Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Yates Throws 2 Touchdowns Passes To Lead Curley Wolves

Two touchdown passes combined with a 31-yard field goal gave the Prescott Curley Wolves a 15-0 win Friday night over the Harmony Grove Hornets.

The first TD pass came with 1:17 left in the first period when quarterback Barrett Yates connected with Rashad Johnson from eight yards out. The PAT failed.

The second TD pass came 40 seconds into the second period when Yates hit John Cornelius in the end zone. A two-point conversion attempt failed as Yates was caught going around.

C.D. Flemons contribued the other three points for the Wolves with 14 seconds left in the half. With the ball on the 21-yard line Flemons managed to clear the uprights just enough for the field goal.

Also contributing to the win was Prescott's defense, which was able to repeatedly stop the Hornet offensive drives.

Harmony Grove started off as if they were the powerhouse, when Marcus Hubbard took Flemons' kick on the Hornet 10-yard line and ran it back to the Prescott 45.

Two plays later, behind some good running by Hubbard and Gary Garcia, the Hornets had a first down at the Prescott 18.

However, at this point the Big D of Prescott was able to stop them cold. A 5-yard penalty helped as the Hornets finally turned it over on downs.

The Hornet defense also got tough as the Wolves had to punt on fourth down. Ditto the next series for Harmony Grove.

On Prescott's next series of plays Sam Marlow moved the ball from the Harmony Grove 40 to the 37. Then Flemons was able to break through for a sure touchdown. However, he was stripped of the ball on the two-yard line and the Hornets recovered in the end zone for a touchback.

The Curley Wolves, however, caused the Hornets to fumble on their very first play from the 20 and Flemons fell on it at the 15 for the turnover.

It would take six plays for the Wolves to get the TD.

On the first play Flemons was unable to hold onto the pass from Yates as he was hit hard. Next, Cornelius lost four yards, but on third and 10 Yates hit Flemons with a pass and Flemons was at the three before he was stopped.

Cortney Bryant managed a half yard on the next series, but he was stopped cold on the second play. Prescott was then penalized for lining up offsides. With the ball on the eight-yard line yates had the TD pass for Johnson.

A bad snap the PAT prevented Yates from ever getting the kick off and the score remained 6-0.

After the kick-off Harmony Grove fumbled on its second down with Prescott getting the ball at the Hornet 31. Yates completed a 19-yard pass to Flemons for a first down at the 12 just before the quarter ended.

Montrey Montgomery picked up two yards on the first play of the second quarter, then Yates found Cornelius in the end zone for the second TD of the night. Yates, attempting a two-point conversion, no one open, and the defensive line stopped him. The score remained 12-0.

Prescott's defense continued to work hard and never let the Hornets inside the Curley Wolf 40 during the second period.

Late in the second quarter Prescott began its last scoring drive from the Wolves' 45. On first down Flemons was stopped for no gain, then Traci Stafford picked up three before Tate hit Cornelius for 11 yards and a first down.

Stafford gained two yards on the first play and Flemons picked up the first down at the Harmony Grove 27-yard line.

The next two plays were nullified with penalties, and the ball moving back to the 47-yard line. A pass out from Tate to Al Johnston to Cornelius was incomplete with the ball remaining on the 47, but then Tate hit Flemons for a 27-yard gainer. Carlos VanHook got the call next, but lost a yard. That's when coach Eddie Jackson called for Flemons and his toe for the field goal, making the score 15-0.

The Hornets invaded Prescott territory five times in the last half, but the most successful was in the third quarter when Harmony Grove got as close as the one before getting stopped.

Through a good series of plays the Hornets made it to the seven, then Hubbard picked up five yards before an offsides penalty against the Wolves moved the ball to the one. Garcia moved the ball to within 6 inches of the goal before he was stopped, then a fumble recoved by Harmony Grove had the ball on the one again. On the next play the Prescott line was able to catch Hubbard in the backfield for a loss and a turnover on downs.

Prescott gave them another chance though, with Flemons fumbling to the Hornets at the 14. Once more the defense was able to stop the agressive Hornets. The defense continued to rally in the fourth, stopping the Hornets three times after they entered Prescott territory.

In all Yates attempted 14 passes, completing nine for 126 yards and two TD's. Al Johnston went in the quarterback slot in the final period, but never attempted a pass.

The game's leading rusher was Stafford for Prescott. His longest run came late in the fourth quarter when he took the ball from his own 14-yard line to the Hornet 35.

Prescott's Flemons rushed for 36 yards, but he was also on the receiving end of three passes for 62 more yards.

All total the Curley Wolves had 210 yards offensively, compared to Harmony Grove's 128. However, each team had 10 first downs.

Penalties were few for a first game, but Prescott received seven for a total of 41 yards. Others were declined.

Mistakes existed with each team fumbling and losing the ball three times each.

This week the Curley Wolves will travel to Hope to match up against the Class AAA Bobcats.

Fans should show their support by going to the game and rooting for the Wolves. This traditional game could be a real thriller.