The Pickens High School Dragons football team traveled to Johnson High School in Gainesville to take on the Knights in the final game before region play. Last season saw the Dragons come away with a win but it was a battle. This year Dragons scorched the Knights to the tune of 49-6.

The Dragons won the toss and differed to the second half. Johnson, running the Wing-T, went three and out and was forced to punt.

The Dragons wouldn’t have the ball long as a fumble on the first play from scrimmage gave the Knights great field possession. The Knights would use an LSU type fake field goal and a pass interference to take the lead 6-0 after the two-point conversion failed with 4:31 left in the opening quarter

Pickens’ second possession ended with a better result after a 44-yd run by, new Minnesota commit, Shannon Brooks giving Pickens its first lead of the ball game 7-6 with 1:39 left in the 1st. Johnson would have it as we entered the 2nd quarter and would punt it back to the Dragons and Shannon Brooks would take it to the house for the 2nd time from 67-yds out extending the lead to 14-6 with 9:25 to go in the 1st half.

After another three and out by the Knights, the Dragons were looking for six more until another fumble gave Johnson possession at the Knights’ own 5-yd line. The Dragons forced a Knights punt and got the ball back in Johnson territory, where Shannon Brooks threw a screen pass to Zack Herman that resulted in a 43 yard touchdown, giving the Dragons a 21-6 lead with 3:37 left in the half. Shannon Brooks would run it in for a third time in the first half from 15-yds out, with 51 seconds left to stretch it to the halftime score of 28-6.

Pickens got the ball to start the 3rd quarter and Marcus Byrd found Bradley Ragano from 37-yds out in the corner of the end zone to make it 35-6 with 9:20 left in the quarter.

The Dragons scored again, with Shannon Brooks taking it in from 43-yds out for his fourth rushing score of the ball game making it 42-6 with 6:36 left in the third.

Pickens would have the ball at the Johnson 9-yd line as the fourth quarter began and ten seconds later, Deondre Green took it in with 11:50 left making it 49-6. This would be the final score as the Dragons improve to 3-0 on the season, averaging 43 ppg and giving up just under 17 ppg on defense.

For the night, the Dragons had 13 first downs, 4-5 on third downs, 514 total yards, 353 yards rushing on 34 carries and 5 tds, 161 yards passing on 9-9 attempts and 2 TDs, averaged 12 yards per play, 10 yards per rush, and 17 yards per pass.

Marcus Byrd was 6-6 for 109 yds and 1 TD, Caleb Cowart went 2-2 for 9 yards and Shannon Brooks went 1-1 for 43 yards and a TD. Shannon Brooks ran the ball 12 times for 224 yds and 4 TDS, Deondre Green ran it 5 times for 41 yds and a TD. Zack Herman led in receiving with 3 catches for 54 yds and a td, Bradley Ragano had a catch for 37 yards and a TD.

Kyle West led the team with 16 total tackles and 12 solo tackles. Dillon Gasaway added 13 total tackles, 8 solo, and a forced fumble and Ty Prather added in 12 total tackles and 6 solo. Ty Chastain went 7-7 on PATs and is 18-18 on the year.

The Dragons will be back home next friday as Pickens starts region play against the Panthers of Ridgeland. This will begin a three game home stand for Pickens.