Phoenix Rises Above Dragons’ Fire

The Pickens High School Dragons junior varsity football team fell to the Phoenix of Sonoraville 30-19. Pickens was done in by three first half turnovers, which Sonoraville was able to use en route to building a 24-13 halftime lead; a deficit the Dragons could not climb out of.The Dragons had the first possession of the game, and began with good field position (PHS 48 yard line); however, the Phoenix flew into the Pickens’ backfield repeatedly, a problem for the Dragons offense all game. After a sack and tackle in the back field Pickens was forced to punt.

Sonoraville was able to return the punt to the Pickens’ 47 yard line. The Phoenix aided by an offsides penalty, and a strong run game, was able to move the ball deep into Dragon territory. The Dragons red zone defense, aided by a holding penalty, held strong, and the Phoenix’ was held to three points. Junior Solis gave Sonoraville the lead with a 35 yard field goal.

The Dragons’ offense, facing an 80 yard road to the end zone, stalled and had to punt the ball back to the Phoenix after a quick three and out. Pickens’ Austin Justice, picked the right time to acquire a fumble, which he returned to the Phoenix 35 yard line. Jake Coleman gave Pickens the lead a few plays later taking a pitch wide to the left all the way to the house. With 3:50 left in the first quarter, the Dragons led 7-3.

The Dragons’ defense forced a punt on the next Phoenix possession; however, Pickens was picked off deep in its own territory, by Chris Bingiel, who returned the ball to the one yard line. Jackson Jennings scored a rushing touchdown on a first and goal and the Phoenix led 10-3 with 1:19 left in the first quarter.

The Dragons turned the ball over again on the next Pickens’ possession, with another, this accompanied by a sack and strip. With the starting field position at the Pickens’ 15 yard line, the Phoenix scored on an eight yard quarterback keeper by Clay Grisham. Sonoraville led 17-7 with 8:25 left in the first half.

The Dragons fumbled again deep in the shadow of its own end zone and Taylor Kephart’s touchdown run and the subsequent extra point by Solis put the Phoenix up 24-7, with just under eight minutes left in the half.

After being forced to punt back the Sonoraville offense, the Dragons caught a break when a Phoenix fumble was pounced on by the Pickens defense. The Pickens offense turned the fortuitous fumble into six points when Coleman took another pitch and weaved his way into the end zone with 3:12 left in the half. The score would remain the same through out the rest of the half.

The Dragons’ defense started the second half on fire, as Pickens held the Phoenix offense to a quick three and out. Dragon, Orlandis Elrod, brought the home team fans into a fire breathing frenzy, when he raced 59 yards to the end zone. The Dragons were down 5 24-19, after the extra point was blocked.

After each team traded a possession, the Dragons’ fumbled away the last chance of a comeback. Consequently the Phoenix scored the game’s last touchdown, giving Sonoraville a 30-19, after a failed two point conversion attempt, lead that would not be relinquished.