Warriors begin district play with win
Staff writer
Peabody-Burns High School football began district play Friday night with a 41-7 win over the Chase County Bulldogs in front of a home crowd.
Warrior defense dominated the contest, starting with the first series of the game. Brandon Crabtree, Jonathan Foth, Mario Nava, Ryan Gaines, and James Morris combined to force a Bulldog punt on three-and-out.
The PBHS offense went to work at their 21-yard line. Kurt Phillips earned a new set of downs on his first carry. Todd Woodruff and Nava each carried the ball in the series, but the Warriors were stopped on a fourth-and-six at the 40. Brian Baker punted the ball and Michah Hilliard of the Warrior special teams unit came up big with a recovery of the ball on a Bulldog miscue.
On the next play, Nava took the ball at the Bulldog 29 and charged for the end zone for the score. Baker added the extra point and the Warriors were up 7-0 with 7:49 left in the first quarter.
One series later, after a tough defensive stand, the Warriors took up offense on their own 19. Phillips earned a new set of downs and moved the sticks to the Warrior 44. He finished the job on second-and-12 with a 59-yard carry for the touchdown. The PAT by Baker was no good and the Warriors took a 13-0 lead with 5:05 in the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, the Bulldogs put up their first and only points in the contest, scoring from the five-yard line. The extra point was successful and the margin was cut to 13-7.
The next series for the Warriors produced yardage with Nava and
Woodruff combining for ground gain. A penalty pushed the PBHS squad back. Nathan Bishop caught a pass on third-and-24 to bring up fourth-and-five at the Bulldog 35. The Warriors turned the ball over on downs.
Warrior defense held the next Bulldog series and the PBHS squad took over on offense at the Warrior 19 after a failed Bulldog field goal attempt. Phillips ran on first down. Foth caught a pass on second down to move the yard marker to the Warrior 30. The drive was halted by penalty yardage, forcing the Warriors to put on a fourth-and-20. Warrior special teams quickly put the offense back on the field when Foth came up with the ball on a Bulldog mistake on the punt reception.
On the next play, Nava put up the next Warrior score with a 37-yard run for the touchdown. Phillips ran the two-point conversion and with 3:57 left in the half, the Warriors went up 21-7.
PBHS defense held the Chase County squad throughout the remainder of the half. Bishop, Nava, Morris, Crabtree, Gaines, Foth, Isaiah Eldridge, Woodruff, Phillips, and Hilliard all were credited with stops. The halftime score remained 21-7.
The first Warrior score in the second half was set up by Nava catching a punt at the Warrior 20-yard line. Nava used the blocking of special teams to cover 80 yards on the return and put the Warriors up 27-7. Baker added one to give the Warriors a 28-7 lead with 2:02 left in the third quarter.
The Warriors' next score was set up by a second-and-eight pass completion from Woodruff to Bishop to put the Warriors at first-and-goal at the nine-yard line. Foth caught a Woodruff pass in the end zone to give the Warriors a big lead, 34-7.
The final PBHS score came on the next series, set up by Trevor Hamm recovering a shot on-sides Baker kick-off. Starting at the Bulldog 36, the Warriors overcame several penalties to move the ball downfield. Hilliard had a key reception to keep the drive alive. Nava, Woodruff, and Phillips also ran on the series. Woodruff took the ball in on a quarterback keeper on first-and-goal at the Bulldog one. Baker added the point after and the Warriors took a commanding lead and the victory, 41-7.
Defense held in the second with tackles recorded by Woodruff, Bishop, Foth, Gaines, Phillips, Crabtree, Nava, Baker, and Hilliard. Sacks were recorded by Eldridge and Morris.
Woodruff was 8 of 17 for 96 yards and a passing touchdown. He also rushed 11 times for 36 yards and a touchdown. Nava had 17 carries for 141 yards, a punt return for 80 yards and three touchdowns. Phillips rushed 19 times for 158 yards and one touchdown. Hilliard had one carry for 31 yards and two catches for 31 yards. Foth had three catches for 34 yards and one touchdown. Bishop had two catches for 37 yards. Baker punted three times for 112 yards.
Crabtree led the team in tackles with 12. Hilliard and Nava followed with nine each. Other tackle totals include Gaines, Bishop, and Foth with seven each. Phillips, Baker, Eldrige, Morris, and Woodruff all recovered five each.
The Warriors are now 5-2 as they travel to Remington Friday for the second round of district competition.
