On Friday evening, the PHS varsity football team traveled to Alpharetta to take on the 6-A Chattahoochee Cougars in the 1st official game of the 2017 season. As you may recall, the Cougars came up to Jasper last year, as Pickens came away with a win their 49-19, their first against an “Atlanta” area school. Last night, the Dragons looked to do it again.

Chattahoochee would win the toss and elect to receive the opening kickoff of the 2017 season. The Dragons were able to make the defensive stop to set up good field position for the offense’s first possession. On the 1st play of the 1st drive of 2017, Pickens pulled out the ole double pass play as Senior QB Jacob Brumby tossed it to Sophomore C.J. Streicher, who then launched it to Junior Trevon Hawkins for a 51-yard gain. Streicher put an end to the drive as he scored from 3-yds out to give the Dragons a 7-0 lead with 9:22 left in the opening quarter. After both teams played hot potato with the football, Pickens added to their lead after an 11-yd TD connection from Brumby to Junior Zach Goss, making it 14-0 with 1:31 left in the opening frame. :28 seconds later, the Cougars found the end zone for the first time on the night scoring on a 36-yd TD run. The ensuing 2-point conversion failed, & Pickens held a 14-6 lead, going to the 2nd.

Chattahoochee again would cut into the Dragons lead with a 22-yd run at the 10:42 mark of the 2nd quarter making it a 14-13 game. The Cougars used momentum gained to surge into the lead after a 27-yd field goal, giving them a 16-14 advantage with 4:26 left in the opening half. Seeing his team needed to take some of the momentum back, Junior RB Robert Davis electrified the away crowd with an incredible 82-yd scamper to the house, giving the Dragons the lead right back, 20-16 with 4:02 left in the 1st half. Pickens would then tack on another touchdown right before half as Brumby tossed his 2nd of the half, this time, to Sophomore Alex Snelgrove from 3-yds out, making it 27-16 Pickens at halftime.

The Dragons got the 2nd half kickoff and wasted little time adding to their two score lead as Davis took this one 94-yds to open the 3rd quarter, & giving Pickens a 34-16 lead over the Cougars. Pickens tacked on more at the 10:35 mark of the 3rd when Hawkins had his own 82-yd TD run, making it 41-16 Dragons. At the 7:05 mark in the 3rd, the 3rd time would be the charm for Davis as he took it in from 5-yds out, making it 47-16 Pickens. Chattahoochee got on the board for the first time in the 2nd half at the 3:44 mark of the 3rd with a 3-yd run to make it 47-24 Dragons. The Cougars cut into the Pickens lead a little more with a 49-yd TD pass, making it 47-30 Dragons going to the 4th & final quarter.

The lone score in the 4th quarter came from Hawkins as he marched in from 7-yds out at the 10:00 mark. Making it 54-30 Pickens. That would be the final score as the Dragons picked up a big road win to begin the season, 54-30 over the 6-A Chattahoochee Cougars. Pickens will have a bye week next week as they prepare for yet another tough road match up on September 1st as they take on 2-A top ten ranked Pepperell Dragons.

Pickens Stats Versus Chattahoochee

21 first downs, 4/8 on 3rd downs, 2/2 on 4th downs. 649 total yards on 61 plays for an average of 10.6 yards per play, 406 rushing yards on 42 carries for a 9.67 ypc average, & 243 passing yards on 19 attempts for a 12.7 average

Jacob Brumby: 11-18, 192 yards, & 2 TD. 61% completion percentage

C.J. Streicher: 1-1, 51 yards, 10 rushes for 50 yards (1TD), & 10 yards receiving on 1 catch (111 total yards)

Robert Davis: 11 rushes, 157 yards, 2 TD, & 2 kick returns for 113 yards & 1 TD (270 total yards)

Trevon Hawkins: 8 rushes, 123 yards, 2 TD, 1 catch for 51 yards, 4 total tackles, & 1 fumble recovery

Zach Goss: 6 catches, 146 yards, & 1 TD

Defensively, the Dragons forced four total turnovers, (2 fumbles & 2 interceptions)

Jay Jones: 11 total tackles, & 1 INT

Hunter Hermann: 9 total tackles

Boz Gayden: 8 total tackles

Michael Burrell: 6 total tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, & 6/8 on PAT

Kaleb Ray: 4 total tackles, & 1 INT

Zach Swaim: 3 total tackles & 1 sack