PBHS season off to good start with win
Staff writer
The Peabody-Burns High School 2007 football season began Friday night at Inman with a win over the Teutons, 21-12. With the one win, the Warriors will take on Bennington Friday at home.
Kicker Will Pratt opened the Inman/Peabody clash with a big kick into the end-zone for a touchback. PBHS defense held the Teutons to a two-yard gain and forced a punt. Stops were made by Pratt, Sean Corona, and Adam Benson.
The Warriors started their first possession at their own forty-five yard line. Trevor Hamm, Elliott Spechtenhauser, and Ben Eldridge combined for rushing to earn a first and 10 at the Inman forty-five. Quarterback Nathan Bishop called a keeper and moved the sticks for another first at the Inman thirty-one. Spechtenhauser took off on the next play to put the Warriors at first and goal at the five. With 5:53 left in the first, Spechtenhauser scored the first touchdown of the contest and put the Warriors up 6-0. Pratt tacked on one with a kick and the Warriors took the lead in the first, 7-0.
Spechtenhauser, Andrew Loucks, Tyler Slater, and Bishop all made PBHS defensive stops on the next Inman offensive series. The Teutons were forced to punt.
The next score in the contest went to the Inman squad. With 7:47 on the clock, the Teutons moved the ball from their own thirty-eight to first and goal at the Warrior three. With four minutes on the clock, Inman pulled to within one of the Warriors, 7-6.
PBHS offense responded with a quick score. From the Inman forty-five, Spechtenhauser exploited a hole in the right side of the Teuton defense and scampered to the end-zone for the score. Pratt kicked the PAT and the Warrior lead increased, 14-6.
Warrior defense held Inman on the next drive with stops by Benson, Spechtenhauser, Eldridge, Brandon Pickens, Anthony Jones, Loucks, and Bishop. Warrior offense took over with less than a minute to play in the half. PBHS moved the ball to the Inman twenty-three but time ran out and the half ended with the Warriors leading Inman, 14-6.
PBHS opened the second half with the offense at their own thirty-six. Hamm earned a first down with a run up the middle to the Inman forty-five. Spechtenhauser exploded on the next play to put the Warriors at first and goal at the Teuton eight. Hamm ran all three downs and on third and goal, punched the ball into the end-zone from the seven yard line for the score. Pratt added one more and the Warriors were up 21-6 with 9:34 on the clock in the third quarter.
Both teams traded several series until early in the fourth quarter when Inman offense put up a score. The Teutons closed the gap to 21-12 with 11 minutes to play in the contest.
Both offenses went to the air in the second half. With three minutes left in the game, the Teuton passing game was effective enough to get them to first and goal at the Warrior five. The drive was halted when the Warrior defense swarmed the Inman QB, and Bishop intercepted an errant Teuton pass.
PBHS was able to run out the clock and the Warriors won their first game of the season, 21-12.
Total offense for the Warriors was 438 yards, 334 rushing yard, 44 yards passing, and 60 yards special team offense. Bishop threw three for 10 for 44 yards. Pickens caught two balls for 26 yards and Simmonds caught one for 18 yards. Spechtenhauser led the rushing game with 157 yards and two touchdowns. Hamm had 155 yards and one touchdown. Eldridge was four for 16 and Bishop carried eight times for six yards.
Pickens, Hamm, and Benson broke up several Inman passes in the second half. Bishop led the team with nine tackles. Abramowich, Pickens, and Eldridge had seven each. Other tackles were recorded as Pratt, six; Spechtenhauser, five; Hamm, Corona, Benson, four each; Loucks, Slater, three each; Jones, two; and Foth and Simmonds, one each.
