Warriors come back grounds Cardinals
Staff writer
After a first half with mistakes and penalties, the Peabody-Burns High School Warriors rallied in the second to defeat Sedgwick on the road Friday, 41-13. They are now 4-0 for the season. Up next is a crucial league match-up at home against Remington.
The Warriors opened the game on offense with a return of the kick-off by Ben Eldridge. PBHS offense started at their own 37. A Derrick Simmonds pass to Todd Woodruff moved the sticks for a new first down at the Cardinal 40. Trevor Hamm and Woodruff ran for another first down. Bishop ran for eight on the next play but the drive ended when on second and two, the ball was knocked out of Simmonds' hand and Sedgwick recovered the fumble at the Cardinal 48.
Warrior defensive stops by Eldridge, Cole Welsh, Woodruff, Bishop, and Simmonds forced a Cardinal punt. A bad snap by the Sedgwick center sailed over the head of the punter. Warrior special teams smothered the ball and the Warrior offense had a short field at the Cardinal 26.
Hamm took the ball on first down and ran through the middle of the Cardinal line to the end zone to give the Warriors the first score of the contest. Will Pratt added the extra point and the Warriors led 7-0 with 8:07 on the clock in the first period.
Two series later, the Cardinals tied the score with a 40-yard touchdown run. They added a point after and the game was even at 7-7 with 3:20 on the clock in the first quarter.
Throughout the half, the Warriors were plagued with penalties and many positive plays were negated by flags.
The Cardinals mounted another scoring drive late in the second quarter. Set up by an interception of a Warrior pass, Sedgwick drove 55 yards for the score. The kick was unsuccessful and the Cardinals took a 13-7 lead and kept the lead at halftime.
Warrior defensive stops by Woodruff, Pratt, Nick Abramowich, and Adam Benson forced a Cardinal punt on the first series of the second half. Woodruff watched the rolling punt, then picked up the ball. A couple of key blocks aided the 65-yard return to the end zone. Pratt added one and the Warriors reclaimed the lead 14-13 with 10:07 on the clock in the third.
Warrior defense stopped the Cardinals on the next drive and again forced a punt. Stops by Bishop, Eric Dutton, and Abramowich set up a fourth and twelve at the Cardinal nine. Warrior special teams blocked the punt and the loose ball was caught by Eldridge in the end zone. The PAT by Pratt was good and the Warriors opened up a 21-13 lead with 7:55 left in the third.
Warrior defense took over on the next series with Elliot Spechtenhauser, Welsh, Bishop, Eldridge, Abramowich, and Woodruff getting in on the action. The Cardinals punted on fourth and 11 from their own 27.
Warrior offense stalled at mid-field on the next drive and they had to punt on fourth and two at the Cardinal 47. The call from the Warrior sideline was a fake punt. Pratt took the ball and ran all the way to the end zone for the score. The PAT was blocked but the PBHS lead was 27-13 with 3:26 left in the third.
Warrior defense stopped the Cardinals on the next series at the Warrior thirty. Sedgwick offense tried a long pass on fourth and 16, and turned over the ball on downs.
Warrior offense covered the field with runs by Hamm, Woodruff, and Bishop. A Sedgwick face-mask penalty put the Warriors at first and goal at the Cardinal two-yard line. Bishop burst through the middle for the score. The extra point was blocked but the Warriors increased the lead 33-13 with nine minutes left to play.
Warrior defense held the Cardinals for the remainder of the contest. Anthony Jones came up with a big fumble recovery in the half. Jason Unruh, Andrew Loucks, Bishop, Welsh, Woodruff, Simmonds, and Abramowich recorded defensive stops.
The last Warrior score was earned on a drive that started at mid-field with a minute and one-half left in the game. Hamm and Woodruff both ran the ball. On second and two at the Cardinal 25, Woodruff bounced through several tackles to the end zone for the score. With 3.5 seconds on the clock, Pratt ran the two-point conversion and the Warriors took the win 41-13.
Simmonds was three for 10 for 42 yards in the Warrior passing attack. Woodruff caught one pass for 23 yards. Welsh had one catch for 16 yards and Hamm caught one for three yards.
Woodruff rushed 14 times for 136 yards and a touchdown. He also returned a punt for a touchdown. Hamm had 10 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown. Pratt had one carry for 48 yards and a touchdown. Bishop had six carries for 19 yards and a touchdown.
Bishop led the defense with 14 tackles. Woodruff had 10. Other tackles recorded were Eldridge, six; Pratt, five; Hamm, four; Abramowich, four; Benson, four; Welsh, three; Loucks, three; Simmonds, three; Jones, one, Spechtenhauser, one; and Dutton, one.
