Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Hat Trick! Devils post 7-6 win over Prescott

Hat trick.

Gurdon made it three-in-a-row over the Prescott Curley Wolves Friday night with a 7-6 win.

The Wolves were lucky, because turnovers were the only thing keeping the Devils from scoring more.

In fact, the Devils missed a field goal and turned the ball over twice in Prescott's red zone, otherwise, the score would have been more lopsided.

Prescott, though, did manage to win the opening toss, but deferred until the second half, thereby giving Gurdon the ball to get the game underway.

Cevin Laster took the opening kick at the Gurdon two, returning it to the 24 where the Devils began.

Laster carried twice to the 41, and got some unexpected help from Prescott in the form of an offside penalty, which moved the ball to the 46.

The Devils put the ball on the ground, but managed to recover it at the Gurdon 41.

Prescott followed with another offsides call, again putting the Devils at the 46. The third flag, facemask, against the Wolves put Gurdon in Prescott territory at the 49.

Laster broke containment and raced for the end zone to give Gurdon a 6-0 lead with 8:53 left in the first quarter. The point after made the score 7-0.

The ensuing kick went to Jeremy Purifoy at the Prescott 25, with the return putting the ball at the 33.

The Wolves ran three plays, with the "drive" ending with Zach Martin being sacked at the 22, and forcing a punt.

Jake Plyler fielded the kick at the Prescott 45, putting Gurdon in good field position.

The Devils moved to Prescott's 34, before a screen from Plyler to Uthel Gatlin was fumbled, with the loose ball picked up by Jarrod Norwood of the Wolves.

Norwood rambled to midfield before being brought down.

Vanhook, on the next play, found a seam in the Gurdon defense and sprinted to the promised land to make it 7-6 and end scoring for the contest.

The point after was blocked.

Davion Williams took the kick at the Gurdon nine, returning it to the 24.

The Devils managed to get to their 38 before the drive stalled, when Plyler missed connection with James Moseley.

Moseley followed with a punt to the Prescott 47.

Craig Teague gained a yard as the buzzer sounded ending the first 12 minutes of the game.

Vanhook was stopped for no gain at the second quarter started, but a draw to Teague moved the ball to the Gurdon 40.

Vanhook then followed with a scamper to the 21, but the drive ended when Martel Woodley was stopped twice and Martin was sacked by John Watson at the 32.

The Wolves elected to try and make a first down on fourth, but Martin's pass fell incomplete, giving Gurdon the ball on downs with 8:39 left in the half.

The Devils ran three plays, gaining nine yards to the 41, when Coach John Pace decided his offense could gain a yard on fourth down. At least this was the idea until Gurdon was flagged for illegal procedure and lost five yards.

Moseley dropped back in punt formation, but had to contend with a bad snap. The end result was the ball being fumbled out of bounds at the Gurdon 33.

Prescott was in excellent field position and looked to be poised to score and take the lead.

However, Gurdon's defense had other ideas, allowing the Wolf offense to run four plays, with a pair of incomplete passes, before the Devil offense took the field again.

With 4:28 left in the half, Plyler found Tirrell Hatley with a pass at the 40. Laster gained three more before the Devils were nailed with a personal foul penalty, which killed the drive.

After losing 15 yards, Gurdon's offense stuttered and had to punt, with the Wolves taking over at the Prescott 38.