Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Lions Devoured, Gentry Next For Wolves

"We'll beat 'em if they keep trying to run the ball," coach Eddie Jackson encouraged his players the first half. He was right.

The Prescott Curley Wolves scored 5 touchdowns and kicked one field goal to eliminate the Hamburg Lions from the state playoffs, 37-13, Friday night in the PHS stadium.

Jackson's encouragement was to his players when the Lions were ahead 7-6 and trying to drive again. The Prescott defense held them and Prescott scored again to lead 12-7 the first half.

Quarterback Barrett Yates passed for three touchdowns the second half and kicked a field goal to add to that score. He also passed for a two-point conversion in the third period.

Courtney Bryant scored first for Prescott in the second quarter on a 13-yard run. Sam Marlow intercepted a pass and had a 34-yard return for the second TD.

Hamburg's first TD came in the first period when Yates had a punt that was blocked. It was finally handled by Marcus Bornslater, who out- distanced the Prescott players to the goal line.

Their second TD came in the fourth period from one yard out when Tamichael Scott went in for the score.

The Lions' first score could very well have dampened the spirits of Wolves, but it didn't. Although they did seem tense the first period and a little nervous, the blocked punt seemed to calm them down.

Beginning at that point they concentrated on the game as they should, and when they came out at halftime they were ready to play their game. A good solid game it was, too.

Bryant rushed 17 times for 110 yards. He has now rushed 1341 yards this season in 12 games. Friday the rush was harder for him as Hamburg had prepared well for the Wolves.

And, when Yates punted the first time, the Lions knew there was a good opportunity for them to get a block. It looked like it wold be a long night for the host team.

Hamburg got the ball first. After two first downs they finally punted from their 45.

Prescott made one first down and had to punt from their 49. Yates' punt was blocked, picked up and dropped. Prescott was trying to get it, too, by this time, but Bornslater finally got a handle on it around the 25 and ran for the TD. The point after try by Antonio Fisher was good and Hamburg led 7-0.

And, although the Wolves had to punt on their next possession, they were not intimidated. Hamburg, too, had to punt with Prescott getting the ball at the Hamburg 40, with a TD only 40 yards away.

However, on the handoff Prescott fumbled the ball and Hamburg recovered. Then Charlie Rockett burst through the line and hit quarterback Richard Shelton, knocking the ball loose. C.D. Flemons recovered the fumble for Prescott at the Hamburg 39. The Wolves had gained a yard on the exchange of fumbles.

A holding penalty against Prescott moved the ball back to the 49 and Sam Marlow got 3 yards on the next play as the quarter ended.

The big play came next with Yates completing a pass to Flemons for the first down at the Hamburg 13. Bryant got the ball on a pitchback and went around for the score. The PAT by Yates was no good and Prescott trailed by one point, 7-6, with 11:38 left in the half.

Hamburg came out daring after the kickoff. Bornslater gained 6 on the first play and Shelton got 9 on a draw for the first down.

Scott picked up 2 and Bornslater got three. The ball just wasn't going anywhere on the ground. Then came the pass play. Marlow went for the interception and got it. After the 34-yard run Prescott led 12-0 with 8:46 left in the half. The 2-point conversion was missed.

Shelton attempted only three passes during the game, two were intercepted and the other fell incomplete. He was sacked three times by the Wolfgang defense for losses of 4, 7 and 4 yards. He only netted 3 the entire game.

Hamburg kicked off to Prescott to begin the second half. Carlos VanHook took the kick at the 20 and managed a return of 8 yards before he was nailed by the Hamburg defense. But a score was forthcoming.

Bryant took the first call and got 6 yards. Marlow got 3 more, then Bryant got the three for the first down at the 40.

Marlow again got the call and gained 3 more setting up the TD at the 43.

The bomb went to Rashad Johnson, who was just ahead of his defender. Yates led him just right and Johnson knew what to do with it. After the 2-pt Yates-to-Cornelius-pass Prescott led 20-7.

The next score was just minutes away.

Prescott's defense held Hamburg and the Lions punted to Johnson, who took the ball at the 25 and almost broke away for another TD, but a clipping penalty moved the ball back to the Prescott 21 after Johnson had run 60 yards.

Bryant was stopped for no gain on the first play. A pass to Johnson was good for 33 yards and a first down at the Hamburg 38.

Bryant gained a little on a draw play, but a personal foul against Hamburg gave the Wolves another first down.

Marlow got 5 yards, then an offsides penalty against Prescott moved the ball back to the 19, the original line of scrimmage. Yates' pass to Johnson nearly had a first down, but a measurement showed the ball was just shy by inches. Bryant went up the middle for one yard and the first down at the 8.

Yates then hit C.D. Flemons with a TD pass. The PAT by Yates was good and Prescott led 27-7 with more to come.

Early in the fourth period Prescott had Hamburg with their back against the wall. The Lions had begun at the 9, gone as far as the 13, but were now facing a fourth and 14 from the 5. Shannon McKelvey managed to get the punt away, but only to the 28, where it was blown dead.

Bryant quickly got the Wolves within striking distance with an 18- yard gainer.

He then gained 2 more yards, then one. But the Hamburg defense finally got through the Prescott line and sacked Yates at the 13, bringing in the field goal team.

And who should get the opportunity, but Yates himself. The kick wasn't fancy. It was nearly a line drive, but it went through the uprights, which made it a field goal and Prescott led 30-7.

With Tamichael Scott leading the ground attack the Lions moved to score in just four offensive plays. The 2-point conversion attempt was no good and Prescott led 30-13.

Trying an onsides kick to get the ball back (which a Prescott player captured anyway) a Hamburg player had touched the ball at the Hamburg 45, where Prescott took over for its next TD drive.

Bryant gained 15 yards on the first play, then lost 4 on the next when he was caught in the backfield. Bryant then gained 10, coming up 4 yards short of a first down. Yates just took his time on the count and Hamburg jumped offsides, giving the Wolves the first down.

Montra Montgomery gained 4 on the next play, then got 10 more on the next play, but a penalty moved the ball back to the 3