Purple Hurricanes Rain On Pickens’ Parade: Cartersville Shuts Out Dragons 30-0
Featured Stories, Team FYN Sports October 31, 2011
The Pickens High School Dragons traveled to Cartersville to take on the Purple Hurricanes. Just as the weather was unpleasant, so was the Dragons’ offense. The team failed to ever get comfortable on offense, leading to a 0-30 loss, their fifth loss by fifteen points or more this season. The Dragons opened the game with the ball, starting on the twenty yard line thanks to a booming kickoff that went out of the back of the end zone for a touchback by Cartersville punter, and future Georgia Bulldog, Collin Barber. The Dragons offense, led by sophomore quarterback Tanner Brumby, just couldn’t get anything going on their first possession, gaining only a single yard before having to punt the ball away after a dreaded three-and-out.
(Photo by Jordan Hill)
A long field goal for the Purple Hurricanes, on their first drive gave them an early 3-0 lead, leaving Pickens in a situation in which it could take an early lead if the Dragons could sustain any signs of life. However, it was much of the same for the Dragons on the next drive, as the Dragons managed to double its yardage from the first drive (2) before having to punt again after running just three plays.
Things turned from bad to worse for Pickens on the punt, as the Purple Hurricanes reached Brumby, who also punts for Pickens, and blocked his punt. Cartersville then picked the ball up and scrambled to the end zone for a touchdown, giving them a 10-0 lead with 6:16 left in the first quarter.
Desperate to get in a rhythm offensively, the Dragons came out on their third drive of the game looking for a catalyst in order to get back into the game. Starting from the 20 for the third consecutive drive, the Dragons offense moved the ball a little more consistently than in the previous two drives, managing nine yards before the dreaded number four came up on the sideline marker.
Dragons’ head coach Steve Sewell, obviously seeing the fact that the offense had struggled to even get this close to a first down, opted to try and convert on fourth down on their own 29, but this attempt failed, leaving Cartersville with prime field position.
Following another impressive field goal for the Purple Hurricanes, Pickens got the ball back once again on the 20, this time with 3:07 left in the first quarter. This drive turned out to be the best the Dragons had to offer in the first half of play, as Pickens managed two first downs and gained 30 yards before having to punt when weaknesses in the passing game became problematic once again.
The Dragons’ defense stood tall against the dangerous Purple Hurricane offense on Cartersville’s next drive, forcing an appearance by Collin Barber a little earlier than the Hurricane faithful were hoping.
The Cartersville punt gave Pickens the ball on its own 39 yard line, leaving the Dragon offense with 10:20 to work with in the second quarter. Issues on the offense became too much to overcome on this drive, as a sack on second down followed by an incomplete pass on third led to the Dragons its third three-and-out of the ballgame.
After a decent defensive stance, another punt by Cartersville gave the Dragons the ball and an ample amount of time in order to put some points up on the board, but a twelve yard gain on second down was the highlight of this series, as Pickens was forced to punt after just 5 plays of offense. Cartersville focused on just running out the clock on their next possession, leading to a halftime in which the home team Hurricanes held a commanding 16-0 lead over the dazed Dragons.
It didn’t get any better in the second half for the Dragons, as the Hurricanes stretched their lead to 23-0 thanks to a long touchdown run by, running back, Kalin Heath.
(Photo by Jordan Hill)
The Pickens offense appeared fired up and ready to go on their first drive of the third quarter, gaining twenty yards on the first play of the half. However, this drive was just another in a long, frustrating night for the offense, as the next three plays saw a total of 0 yards and yet another punt.
While Cartersville played the entire second half like a scrimmage, shifting through the depth chart to avoid injuries to key players, Pickens kept trying to make plays, mostly to no avail. The biggest play of the entire night for the Dragons came on their first drive of the fourth quarter, as Tate Rizoti took a handoff on fourth down and turned it into a huge play, gaining 49 yards and giving the Dragons its first real chance at scoring.
Down on the ten yard line, midway through the last quarter of play, the offense needed points in the worst way, but three straight incompletions, including one on fourth down-led to the Dragons offense leaving the field once again without any points.
Cartersville added another meaningless touchdown late, and the game was over with the Pickens Dragons falling to the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes by a score of 30-0, pushing the Dragons 2011 record to 1-8 and their overall record against the ‘Canes to a dreadful 0-18.
Pickens plays its final game of the season on Friday night at Dragon Stadium with the opponent still to be determined. With Senior Night excitement and a faithful fan base behind it, it seems imperative that these Dragons, especially those who will be on the field for the last time, make a statement in the season finale.
