Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Scrappers Too Much For Curley Wolves

Numbers matter to a lot of people, and rightly so in some cases. It was no surprise to most, then, that Nashville would outnumber the Curley Wolves when it comes to the counting heads on the roster.

The Wolves knew. They also knew before they went to Nashville it would be tough on them. The Scrappers are expected to win the 7AAA Conference this year and probably will. They have the numbers and pure depth of taking over a ball game. This, then, would add up to strength and endurance, not necessarily ability.

Man for man, Prescott could have taken them. The Wolves had just as much ability as the Scrappers. The difference was in sheer manpower.

Of the 79 players listed on the Nashville roster 28 of them were seniors. Prescott has 29 players on its entire squad. How does this compare with other schools? Hope, a Class AAAA team that Prescott and Nashville both play, has 62 players on its roster. So Nashville has more players as a Class AAA school than the bigger' schools.

This should raise an eyebrow to everyone.

How many years ago was it that the school had to go up a classification? Not many. And the athletic department at the school allegedly protested loudly with very strong emphasis, we were told, to the district's superintendent to not ever let that happen again. Different administration and different coaches are at the school now, but the unwritten policy seems to still be in place.

This many players adds up specially-trained athletes who have to concentrate only on one special play or spot on the field, such as a kicker, or linebacker. Players on the Curley Wolf squad all have to play both ways, and their oppositions' sheer numbers wear them down quickly.

So consider Prescott the winner Friday night, although they lost 48-12. If the Curley Wolves could have 68 players on the sidelines while 11 were on the field, the score would have been different perhaps. This year we just don't know.

We can't know the players. The Wolves have the ability. They did the best they could. One thing for certain: the Scrappers of this year can't compare to other teams in the past few years, just as Prescott cannot.

Prescott finished the game with 13 first downs, not bad for the little' guys. The Scrappers, however, finished with 22.

The Curley Wolves had a net of 218 offensive yards to Nashville's 424.

Prescott rushed for 126 yards while the Scrappers rushed for 235. Prescott used four players to accomplish this while the Scrappers used seven.

In the passing game Prescott quarterback Josh Bullock attempted 14 passes, completing five for 92 yards and one touchdown. Nashville used two quarterbacks, with Brian Pope going three quarters and Brad Gordon playing the fourth. Pope attempted 13, completing nine for 173 yards and having three TDs. Gordon attempted two, completing one for 16 yards.

Rafael Marlow was Prescott's biggest rusher with 81 yards on 13 carries. Nashville's biggest rusher was Willie Hopson, who rushed 15 times for 116 yards and three touchdowns. JaQuan Johnson rushed 10 times for 69 yards and two TDs. He also was the recipient of a Pope pass for another TD.

The number of plays were just about even. Prescott had 46 while Nashville had 45.

The Scrappers scored three times during the first quarter.

The first came four minutes into the game when Johnson completed a 58-yard six-play scoring drive. The extra point kick by Stoney Ray was good.

On Nashville's next possession Pope passed to Corey Smith for a 24-yard TD that climaxed a four-play, 45-yard drive. Once more the kick by Ray was good to give the Scrappers a 14-0 lead with 4:43 left in the quarter.

Nashville's next play began at the Prescott 49 after a Bullock's pass was intercepted. Four plays later the series was climaxed with another 24-yard TD pass, this time to Matthew Ponder. And once more the kick by Ray was good to give the Scrappers a 21-0 lead with 3:14 left in the period.

Prescott did manage to get two first downs before the quarter ended. The Curley Wolves were driving when Nashville intercepted another pass on the first play of the second quarter.Beginning at their own 45, this time it took the Scrappers nine plays to score. Hopson went in for the score from two yards out and once more Ray kicked a good one to make the score 28-0 with 7:59 left in the half.

Ray was pretty good at kicking PATs, but he had no distance on kick-offs. His longest for the night was 50 yards. Marlow's longest for Prescott was 55 yards in the fourth period.

After Nashville's fourth TD Bryan Joseph took the kick-off at the Prescott 15 and returned the ball to his 47, where Prescott's first scoring drive began.

Although in shotgun formation, Bullock was chased and had to struggle to get three yards. On the next play a face mask penalty gave the Wolves a first down at the Nashville 34.

Joseph was stopped for no gain on the next play and then a pass from Bullock fell incomplete. But on the next play Bullock was roughed up a bit and it cost the Scrappers another 15, setting up a first down at the Nashville 19.

Bullock was sacked on the next play, losing six yards. On the next play another pass fell incomplete, then he was sacked again for another six-yard loss, moving the Wolves back to the Nashville 31-yard line. However, on fourth and 22 Bullock found Mark Jones open in the end zone for a touchdown. Jesse Wright, who could not miss the preceding week, missed the extra point to keep the score at 28-6 in favor of the Scrappers.

Nashville took five plays to move the ball 68 yards and another TD before the half ended. This time it was a pass to Johnson from 16 yards out. Once more Ray converted the extra point for the Scrappers to lead 35-6 going into the locker room at halftime.

The Prescott defense were able to stop the Scrappers on their first offensive series in the second half, but Nashville halted the Prescott offense as well, and on this possession the Scrappers were able to score again.

From 58 yards out the Scrappers took five plays with Hopson going over the line from two yards out and Ray getting the extra point.

Prescott's next offensive attempt ended abruptly when Marlow fumbled and Nashville recovered at the Prescott 37. Enter quarterback number two for Nashville.

It took Gordon seven plays to lead his team to another score. From four yards out Hopson went in for the score. This time Ray missed the point after try to make the score 47-6 with just under two minutes left in the period.

Prescott clipped on the kick-off to set them back to their own seven-yard line. The Wolves began their next scoring drive from that mark.

Joseph was thrown back five yards on the first play to his two, then Marlow moved it out to the 13 for the Wolves. Joseph then was able to get the first down at the 24.

Marlow found open room on the next play and made it to the Nashville 45 for another first down before he was stopped.

On the next play Joseph got another big run for another first down at the 28.

Marlow then got the next two carries, getting another first down at the Nashville 17.

Craig Teague picked up eight yards on the next play, then Joseph gained one. A determined Bullock then went right, going down the sideline for the touchdown. Once more the kick missed.

A number of mistakes were made by each team. Prescott was penalized 11 times for 85 yards. Nashville was penalized 12 times for 105 yards.

The Curley Wolves turned the ball over four times while Nashville did it once.

The conference schedule has just begun and maybe the Wolves can win enough games to get into the play-offs again this year. It is very like they will. Four teams will go and a pre-season poll showed the Curley Wolves coming in fourth place in the league.

This week the Curley Wolves will host the De Queen Leopards at the PHS Stadium Friday night. Game time is 7:30.