El Dorado High School quarterback No. 1 Brycen Booth got an emotional jolt during Friday's football game against the Hanks Knights, when his father, who is deployed overseas with the U.S. Army, surprised him with a video message. The moment unfolded as the two El Paso programs squared off in a game that would ultimately decide a district championship, according to KFOX14/CBS4.
According to KFOX, Booth “was surprised by a heartfelt reunion” when his father appeared via video during the Friday matchup between the El Dorado Aztecs and the Hanks Knights. The station reports the elder Booth is currently stationed overseas with the Army, a detail that added extra weight to the on-field moment for the Aztecs quarterback.
A Back-and-Forth Battle on the Field
While the video message gave the night its emotional centerpiece, the football itself was no less dramatic. The same outlet's game recap says Booth kept the ball on an option play and scored to tie things up at 14-14, showcasing the dual-threat ability that has made him a focal point of El Dorado's offense this season.
The two teams traded blows all the way into the locker room, reaching a 21-21 tie at the break, per the station's report. But Hanks pulled away in the second half, closing out a 42-21 win in what KFOX's RedZone segment billed as its Game of the Week.
Hanks Claims the District Crown
The victory did more than hand Hanks bragging rights over its crosstown rival — it also clinched a title. The win crowned Hanks as District 1 5A Division 1 Champions, the same recap notes, capping a season-defining night for the Knights even as it closed the chapter on El Dorado's own playoff hopes in that matchup.
For Booth, the night will likely be remembered less for the final score and more for the surprise that came before it — a reminder that even amid the fight for a district title, a message from a father serving overseas can still stop the action and shift the focus, if only for a moment.
