FYN’s Exclusive ETC TV3 Highlights of Dragons Silenced on Senior Night, Lose to Heritage 21-0
Featured Stories, Team FYN Sports November 7, 2011
The Pickens Dragons, aiming to make some noise in the last game of the 2011 season, struggled once again to make the big plays on offense needed for a victory, leading to a tough 21-0 loss to Heritage on senior night and leaving Pickens with a disappointing 1-9 record on the season.After the senior football players, band members, and cheerleaders were recognized in their last appearances at Dragon Stadium, the Dragons won the coin toss and differed to the second half of play, giving the Heritage Generals the ball to start the game. The Dragons’ defense stood strong on Heritage’s opening drive, quickly forcing a punt that gave Pickens the ball on its own 30 yard line.
(Photo by Jordan Hill)
Looking to excite a crowd that was braving the cold November weather, the Dragons tried to find any weakness in the Heritage defense. No weakness was found on the first drive, leading to a punt to cap off a 3 play, -4 yard drive. Another Dragons’ defensive stand gave the offense the ball back on its own 28, with a chance to take an early lead, but the errors, that have been problematic for the team throughout the season, showed up once again on this drive. A third down pass from quarterback Tanner Brumby, intended for wide receiver, Titus Henderson sailed over the target, leading to another three-and-out for the home squad.
A missed field goal by Generals’ kicker Dustin Lewis led to the Dragons next drive, which started on its own 21 with 10:22 left in the first quarter. For the third straight drive of the night, Pickens could not make the plays needed to move the chains, as a scramble by Brumby on third down saw the ball spotted 13 yards away from a first down, meaning that it was time for the punting unit to return to the field of play.
A touchdown run by Heritage with 4:35 left before the half meant the Dragons offense would have to come out and start once again in their own territory, a daunting challenge that they had failed to over come several times already in the first half. After short runs on the first two plays of the drive set up a manageable third and five situation, running back, Kalyn Brooks lost his handle on the ball, leading to a battle for control of the loose football; a battle that was eventually won by the Generals.
Luckily for the Dragons, Heritage failed to capitalize on the turnover, as another missed field goal meant Pickens would have another shot at getting the offense to click on all cylinders. While the offense struggled to show any sign of life out on the field, the play of the team became an afterthought for a few somber moments when Titus Henderson and a Generals defender connected for a near-helmet-to-helmet collision, leaving Henderson down on the field in a considerable amount of pain.
A penalty at the end of this play gave the Dragons a first down, something that the team had been desperately trying to acquire all night. Despite being close to Generals’ territory for the first time all night, the Dragons decided to just kill the rest of the game clock and head to the locker room down just seven points.
The decision by Pickens to kick off to start the game looked brilliant to start the third quarter, as the call by the coaching staff meant the Dragons would be first to try and put some much-needed points on the board in the second half. However, the offense just could not make any plays, and after gaining only one yard, on three plays, was forced to punt once again.
(Photo by Jordan Hill)
Heritage looked poised to double their lead over the Dragons on its next possession, but an ill-advised pass by the Generals quarterback was picked off by Ryan Neill, whose interception resembled the catch of a punt returner looking to fair catch. Fired up by the tremendous play of one of its senior defenders, the Dragons offense got going in a way that it had not done previously, gaining five first downs on the way to the Generals’ 11 yard line. With the chance to put points on the board for the first time in two weeks, Pickens seemed just a play a way from scoring six points, but a run by Brumby on fourth down came up well short, ending another Dragons drive with zero points.
Fueled by the inability of the opposing offense to make plays when they were needed, Heritage shrugged off the tough field position and instead ran all over the tiring Dragons defenders, using a 53-yard run as a catalyst for a drive that ended with another touchdown run, giving them a 14-0 lead with just 8:50 left in the game. Down but not necessarily out, the Pickens offense absolutely had to get it going on their next possession in order to have a chance at victory; however, things were not working for the home squad and its offense. The Pickens’ offense was forced to quietly walk back to the sidelines following another three and out.
(Photo by Jordan Hill)
Heritage used its next drive as a chance to put the game away for good, stuffing the ball down the Dragons’ throat via the running game and adding seven more points to its lead with another touchdown on the ground. Now clearly in a hole, with no chance to dig itself out of, Pickens gave it one more go at stringing some plays together with the football, but three yards after three plays let all the onlookers still present know that the game was over. The Dragons punted the ball away and the Generals ran out the rest of the clock, leading to a 0-21 loss for Pickens.
Even though losing on senior night is a tough pill to swallow for the six seniors on this Pickens squad, fans should hold out hope for the upcoming seasons of football for this group of young men. After all, the majority of the players that took the field throughout the season were in fact underclassmen. This group still has plenty of time to mature and learn how to effectively play together. It would be a stretch to say that anyone associated with the Dragons enjoyed this1-9 season, but the hardships and obstacles it presented to those involved will more than likely lead to a brighter future for this team.