Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Leopards Tame Curley Wolves

The Prescott Curley Wolves almost did it again. For the first 17 minutes of the ball game Friday night against De Queen it was neck and neck.

De Queen scored in the first period and then Prescott scored. In the second period De Queen scored again and Prescott scored again. After 17 minutes the Leopards led the Wolves 14-12. We were in the game. Not.

That was the last for Prescott. It was over. Gone was the determination, the second effort, the team had demonstrated so well against Nashville the preceding week.

Immediately following the second score for Prescott, the reporter for the De Queen Daily Citizen asked, "How come Prescott has only won one game when they can move the ball like that?" They did look good.

However, the toll on this team is showing. How can just 29 players continue to hold out week after week when facing such giants as Mineral Springs, Hope, Nashville and De Queen. Many on the offensive team have to play defense as well. That's solid playing time and it's easy to see how the players can wear out. Playing both ways is taking a toll.

Prescott took the opening kick-off and had to punt on fourth and 12.

De Queen took 58 yards in eight plays for the touchdown with Alexis Smith getting the honors. Esteban Ochoa is certainly not a long distance kicker, but he hit the uprights for the extra point.

Prescott came right back with a score of its own, moving the ball 70 yards.

Craig Teague took the hand-off and managed two yards, a De Queen offsides penalty on the next play moved the ball five yards, then Bryan Joseph picked another two yards, just shy of the first down, which Teague got on the next play.

On first down quarterback Josh Bullock picked up one yard, then Mark Jones was stopped for no gain, but Bullock passed to Joseph on the next play that netted 32 yards and a first down at the De Queen 24.

On first down Joseph got another first down at the three-yard line.

Teague took it in for the touchdown. Jesse Wright, who could not miss the extra points two weeks ago against Bismarck missed Friday for the score to remain 7-6 with 4:11 to go in the quarter.

Prescott's defense was able to contain the Leopards on their next possession and Prescott was driving as the quarter ended, but had to punt early in the second period on fourth and 12. The Curley Wolves had moved the ball better than De Queen. During the quarter they had 55 yards rushing and 32 passing compared to 51 yards rushing and 9 passing for the Leopards. Prescott had five first downs to De Queen's four.

The Leopards began their next scoring drive, however, immediately following the Prescott kick-off.

From his own 37-yard line Brian McLelland, quarterback for the Leopards, hit Jason Parson with a screen pass that eventually went for 24 yards, moving the ball into Prescott territory.

The entire scoring drive nine plays with a pass from McLelland to Travis Williamson covering the last seven yards. The extra kick by Ochoa was good for De Queen to take a 14-6 lead. Amazingly the score came with exactly eight minutes left in the quarter, the same time that remained in the first quarter when the Leopards scored.

It would not take the Curley Wolves long to score, however, as Decolen Prater took the kick-off at his 15 and progressed to his 33 before he was stopped.

Joseph only picked up one yard on first down, but on the second play Bullock found Jones open. The pass, however, was deflected by a defender near Jones. Fortunately the pass was caught by Jones anyway, who went the distance for the TD. Coach Kirk Armitage decided to go for two points on a fake kick play. It was doomed by another pass being deflected, but Prescott was only behind 14-12.

De Queen's next scoring drive began after the kick-off and, moving the ball 69 yards in seven plays, was climaxed with a pass from McLelland to Benny Ester from 24 yards out. Ironically, his pass was deflected by a Prescott defender, but it fell into Ester's hands for the TD. The extra kick by Ochoa was good for the score to go to 21-12.

The third quarter for Prescott went very much like the last seven minutes. The offense just couldn't move the ball.Zach Jones of De Queen took the opening kick-off at his 24 for the second half and was stopped at his 45. Seven plays later the Leopards led 28-12 with 9:26 left in the period.

The De Queen defense attacked the Curley Wolves on Prescott's next possession and the Wolves had to punt on fourth and 16, a bad time for a mistake. Bullock's punt was blocked and the ball rolled into the end zone. A Prescott player kicked it out of the end zone for a touchback. The Prescott penalty was declined for the score to remain 30-12.

Rafael Marlow's free kick from his 20 was a bad one. Coach Armitage elected to kick-off instead of punting. The kick taken by Smith at the 38-yard line. He was finally stopped inside the Prescott one.

McLelland went in on a sneak play to put the Leopards up by 36-12 when Ochoa's kick missed.

Prescott's offense seemed to be in sync after the De Queen kick-off, at least for five plays. On third and 10 Bullock's pass was intercepted by Richard Bell who took it in the end zone for another TD. The extra point kick by Ochoa was good for the score to remain 43-12.

Thanks to substitutions by the De Queen coaches Prescott was able to stop the Leopards on downs early in the fourth period.. However, after making three first downs the subs of De Queen also stopped Prescott. There was no catch-up for the Wolves.

Prescott committed three turnovers in the game, two passes and one fumble.

Bullock attempted six passes with two hitting their marks for 98 yards and one score, two fell incomplete and two were intercepted. McLelland attempted 13, completing six for 85 yards and two TDs and seven missing their marks.

Prescott's offense rushed for 120 yards with Joseph getting 55 of them. Marlow came up with a net of 33 yards.

The game's leading rusher was De Queen's Bell with 98 net yards, not counting his interception TD return.

In all Prescott had 12 first downs to De Queen's 18. Not bad, considering the difference in the two teams.

Prescott only had three penalties for 15 yards and the Leopards were only penalized six times for 45 yards.

This week the Curley Wolves will travel past Hot Springs to Fountain Lake. To get in the state play-offs this game is a must for Prescott. The Curley Wolves need a win.

The Curley Wolves also need fans. Only a half a crowd showed up Friday night. Not enough. Most of them were gone by the fourth quarter. For shame. These are the Curley Wolves. They need your support. There will be another year. You are urged to go to Fountain Lake Friday night to support them and Coach Armitageand the band.

The band has a very good halftime program. The deserve your attention as well.