Record Night, Late Defensive Stop Gives Dragons Win Over Trojans

Last night, the PHS Dragons varsity football team hosted the North Hall Trojans out of 3-A in the first home game for the Dragons in the 2017 season. These two schools played each other last year in Gainesville, where the Trojans pulled out a close 16-8 win over Pickens. Much like their game with Pepperell the week prior, the Dragons were looking to exact a little revenge on the Trojans.

 

North Hall won the toss and elected to get the ball first, & got points on their first possession of the ball game. The Trojans used an 18-yd TD run to take an early 7-0 lead with 7:34 left in the opening quarter. North Hall then picked off a pass on the Dragons first play from scrimmage, then added to their lead with a 1-yd TD run at the 6:03 mark to make it 14-0 Trojans in the 1st quarter. Pickens got back into it with a 62-yd TD run from Junior Robert Davis at the 5:01 mark to make it 14-7 North Hall in the 1st. The Trojans answered the Dragons score with a 24-yd TD pass to stretch the lead out to 21-7 with 3:17 still remaining in the 1st. Pickens then would respond with a 28-yd TD pass from Senior Jacob Brumby to Junior Zach Goss Jr at the :29 mark of the first. Sending us to the 2nd quarter with the score, North Hall 21 Pickens 14.

 

Compared to the 1st quarter, scoring wise, the 2nd quarter was really tame. The Trojans added to their lead with a 1-yd TD run at the 8:42 mark, making it 28-14. As the 1st half came to a close, it turned into the Goss Jr show. Brumby connected with the Junior wide out several times on the final drive of the half including a 7-yd TD strike with :22 seconds left to make it 28-21 North Hall as we went into the half.

 

The 3rd quarter of this one, belonged to the Dragons. Pickens began the 3rd, and the opening possession of the 2nd half was capped off by a 38-yd TD pass at the 7:03 mark from Brumby to Goss Jr. Their 3rd TD connection of the night. That tied the ball game up at 28 a piece. As the 3rd quarter came to an end, Sophomore C.J. Streicher plowed his way in from 7-yds out to give the Dragons their first lead of the night, 35-28, going to the 4th.

 

Just 1:35 into the 4th and final quarter, the Trojans tied things back up at 35 after a 38-yd TD run at the 10:25 mark. Pickens, would not be fazed however as the duo of Brumby & Goss Jr, hooked up for a fourth time on the evening with a 17-yd TD pass to regain the lead 42-35 at the 6:24 mark of the 4th quarter. With time quickly moving down on the clock, North Hall looked to send this game into overtime, or win it outright with a score & two-point conversion. On 4th down, the Trojans were near the goal line looking to score with just :12 left. The pass attempt into the end zone sailed over the intended targets head. The Dragons held on for the win, 42-35.

 

Stats

22 1st downs, 7/14 on 3rd down, 5/7 on 4th down, 537 total yards on 72 plays for a 4.6 yard average, 197 rushing yards, 340 passing yards

Passing

Jacob Brumby: 24-37, 340 yards (school record), 4 TD & 73 yards rushing on 14 carries

Rushing

Robert Davis: 11 carries, 93 yards, & 1 TD & 2 catches for 7 yards

Trevon Hawkins: 5 carries, 17 yards & 4 catches for 55 yards

C.J. Streicher: 4 carries, 14 yards, & 1 TD & 1 catch for 10 yards

Receiving

Zach Goss Jr: 10 catches (tied school record, 180 yards, & 4 TD (tied school record)

Josh Cain: 4 catches for 49 yards

Alex Snelgrove: 3 catches for 39 yards

Defense

Hunter Hermann: 17 total tackles, 12 solo, 5 assisted

Jay Jones: 11 total tackles, 5 solo, 6 assisted

Trevon Hawkins: 10 total tackles, 7 solo, 3 assisted

Dallas McHale: 9 total tackles, 4 solo, 5 assisted, 2 TFL

Colby McDowell: 8 total tackles, 4 solo, 4 assisted, 2 TFL

Special Teams

Michael Burrell: 1 punt for 27 yards, & 6/6 on PAT

Robert Davis: 2 returns for 40 yards

Trevon Hawkins: 1 return for 24 yards

 

Pickens will continue their stretch of home games next week as the North Forsyth Raiders of the 7-A classification comes to town. This will be the final non-region game before region play begins for the Dragons on the 29th.