Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Go-Devils lose to Junction City after three good quarters

Gurdons Go-Devils made a road trip to meet the Dragons from Junction City on Friday night, played three quarters in the victory lane and got snake bit in the fourth quarter, taking a heartbreaking loss, 39-29.

The loss puts Gurdon at 1-2 for the season, with conference play starting Friday against Foreman when the Go-Devils come home to a cheering crowd and the home field advantage.

Coach John Pace said pre-season the talent was there for Gurdon to have a winning season, and the first three quarters against second ranked Junction City indicated he was right.

However, endurance is a quality Gurdon will have to acquire to push that talent into the winners circle for the remainder of the season.

The game against Junction City started out with Go-Devil domination, making it 22-0 with less than 3:36 left in the first quarter.

Jerome Pollins made a tackle and it was a third down and one.

The Dragons went into an I formation but it was Cameron Kennedy on the stop for Gurdon.

Gurdons defense was blowing Junction Citys offense away.

Then it was 32 seconds to go in the first period, with a 22-0 ball game and Gurdon still in a good position.

Gurdon had 171 yards with 19 yards on the average per play.

Once again, Gurdon had a hard time running the ball up the middle. Jonathan Lacys try up the middle was snuffed out, at the beginning of the second quarter.

Green punted. It was 14 yards. Then Justin Easton of the Dragons went into the shotgun. But nothing happened.

Kennedy with a 60-yard touchdown in those 22 points, was a dominate player in the first half.

Pollins, Gurdons big defensive senior machine, knocks down a man on another play. Junction City s Coach David Carpenter was furious, being ranked number two in the conference with Gurdon not even ranked after its loss last week to Lafayette County, yet Gurdon clearly controlled the scoreboard and the game.

If the Go-Devils could pull it off, Junction City would lose to Gurdon for the second year in a row. All this, despite unfounded football predictions about rankings that apparently did not account for the heart in the Go-Devil team.

Zach Duncan, sophomore for the Go-Devils, played well in multiple positions; especially on defense. Dustin Craig was injured, but limped off the field and appeared to not be done for the game.

With about eight minutes left in the first half, Duncan was playing quarterback.

Gurdon defense was looking ready. The Go-Devil defense did not get broken by the Dragons, nor did it even bend.

First turnover of the evening for the Go-Devils came from a fumble by Duncan. Kennedy tried to get back on the ball, but could not.

It was Junction Citys ball from its eight yard line. But Gurdons defense stiffened.

So another stop came by Pollins. It was fourth down, Junction City.

Junction City needed points badly. The Dragons were eight yards from scoring, but could not beat that dominating Gurdon Go-Devil defense.

Daniel Francis checked in as quarterback. But a fumble on a play made it Junction Citys ball again.

Derek Wilson, of Junction City, leveled Kennedy. But Kennedy trotted off the field, with apparently just the wind knocked out of him.

Then Junction City tried to score, but the Gurdon defensive unit stopped the effort. The Dragons got a penalty and were moved from eight yards to scoring back to 16 yards from the sought after touchdown.

But it became 22-6, as Dragon Justin Eastons speed went in on the right side and ran in for an 18-yard touchdown. The extra point was good, making it 22-7 Go-Devils, coming into the end of the first half.

Indeed, it was 22-7 at the half, Go-Devils over the Dragons.

Halftime team statistics had Gurdon with 217 yards for 10.7 yards per play. Gurdon had two fumbles in the first half, and kept possession of the ball 10:21 minutes.

Kennedy had nine rushes and a 60-yard touchdown. Jonathan Lacy ran 33 yards for his touchdown.

Gurdon scored 15 points in the first four minutes of play.

Kennedy had four stops and Pollin had six stops for the Go-Devils in the first half.

Kennedy recovered a fumble and Duncan broke up a pass for the Devils.

After another run from Jonathan Lacy, it was touchdown for the Go-Devils, bumping the lead to 29-7 in the third. He ran up the middle.

Then it was five-yard face mask penalty. Junction City was trying to answer Gurdons touchdown.

With 5:25 in the third quarter, it was first down Junction City. Then Pollins and Kennedy knocked the Dragons down, with another stiff defense for Gurdon.