Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Wolves post 33-17 quarterfinal win part 1

Prescott's Curley Wolves are one step closer to a possible rematch with Nashville.

The Wolves were less than gracious guests as the squad rudely sent the Ozark Hillbillies packing from the football field to the basketball court with a 33-17 win in quarterfinal action Friday night.

The Hillbillies never knew what hit them.

The Wolves came in rabid and looking to rend and tear flesh from their intended victims. This they did. With malice aforethought and without mercy the Wolves inflicted punishment and pain on the Ozark players, making sure the Hillbillies would remember the team from Southwest Arkansas.

Going into the game the Wolves were picked as seven point underdogs. In the second round of the playoffs, Prescott edged out Pulaski Oak Grove 14-9, while Ozark had an easy time with Pocahontas, 41-0.

The Hillbillies found out one thing for sure, the Wolves weren't Pocahontas and had no intention of rolling over and playing dead for the second ranked team in AAA action.

The Wolves will be on the road to Warren on Dec. 6 in semifinal action. A win against the Lumberjacks would put Prescott in Little Rock for all the marbles on Dec. 14, most likely against the pumpkinheads of Nashville.

Ozark players had studied films of Prescott games, but didn't have a clue as to how to stop the Wolves. This is because "normal" teams run pretty much the same offense all season long  Prescott doesn't.

Brian Glass has showed his offensive genius by constructing a different game plan every week. His plans have been successful 11 of 13 times.

The Wolves scored the first three times Prescott had the ball in the opening quarter, and posted a 21-0 lead over Ozark.

The game began with Prescott winning the toss and taking the ball on the 20 after the kick went into the end zone.

From there, the aerial attack began with Zach Martin strafing the Ozark defense all night long.

He opened the game by flinging a pass to Joe Steuart for an eight yard gain.

Damaricus Craven gained three on second down, before Martin connected with A.J. Lewis, who fought to the Ozark 33.

The combine worked so well, Martin hit Lewis again for an eight yard gain to the 25. From there, the Wolves showed the ground attack with R.J. Vanhook and Martel Woodley fighting to the 21.

The drive ended on the next play when Martin hit Steuart for the touchdown with 9:23 left in the quarter.

The point after made it 7-0, with Ozark reeling.

Jason Butler's kick offs were ugly all night long, and short. Throughout the season, Butler has consistently been able to boot the ball in the end zone. However, the game plan was changed to prevent the possibility of big returns by Ozark.

Butler's kicks may have been short and ugly, but they were also hard to handle.

His first kick bounced to the 20, with an Ozark player falling on it at the 21.

The Hillbillies ran five plays before fumbling at the Ozark 47, where Prescott recovered with 7:09 to go.

The Wolves needed but six plays to go up 13-0 on a Martin to Haris Williams pass from the 10.

On the drive, Martin's first two passes were incomplete, before the Wolves went to the double reverse to Lewis, who hit Butler on the halfback option for a 21-yard gain.

Chris Hopper got into the act by moving the ball to the 11on the next snap, and two plays later, Martin and Williams hooked up for the score with 5:09 left in the inaugural quarter.

The point after was wide right.

Starting at the Ozark 26, the Hillbillies ran three plays and punted to the Wolf 32.

Prescott was immediately flagged for an illegal shift and moved back to the 27.

It was back to the air attack, though Martin's first and second down passes were incomplete. Facing a third and 15, Martin flipped a screen to Vanhook, who fought to midfield for a first down.

Prescott's passing game continued to befuddle Ozark, a Martin hit Hopper for a 33 yard gain, and followed this with a pass to Butler, who fought to the nine.