Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Wolves feast on Lions part 2

There was another bad snap on the punt attempt, but Bismarck managed get the ball away. Vanhook fielded the kick at the Lion 48, taking it to the 28, putting the Wolves in scoring position once again.

Prescott needed three plays to cover the 28-yards between them and the end zone. Vanhook gained nine on first down, before Demarcus Craven scampered to the two on the second play. Craven went over for the score with 3:14 to go in the half.

Prescott was called for holding on the point after attempt, moved back 10 yards and went for a two-point conversion. Martin was unable to connect with Eli Ratcliff, thereby leaving the score at 20-0.

Ashcraft took the kickoff at the Lion 16, returning it to the 34, to give his team good field position.

Good, though, wasn't good enough as the Lions's offense still had to contend with Prescott's defense.

Bismarck opened its series with Ashcraft hit Smyly with a pass, who then attempted a flea-flicker to Randy Davis, only to see a Wolf hand knock the ball down, causing a fumble.

Prescott covered the errant pigskin at the Bismarck 36 with 2:57 showing.

Bismarck compounded its problems by jumping offsides, moving the ball to the 31 before Prescott snapped the ball.

Teague bulled to the 27 before Martin connected with Norwood at the three. Norwood caught the ball falling backwards, otherwise it would have been another six for the Wolves.

The problem was, he was stripped of the ball at the three, with Bismarck recovering. It was Prescott's only turnover of the game.

All this did was upset Prescott's defensive players, as Ashcraft, operating out of the shotgun, was hammered and lost the ball, with a Wolf falling on it at the seven with 1:38 to go.

Teague gained four, taking the ball to the three, before Vanhook scored with 0:58.9 still left in the half.

Prescott opted for a two-point conversion, was successful and led 28-0.

With less than a minute remaining in the half, Bismarck managed to run three plays and punt before the buzzer sounded at the half.

Norwood bobbled the ball at the Prescott 47, with Vanhook falling on it as halftime arrived.

Neither team appeared ready to play in the third quarter, as Prescott's offense was lethargic and Bismarck's was without a clue.

However, the second half didn't begin that way. Vanhook took the kick at the Prescott 18, found a seam down the sidelines and rambled to the Lion 30 before being brought down.

A holding call, though, nullified the run back and put the ball at the Prescott 20.

From there it was one, two, three, punt for Prescott, with Ratcliff shanking the ball out of bounds at the Wolf 38.

The two teams then swapped penalties, Prescott for jumping offsides and Bismarck for illegal motion.

Ashcraft missed connection with Brian Hardage on first down, but carried to the 17 on a bootleg on the next play.

Prescott's defense stiffened, allowing the Lions to gain only nine yards before turning the ball over on downs at the Wolf seven.

In three plays, Prescott made it to the Wolf 16 and had to punt, this time with the ball being called down at the Prescott 42.

However, the officials appeared to blow a call on the punt, as Ashcraft reached out and touched the ball. It should have been called a fumble, with Prescott recovering, but wasn't.

After an incomplete pass on first down, Ashcraft hit Blake Dortch at the Wolf 33, where a punishing lick separated him from the ball.

Martel Woodley scooped the fumble up and ran to the Bismarck 40.

The Prescott offense, though, was only able to move the ball to the 38 before punting again.