sampere and Cardenas clicked for 64 yards and a touchdown with 4:27 left in the half. Sampere picked on Brenham corner Brandon Smith and Cardenas grabbed the ball in front of Brenham’s sideline around the Cubs’ 25. The Nederland receiver never broke stride, trimming Nederland’s deficit to 14-13.

But the late first-half Sampere sneak only secured Nederland’s second lead of the night. The Bulldogs also had claimed a 7-6 edge midway in the opening period.