NO. 9 PULASKI ACADEMY 54, NORTH PULASKI 7
Football teams have typically had a good night when their biggest disappointment comes from a failed double-reverse pass.
That was the Pulaski Academy Bruins' first play. From that point forward, success reigned for the Bruins. They scored touchdowns on their first five possessions en route to a 54-7 mercy-rule victory over the North Pulaski Falcons at Falcon Stadium in Jacksonville.
Sophomore running back Jaren Watkins' deep heave from the end of the final reverse met unexpected coverage from the North Pulaski's defensive backfield and fell incomplete. Nevertheless, Pulaski Academy's opening drive was completed by Watkins' seven-yard touchdown run.
"We had planned that double-reverse pass since Monday," Pulaski Academy senior quarterback Will Hefley said. "We worked on that a little bit. We figured that was going to be wide open."
Hefley, who left the game midway through the second quarter, completed 8 of 12 passes for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 26-yard pass to senior receiver Grant Pickle that gave the Bruins (3-1, 1-0 5A Central) a 21-0 lead with 4:43 left in the first.
"We scored every time we had the ball with that first group out there, and that's what we talked about was making every possession a touchdown," Pulaski Academy Coach Kevin Kelley said. "At the end of the day, you want to do everything right, but scoring a hundred percent of the time is about all you ask for."
Pulaski Academy sophomore running back Myles Fells led all rushers with 120 yards on eight carries. Watkins rushed four times for 58 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown run that gave the Bruins a 40-0 lead with 2:37 left before halftime.
North Pulaski (0-3-1, 0-1) responded to Watkins' second score with its only touchdown when senior quarterback Michael Barnes pitched a lateral to senior running back Jesse Baltimore for a 44-yard score that cut Pulaski Academy's lead to 40-7.
"We played hard," Teodis Ingram said. "I thought we played with the best effort we've played with all year."
Barnes completed 7 of 13 passes for 81 yards, and Baltimore rushed 7 times for 59.
"They get their kids to compete," Kelley said. "Sometimes that's tough to do, especially when you're playing a program that right now is in a good situation like ours, but their kids lined up and played good, hard football."
Pulaski Academt took a 40-point lead in the third quarter when junior receiver Cannon Smith's five-yard catch put the Bruins ahead 47-7.
The final points came on freshman quarterback Layne Hatcher's 10-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown pass to sophomore Ray Jackson.
Kelley apologized to Ingram after the game for the late score.
"I told him, 'Coach, it's not your job to hold the score down. That's my job,' " Ingram said. "I mean, he's got to let those kids play, because somewhere down the line he might need them to win a ballgame. Coach Kelley is a class act."
Sports on 09/27/2014