Staff writer
Peabody-Burns High School Warriors enjoyed a big win at home Friday with a victory over Solomon, 56-20. The team will next play Friday at Little River.
PBHS offense began the game at their own 27-yard line when Hunter Pickens fielded the opening Gorilla kickoff. A first-down run by Storm Pickens lost two yards, but a Hunter Pickens to Storm Pickens pass netted a 51-yard gain to set up first-and-goal at the 4. Storm Pickens carried the ball to the 1-yard line on first down, and Hunter Pickens took the ball through the middle for the score. Solomon defense stopped the PBHS conversion, but the Warriors led, 6-0, with 10 minutes, 27 seconds on the clock in the first quarter.
Trevor Foth and Spencer Moffett halted the Solomon kick return at the Solomon 14-yard line. Defensive stops by Storm Pickens, Derek Price, Foth, and Moffett then allowed one yard on three downs. The Gorillas punted the ball back to the PBHS offense.
The next drive for the Warriors looked promising with PBHS offense deep in the opponent’s territory, but the series came to an abrupt halt when Solomon intercepted a Warrior pass in the end zone.
The Gorillas started their first scoring drive of the contest at their own 15. Despite defensive plays by Brody Kyle, Storm Pickens, Price, Moffett, and Hunter Pickens, the Solomon crew scored on fourth-and-goal at the Warrior 7. The conversion run was successful, and PBHS trailed the Gorillas, 8-6, with 3:33 left in the first quarter.
The next drive for the Warriors went in reverse and ended with a Price punt. Austin Savage stopped the Gorilla return man at the Warrior 29-yard line.
PBHS defense held the Gorillas. A sack by Moffett on second down put the Solomon squad at third-and-16 on the Warrior 35. Hunter Pickens came up with the ball on the next play with an interception of a Solomon pass.
The drive started at the Warrior 18 late in the first period and ended in the end zone early in the second.
Hunter Pickens found Kyle with a pass for a touchdown on third-and-7 at the Gorilla 8. The conversion pass to Storm Pickens was good and PBHS took the lead, 14-8, with 9:46 left in the first half.
On the PBHS kickoff, Jacob Gillet stopped the Solomon return man at the Gorilla 14-yard line. Despite defensive plays by Clint Jones, Kyle, Joseph Lopez, Moffett, and Savage, Solomon earned two new sets of downs, one on a fourth-and-2 fake punt. The drive came to end at midfield though when Moffett tackled the runner and knocked the ball to the field. Kyle recovered the fumble and PBHS offense again had the football.
The next offensive drive went nowhere. Price dropped back for the fourth-and-11 punt, but a high snap forced him to run with the ball. He took off down the left sideline and scored with 6:33 left in the second quarter. Hunter Pickens ran the conversion in for the score and the Warriors were up, 22-8.
Foth and Lopez teamed up for the tackle of the Gorilla return man on the kickoff. Solomon put together a 46-yard drive that ended with a fourth-and-goal score from the 1-yard line. Warrior defense stopped the conversion, but the gap was 22-14 with four minutes left in the half.
Price fielded the Gorilla kick-off. On first-and-10 at the Warrior 21, Storm Pickens ran a right-to-left route that covered 59 yards and ended with a PBHS score. A conversion pass from Hunter Pickens to Savage added two and the Warriors were up, 30-14, with 3:34 left in the second. Defense by Kyle, Moffett, Gillet, Storm Pickens, and Price held the next drive of the Gorillas. Foth came up with a fumble on first-and-10 at the Warrior 22 and with less than two minutes left in the half PBHS offense had another scoring opportunity.
Price opened the drive with a run for three. Hunter Pickens connected with Storm Pickens on a 45-yard pass completion and PBHS had a first and goal at the Gorilla 8. The next play, a Hunter Pickens to Kyle pass to the left side of the end zone gave the PBHS squad six more points. The conversion was stopped but The Warriors were ahead, 36-14, with 46 seconds left in the half.
A Price interception at the Solomon 24-yard line set up another Warrior score with just seconds on the clock. Hunter Pickens found Storm Pickens in the end zone for the touchdown. The conversion pass fell short but PBHS led, 42-14, with 29 seconds left in the half.
Early second-half action included a long deliberate seven-minute drive by Solomon. The Gorillas added six points on third-and-goal at the Warrior 4. Warrior defense stopped the conversion attempt. PBHS was up, 42-20, with less than two minutes left in the third.
The Warriors offense responded with a late third-quarter score. Price ran on first and second downs. Hunter Pickens found Savage for a big completion on third-and-6 at the Warrior 38. A Gorilla roughing the passer penalty added more yards and the Warriors had first-and-10 at the Solomon 12. Storm Pickens scored on the next play but a hold negated the play. Another PBHS penalty set up first-and-23 at the Gorilla 26. Price caught a Hunter Pickens pass with no time left in the third to give PBHS the 48-20 edge. The two-point conversion pass to Kyle was successful and the Warriors led, 50-20, at the end of the third period.
PBHS offense scored once more in the contest with less than six minutes on the clock. A drive that started at the Warrior 13 included runs by Price and Hunter Pickens and also a completed pass from Hunter Pickens to Kyle. The series ended with a score on a 45-yard run down the left sideline by Storm Pickens. The conversion failed, but PBHS had a big advantage, 56-20.
Warrior defensive plays by Gillet, Lucas Larsen, Kyle, Moffett, Foth, Hunter Pickens, Brent Jones, Xavier Jabary, Jayden Miller, and Lopez held the Gorillas scoreless in the fourth. The Warriors earned the victory, 56-20.
Storm Pickens rushed 10 times for a total of 102 yards and two touchdowns. Price ran nine times for 68 yards and a touchdown. Lopez had one carry for a yard. Hunter Pickens passed 10 times for 233 yards and four passing touchdowns.
Kyle caught four passes for 31 yards and two touchdowns. Storm Pickens caught three passes and had one receiving touchdown. Price caught two balls for 70 yards and a touchdown. Savage caught one pass for 12 yards.
Price and Kyle led the defense with 11 tackles each. Moffett had 10 tackles, and Storm Pickens and Foth had nine each.
Gillet and Lopez each had four and Brent Jones recorded three. Clint Jones had 2.5 and Larsen and Hunter Pickens each had two. Savage and Jabary each had 1.5 tackles and Daniel Martinez had one. Miller and Garrett Schroeder each had .5 tackles.