Warriors advance to regional
PBHS squad defeats Canton-Galva Eagles, 41-14
Staff writer
The Peabody-Burns High School Warriors advanced to regional play after defeating the Canton-Galva Eagles, 41-14, Nov. 2 in bi-district play.
Warrior offense wasted no time putting up the first score of the contest. The Eagle kickoff went out-of-bounds and the drive began at the Warrior 35. Mario Nava earned the first set of downs for the Warriors. Kurt Phillips kept the drive alive on a fourth-and-two run from the Eagle 38 to the Eagle 22.
On first down, Nava went left 21 yards to the Eagle one-yard line. A false start put the ball at first-and-goal at the six. Phillips ran right for the touchdown. Trevor Hamm kicked the extra point and the Warriors went up 7-0 with 9:01 left in the first period.
Warrior defense went to work on the Eagles at the Eagle 32. Ryan Gaines, Todd Woodruff, Hamm, Nava, Brandon Crabtree, and James Morris recorded tackles on the series. Warrior offense came back onto the field when Crabtree came up with a fumble recovery at the Warrior 35. The Eagles took the ball back with a fumble recovery of their own.
Warrior defense held the Eagles to only one set of downs and the Eagles punted to set up Warrior offense at the Warrior 44.
Phillips gained seven on first down. Nava moved the sticks with a four-yard run to set up first-and-10 at the Eagle 34. Nava earned another set of downs with an 18-yard carry to the 16-yard line. A pitch to the left from Woodruff to Nava finished the drive. The PAT by Hamm was good and the Warriors went up 14-0 with 1:28 left in the first quarter.
The first Eagle score of the game came on the next series early in the second quarter. The Eagles moved the ball with success through the air to score on a pass at second-and-goal from the nine-yard line. The extra point was no good and the gap narrowed 14-6 with 10:27 in the second.
The next series started at the Warrior 26. Nava ran for 12 on first down. Phillips earned the next set of downs with a 12-yard run on a third-and-six from the Warrior 42. A Warrior penalty set up second-and-14 at the Warrior 49.
With good blocking, Nava rushed 31-yards to the Eagle 20. An Eagle penalty put the Warriors at the four-yard line. On second-and-goal from the two, Woodruff pushed to the end zone for the score. A bad snap on the extra point kick was picked up by the holder Derrick Simmonds and passed to the end zone. Eagle interference was called and the second attempt was a successful two-point run by Woodruff. The Warriors were up 22-6 with 5:58 in the second period.
Warrior defense again held the Eagles with tackles by Mike Gfeller, Isaiah Eldridge, Gaines, Woodruff, Crabtree, Nava, and Morris. A key tackle to Phillips stopped the drive on fourth-and-two and the Eagles turned the ball over on downs.
The next scoring drive started at the Warrior 43. Phillips and Nava both rushed for yardage. A second-and-nine Woodruff pass to Hilliard for 39 yards moved the ball to the Eagle six. A second effort, second down, three-yard carry for Woodruff put the Warriors on the board again with 45 seconds on the clock. The PAT was no good and the Warriors were up, 28-6.
Brian Baker put up a short kick which was snagged by Hamm to put the offense right back on the field. The Eagles took the ball back on an interception with 30 seconds left in the half. The ball came back to the Warriors with 25 seconds on the clock with a Hilliard interception. With two seconds on the clock, Phillips took the ball 30 yards for the touchdown. The two-point conversion failed and the Warriors took a big half-time lead, 34-6.
After half-time, the fired-up Warrior defense unleased a big attack on the Eagle offense. Nathan Bishop, Nava, Phillips, Gaines, Crabtree, Woodruff, Hamm, Hilliard, Morris, Eldridge, and Baker made tackles to force the Eagles to turn over the ball on downs. Simmonds took over as quarterback for the remainder of the contest and the reserves played throughout the half.
Baker set up the final Warrior score with a big punt deep in Eagle territory. Hilliard intercepted an Eagle pass and returned it 13 yards for the touchdown. Hamm kicked the extra point and the Warriors took a commanding lead, 41-6, with 3:01 left in the third quarter.
Hamm, Ben Eldridge, Gfeller, and Simmonds made plays for the Warrior offense in the second half.
The Eagles put up a late score in the contest on a 21-yard run to put the final score at 41-14.
Nava carried 16 times for 136 yards and one touchdown. Phillips carried 13 times for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Woodruff carried 13 times for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Woodruff carried three for 11 and two touchdowns. Simmonds had seven carries for 36 yards.
Woodruff passed two for five for 51 yards. Hilliard caught two for 51 yards.
Nava led the Warrior defense with 10 tackles. Morris had eight with Crabtree, Gaines, and I. Eldridge at seven each. Hilliard had six tackles and two interceptions. Woodruff had six and Hamm had four. Bishop had three with Simmonds, Phillips, and Baker at two each. Gfeller had one.
