Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon has mixed results in Week 3

Go-Devils 0, Bearden Bears 7

The Gurdon Go-Devils picked up their first loss of the season on Friday, Sept. 14, but the team also put on a defensive show better than any in recent seasons, Coach John Pace said after the game.

The Bearden Bears traveled to Gurdon for the game touting a number one ranking in Class AA from a major state newspaper. The team has rolled over every opponent so far this year  but they did not roll over the Go-Devils. Bearden was held to only one touchdown which was made during the first quarter. The game went down to the final seconds. The Go-Devils had several opportunities to tie or win the game, but the Bears defense was just as strong as that of the Go-Devils.

We took them right to the wire, and we had a chance to beat them Pace told his team after the game. Thats the best defensive football team weve put on the field in a long time. If we play that way the rest of the season were going to the Rock.

The game began with Gurdon receiving the kick. Senior OBryan bell made it back to the 25 yard line before being stopped. The Devils had little luck on that drive ended up punting on fourth and seven.

The Bearden offense came onto the field ready to play. After the getting its first first down of the game, the team got another after converting on fourth and two. The Bears ran the ball into the end zone and made a successful point after attempt bringing the score to 7-0.

The remainder of the game seemed to be a back and forth match of who could put on the best defense  and who could recover the most fumbles.

Go-Devil Andrew Franklin brought the kick return to the Go-Devils 45 yard line. A pass from quarterback Zack Duncan to Bo McKenzie picked up 11 yards on the play. Jeff Henry picked up the Go-Devils first first down of the night, and McKenzie picked up another seven yards running.

A long pass to senior Andrew Franklin at the 21 yard line gave the Devils another first down. A sack in the backfield and false start penalty brought up fourth and 18. The Devils went for the conversion, but Duncan threw the ball out of bounds while under intense pressure from the Bears defense. Bearden took over on down at the 40 yard line.

The second quarter began with Gurdon recovering a fumbled Bearden ball. Princeton McPeak made the recovery for the Devils.

Later in the drive, a pass interference call against Bearden brought up first and 10 for the Devils. Gurdon fumbled the ball and the Bears took over at their own 19 yard line.

Bearden punted the ball back to Gurdon on fourth and 25. The Go-Devils fumbled the ball again, and the Bears recovered.

Another unsuccessful drive brought the Bears to punt again. They got the ball back after the Devils were forced to punt again a short time later.

It appeared as if the Go-Devils would get their chance to score late in the second quarter when junior Justin Smillie intercepted a Bearden pass and made it to the 35 yard line. The half expired before the Devils could make it to the end zone.

The second half opened with possession going to the Bears who ended up punting.

During the Devils first possession of the second half, Duncan threw a more than 30 yard successful pass to Franklin bringing up first and goal at the five yard line. A false start penalty caused the Devils to step back five yards. On fourth down, Duncans pass into the end zone was intercepted.

Bearden later punted again on fourth and 20, and the Devils punted on fourth and 18 on the next drive.

Bearden punted again soon after the beginning of the final quarter. A false start call put the Devils back to first and 15.

A successful pass to Henry picked up a few yards for the Devils, but a holding call on the same play pushed them back 10 yards.

On Beardens next possession, the Bears attempted to fake a punt on fourth and 11. The plan backfired, and the Bears turned the ball over on down.

When it appeared as if all hope was lost for the Go-Devils, Bearden fumbled the ball, and Gurdon took over on the 34 yard line. An incomplete pass on fourth down forced a turnover near the end zone with 45 seconds on the play clock.

Beardent quarterback took a knee, and the game was over.

Jr. Go-Devils 16, Horation Jr. Lions 6

The Horatio Junior Lions may have gotten the first score of the game, but the Junior Go-Devils were determined Horatio would not get the win during the teams match-up at Go-Devil Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 13.

Horatio took over after a Junior Go-Devil fumble and took the ball into the end zone after a long pass was complete. A two point conversion attempt was not successful. The score was 6-0.

The home stands erupted on the kick-return when Keon Holliman ran the ball all the way down the field for a touchdown. The Junior Go-Devils were able to successfully complete a two-point conversion bringing the score to 8-6.

With snaps that kept going over the quarterbacks head, Horatio was pushed back to fourth and 54 where they punted to their own 43 yard line.

Holliman made it back into the end zone for the Junior Devils with 3:10 left in the first half. Hollimans two point conversion was successful bringing the score to 16-6.

A personal foul on the kick return resulted in a 15 yard penalty against Gurdon. The Junior Go-Devil defense fought back pushing the Junior Lions back to fourth and 23 where they punted again.

A Junior Go-Devil pass was intercepted as the half ended.

Horatio had the first possession of the second half but punted on fourth and seven. Gurdon took over on the 35 yard line and Darius Bailey ran the ball up to the 48 for a first down.

The Junior Go-Devils ended up turning the ball over on down at the Junior Lions 40 yard line.

The Junior Devils fumbled on the next possession, and the Junior Lions recovered the ball.

The Junior Devils fumbled again late in the final quarter. Horatios attempt at additional points was unsuccessful, and the game ended with the Junior Go-Devils on top 16-6.