Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Wolves edge Nashville, 28-26

Anyone expecting a blowout in the Prescott-Nashville game was sorely disappointed.

However, those who came to Cummins Field to see one of the best high school football games of the year more than got their monies worth as the Wolves went to 5-0 with a 28-26 win over the Scrappers.

From the outset it was obvious this game was special. The Scrappers won the toss, deferred until the second half, then attempted an onside kick. This was mistake No. 1.

However, a Nashville player caught the ball before it touched the ground, or went the requisite 10 yards. This brought a flag and put Prescott in business at midfield.

The Wolves wasted no time in putting six on the board, starting with Zach Martin finding Robert Block at the Scrapper 30.

Three plays later, Martin hooked up with A.J. Lewis on a 25-yard touchdown pass. The point after was blocked, but Prescott led 6-0 with 10:43 showing.

Roger Witherspoon fielded the ensuing kick at the Scrapper 18, but gave his team excellent field position running it back to the 42.

Nashville head coach Billy Laird scrapped the passing attack his team has been noted for the last several years, opting to keep the ball on the ground. The Scrappers pounded the left side of Prescott's defensive line all night, racking up 277 yards rushing on the night.

Prescott was fed a steady dose of Witherspoon, who carried 31 times for 158 yards. Nashville's coaches realized the only way to avoid a blowout was to keep the ball out of the hands of the potent Prescott offense. The Scrapper ground attack did just this, eating time off the clock, while chewing up yardage.

On Nashville's first drive, the Scrappers ran 11 plays, and took 5:08 off the clock. The drive ended with Witherspoon scoring on a three-yard run.

The point after was wide, leaving the score tied at 6-6.

The kick appeared to be going out of bounds, as Nashville refused to kick in the direction of R.J. Vanhook or Lewis after each score, choosing, instead, to pooch kick the ball and give up field position instead of a possible score.

The first kick appeared to be headed out of bounds, but was touched by a Prescott player. The ball rolled out of bounds at the Wolf 14.

Jason Butler made his first appearance of the regular season, but lost two yards on his initial carry. Martin hit Lewis for four yards, giving Prescott a little more breathing room, then ran to the 29.

He found Butler at the 38, but the drive stalled and Prescott had to punt. This proved to be the only punt of the night. The kick rolled dead at the Scrapper 44.

Bernard Jones gained two of his 99 yards on Nashville's first snap. Hayden Arnold went to the air, only to have the ball picked off by Lewis, who returned it to the Scrapper 45.

Lewis refused to go down and was eventually stripped of the ball at the Nashville 45. However, Luther Stueart made a heads-up play, catching the ball on the fly and gaining another three yards as time expired.

Three plays later, Butler exploded up the middle for a four-yard touchdown. With 11:23 to go in the half, Prescott was up 12-6. A two-point conversion was successful making it 14-6. The conversion relied heavily on Coach Brian Glass's penchant for trick plays, with the razzle-dazzle working for the deuce.

Starting at its 29, the Scrappers marched 79 yards on 13 plays, overcoming a pair of penalties in the process. Nashville chewed more than six minutes off the clock in the drive.

Witherspoon capped the drive with a nine-yard run at the 4:50 mark. The try for two was good, tying the game at 14-14.

But, this would be the only time the Scrappers would be a two-point conversion, and this proved to be the difference in the game.

Lewis moved farther upfield on the kickoff, fielded the ball at the 25 and returned it to the 42.

The Wolves needed but two plays and 14 seconds to cover the 58-yards.

Martin hit Stuart at the Scrapper 44, before Vanhook broke loose for the touchdown on the next play. The two-point conversion made it 22-14 with 4:26 left in the half.

Nashville marched downfield, getting to the Prescott 17 before the Wolf defense stepped up and forced the Scrappers to turn the ball over on downs with 41 seconds to go.

Prescott ran one play, lost two yards and went to the lockers leading 22-14.

The second half began with Nashville starting at its 35. The Scrappers ran 13 plays, used six minutes and scored when Witherspoon went in from the five.

Once again, the try for two was no good and Prescott led 22-20.