Staff writer
Peabody-Burns High School football 2011 ended the season with a victory Thursday at Goessel. The squad defeated the Bluebirds, 52-0, in one half of competition. The team ends the season at 4-5.
Xavier Jabary fielded the opening onside Bluebird kick off at the Warrior 33-yard line. The Warriors earned two first downs on their opening drive, including a fourth-and-3 conversion run by Hunter Pickens.
Austin Savage earned PBHS’s first score on third-and-1 from the 2 with a run up the middle. The conversion was unsuccessful, but PBHS led, 6-0, with 8 minutes, 45 seconds on the clock in the first quarter.
The Pickens kick off went out-of bounds and the Bluebird offense started at its own 25. Goessel earned a first down and on a pass. The Warriors’ defense then took over. Brody Kyle recorded a sack for a loss of four yards and Goessel was forced to punt on fourth-and-12 at the Bluebird 35.
Pickens had a big run for the second Warrior score of the contest. Matt Hiebert threw a pass to Savage for the conversion. PBHS led, 14-0, with 6:59 on the clock.
Warrior defensive plays by Braxton Kyle and Wes Shaw put the Bluebirds in reverse and forced a punt on fourth-and-14 at the Goessel 5.
Shaw returned the punt for the next Warrior score. The P.A.T. was no good. The score was 20-0 with 6:13 on the clock in the first quarter.
The Goessel offense had five plays on the next series that included three pass plays. The Bluebirds punted on fourth-and-5 at the Goessel 29.
Hiebert completed a first down pass to Pickens for a gain of 26 from the Warrior 28. Hiebert ran for 11 to earn the next first down. An incomplete pass on first down was followed by a connection between Hiebert to Pickens for a score in the left corner of the end zone. The conversion pass failed, but with 4:46 left in the first PBHS was up, 26-0.
Defensive plays by Jayton Miller, Shaw, Jones, and Savage kept the Bluebirds on their end of the field and forced a punt on their next series. The punt went out of bounds at the Warrior 24.
Pickens and Hiebert each took snaps on the next drive. Pickens finished the drive with a run from the snap down the right side of the field for a 36-yard score. The conversion attempt was no good. The Warriors led, 32-0, with 2:42 left in the first period.
Stops by Jones, Shaw, and Brody Kyle held the Bluebirds to no gain on their next drive. On fourth-and-10 at the Bluebird 19, the Goessel punt was returned by Savage to the end zone. Braxton Kyle took a pitch to the left side for the conversion score. PBHS had the lead, 40-0, with one minute left in the quarter.
On the first play of the next drive, an interception by Savage was returned to the Goessel 6-yard line. With just seconds left in the first quarter, Savage added one more score with a 4-yard run up the middle. The conversion failed, but PBHS was up, 46-0, with 16 seconds left in the period.
The Warrior defense held the Bluebirds scoreless in the second with stops by Savage, Gard, Shaw, Brody Kyle, Jones, Martin Reich, Devon McGonigal, Jabary, Miller, Austin Berry, Garret Schroeder, Braxton Kyle, and Kevin Baatrup.
The final scoring drive for PBHS started at the Goessel 39. It included a 5-yard Savage run and a 21-yard completed pass from Hiebert to Brody Kyle. Hiebert added 6 points with a second-and-10 quarterback keeper led by blocking from Savage. The pass conversion attempt failed. The score was 52-0 with 5:14 left in the first half.
Goessel had four downs and time ran out. PBHS earned the 52-0 victory over the Bluebirds in the final contest of the season.
Pickens led the Warriors in rushing with seven carries for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Savage had five carries for 30 yards and two scores. Hiebert was three-for-five in the passing game for one touchdown.
Savage and Pickens each had a punt return for a score.
Shaw led the defense with 5 tackles.