Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Turnovers more than Wolves can overcome in 40-14 loss to Nashville

Five interceptions, inconsistent tackling and seven penalties led to a 40-14 loss for the Curley Wolves Friday night at Nashville.

Prescott showed the ability to move the ball against the Scrappers, but the offense had fits hanging on to the pigskin.

When the Wolves did hold onto the ball, penalties proved to be the squad's downfall.

Nashville wasn't perfect either, as the Scrapper quarterback was picked off twice and Prescott recovered one Pumpkinhead fumble.

The fumble occurred before Nashville's offense ever took the field.

This loss drops Prescott to 3-2 on the year and 1-1 in 7AAA play. The Wolves must now rely on other teams to upset Nashville, while winning out in order to have a shot at the conference title.

The game got underway with Nashville winning the toss and deferring until the second half. This gave Prescott the ball first.

The Wolves started at the 17 after the return.

Prescott mixed the running and passing game to move to the 34 before Zach Martin was picked off by Gorta Neal, who was hammered and fumbled. R.J. Vanhook covered the loose ball at the Wolf 19.

The Wolves managed to get to the 33 before punting to Nashville.

Starting at the Scrapper 25, Nashville's offense managed to get to the Prescott 36 before returning the favor and punting to the Wolf five.

Prescott did nothing and punted a second time in the quarter, giving Nashville the ball at the Scrapper 46.

Three plays later, Bernard Jones scampered in from the 18 to put Nashville up 6-0. The point after made it 7-0 with 31 seconds left in the first.

A.J. Lewis returned the kickoff to the 25, only to have the run nullified by penalty, an illegal block call, which put the ball at the Wolf eight.

Damaricus Craven lost two to end the first period.

Two more plays wound up moving the ball to the nine, with Prescott punting again.

Willie Hopson took the kick at the Prescott 43, returning it to the 30.

On the first snap, Drew Curtis hit Hopson for Nashville's second touchdown with 10:25 left in the half.

The PAT made it 14-0.

Starting at its own 24, the Wolves started moving downfield. However, Martin suffered his second interception when Neal picked off the pass and was nailed by Jason Butler at the Prescott 46.

Nashville had another one-play drive as Jones broke through the line on a 46-yard touchdown run.

The point after put the score 21-0 with 9:31 showing.

Prescott ran 10 plays before Martin suffered his third pick of the night, as Elton Jefferson intercepted the ball at the Nashville 17.

At this point, the Wolf defense stepped up and shut the Scrapper offense down, forcing a punt after three plays.

The punt died at the Nashville 34, giving Prescott excellent field position with 4:15 left in the half.

Relying on a mixture of passes and rushes, the Wolves managed to score with Martin connected with Haris Williams on a five-yard strike with 2:09 to go.

The point after was wide right, but Prescott was on the board with the score 21-6.

Taking over at its 36, the Scrappers put a fourth touchdown on the board before halftime.

Nashville needed a scant three plays to cover the 64 yards, most coming from Hopson on the first play as he rambled to the Wolf nine.

Jones capped the drive with a one-yard plunge with 51 seconds left.

Halftime arrived with the score 27-6 following a missed PAT by the Scrappers.

Scoring for the game ended in the third quarter, as the Scrappers put two touchdowns on the board, while the Wolves scored once.

Nashville started the third quarter at its 20 following a touchback.

Hopson took the handoff from Curtis, broke several tackles and ended up in the end zone with 11:46 to go in the period.

The point after put the Scrappers up 34-6.

Prescott, following a holding call during the kick return, began at its 14. The Wolves marched down field, capping a six-play drive with Martin hitting Jarrod Norwood for a 43-yard touchdown.

The Wolves opted for the two-point conversion, to make the score 34-14 at this point.

Nashville wound up punting on its next possession, then picking Martin off for the fourth time, as Roger Witherspoon made the interception at the Nashville 47.

The Scrappers scoring came to an end eight plays later with Hopson scoring from the one.

A missed point after made it 40-14.

Fourth quarter highlights had each quarterback being picked off and sacked as neither team threatened in the final 12 minutes.

Unofficial statistics show Prescott attempted 30 passes, completed 14 for 184 yards. The Wolves had two touchdown passes, but five interceptions.

Nashville threw 15 times, completing six, for 124 yards, with two interceptions.

Both teams punted three times. Prescott's punts tallied 113 yards, while Nashville had 82 yards punting.

The Wolves were flagged seven times for 68 yards in penalties, while Nashville was hit three times for 15 yards.

Nashville, however, had the only fumble of the game and lost it.

Prescott managed 14 first downs, while Nashville had 13.

The Wolves ground game netted 75 yards in 29 rushes, with the Scrappers gaining 325 yards on 34 carries.

Overall, Prescott managed 259 yards of total offense, while the Scrappers put up 449 yards.

Vanhook carried 15 times for 24 yards, with Chris Hopper the leading ground gainer with 31 yards on four carries.

The Wolves will be in the friendly confines of Cummins Field Friday night as the De Queen Leopards come to town.