Johnson senior Noah Cartwright (8) and Johnson senior Ayham Daoud (70) celebrate a touchdown during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News
Tyler Willis just barely missed a tackle, but he was still in the right spot to make a play.
The Johnson linebacker chased after Brandeis quarterback Wynter Smith on a third-and-4, but was unable to hunt the dual-threat down. However, as another Johnson defender stripped the ball from Smith, Willis was in the perfect place to make the recovery.
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“I was right there to just get the ball, and that’s how it happened,” Willis said.
Willis’ fumble recovery led to a score that capped off a pivotal third quarter for Johnson, as the No. 1 Jaguars subdued the Brandeis Broncos 38-25 at Comalander Stadium on Friday night to move to 4-0 on the season.
Week 6: San Antonio high school football final scores and stats
“I’m super proud of our defense for being able to stop this team,” Willis said.
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The Johnson linebacker added the defense zeroed in on Smith.
“We were able to close him into the gaps, just make him have to try and run up the middle and stop him every single time,” Willis said. “I’m just super proud of our guys.”
While Johnson took an early lead on Brandeis in the first half, the Broncos had the momentum heading into the break. Brandeis defensive back and Texas A&M commit Hakim Frampton intercepted Johnson quarterback Elvis Estrada with 11 seconds until halftime. The following Brandeis drive started on Johnson’s 28-yard line, and the Broncos inched further into Jaguars territory, setting up a 38-yard kick by Brandeis senior kicker Zach Cantu to tie the game at 17-17 to end the first half.
Johnson, which opened the second half on offense, turned to its ground game to retake control.
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“I feel like we’re the best in the city, and I feel like other people think that, too,” Jaguars junior running back Jeremiah Johnson said. “So, we had to come out very strongly and prove that.”
Johnson punched in a 4-yard rushing touchdown on the Jaguars’ first drive of the third quarter. And after Willis’ fumble recovery, senior running back Noah Cartwright found the end zone on a 6-yard rushing touchdown.
The two running backs accounted for the bulk of the Jaguars’ yardage, with Johnson rushing for 114 yards and two touchdowns and Cartwright running for 89 yards and one score.
Johnson senior Noah Cartwright (8) runs the ball during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Brandeis senior Wynter Smith (19) runs the ball down the field during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Johnson junior Jeremiah Johnson (25) runs down the field during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Johnson senior Noah Cartwright (8) runs down the field to avoid a tackle during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Wyatt Bolzle, 5, covers from the rain during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Brandeis head coach Kemmie Lewis stands with his team before a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Johnson teammates huddle before a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Johnson senior Elvis Estrada (4) looks to pass during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Johnson senior Terin Abrego (77) watches from the sidelines during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Brandeis senior Wynter Smith (19) runs the ball guarded by Johnson junior Josiah Guajardo (55) during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Brandeis senior Wynter Smith (19) celebrates a touchdown during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Brandeis fans cheer during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Johnson head coach TP Miller tells his team to get off the field after a fight broke out at the end of the game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Brandeis senior Wynter Smith (19) rushes down the field during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Johnson senior Noah Cartwright (8) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Shadows from the Johnson cheerleaders are seen during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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The Brandeis football team take the field during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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The Brandeis football team take the field during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Brandeis cheerleaders point during a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
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Johnson senior Ayham Daoud (70) and Johnson senior Noah Cartwright (8) get excited before a game between Brandeis and Johnson high school football at Comalander Stadium on Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in San Antonio.
Andrew J. Whitaker/San Antonio Express-News
“We’re able to just out-physical teams,” Cartwright said of him and Johnson. “That’s our main dominating point — physicality.”
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Estrada tossed two touchdowns, both to senior wide receiver Colin Cragun in the first half, including a 50-yarder. But the Jaguars’ final three scores of the night came from the legs of either Johnson or Cartwright.
“Once we’re physical, they can’t do much after that, and that just makes it really easy on the run game,” Cartwright said.
The Jaguars continue District 28-6A play next Thursday against Roosevelt at Heroes Stadium. Brandeis, which is now 2-3 and 0-2 in district, will be back at Comalander to take on Churchill that same night.
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Johnson has won 22 consecutive district games, with its last league loss coming in September 2024.
“What we preach is that our goals and aspirations are beyond just district,” Cartwright said. “We want to go win state.”