Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon Homecoming Easily Won

Gurdon's Go-Devils will take a seven game win streak into the first round of playoff action Friday night.

The Devils, ranked third in class AA in the state, will play host to the Bearden Bears at Gus Brown Stadium, after going through the 7AA West unscathed.

The Devils concluded their regular season by skinning the Horatio Lions 48-6 in a game not as close as the final score would indicate.

Horatio proved to be little challenge to the potent Gurdon offense and stingy defense.

During league play, Gurdon's defense had surrendered a scant 24 points, or 3.4 points per game. The offense, on the other hand, generated a whopping 35.1 points a contest during conference action, or a total of 246 points.

Penalties and passing produced a long game on a chilly night. Well, it was chilly for fans, though the Devils were red hot.

Horatio won the toss, took the kick and set up shop at the 38. They were hit with a motion penalty before getting the first snap off and sent back to the 33.

Quarterback Luke Billingsley wasted no time and went to the air. Three passes took the Lions to midfield, where Josh Patrick was nailed and fumbled.

Gurdon recovered the loose ball at the Horatio 47, but moved five yards closer when the Lion defense jumped too soon.

The track meet began shortly thereafter.

Gurdon had to give back the five yards by jumping early as well.

On two carries, Chauncey Charles moved to the Lion 31. Eric Allen then found Chad Cox in the secondary, with Cox reaching the 25.

Charles was sufficiently limbered up and scored on the next play to give Gurdon a 6-0 lead with 9:01 left in the first. The try for two failed on the point after attempt.

As has been a problem all season, the kickoff went out of bounds, drawing a flag for delay. The Lions, though, took the ball on their own 35.

In two plays, the visitors had moved a yard, and Billingsley had dropped back to pass.

Instead of a Lion, though, he found Josh Griffin at the Horatio 40. Griffin was grateful for the pass and returned the interception to the visitor's 24.

Allen worked the option play to perfection, tossing to Charles on the outside, with the tailback scampering the distance to give Gurdon a 12-0 lead with 7:53 still on the clock.

This time, the two point conversion was successful and the Devils led 14-0.

The kickoff was a repeat of the first, with the same results. Horatio took over on its own 35.

Sophomore fullback Chris Johnson got a lot of work during the night, and proved to be a load for Gurdon to bring down. He gained nine yards on two carries, before Gurdon was flagged for being offside.

The Lions hurt the drive with an ineligible receiver on the next play, after Billingsley had hit Patrick at the Devil 40.

Johnson, though, got most of this yardage back with a 15-yard run to the Gurdon 41.

This didn't set well with Gurdon's defense, and members of the unit began to introduce themselves to Billingsley, who was sacked a total of seven times.

After moving to the Gurdon 39, the Lions were pushed back to the Devil 47 and had to punt.

Rashun Hopson took the kick at the 14 and was downed at the 23.

Three plays later, the 77-yard drive ended. Brannon Hatley burst free on first down, sprinting to the Lion 20 before being tackled.

Hopson finished things off on two plays and Gurdon led 20-0. The try for two again failed, but the Devils were in control with 2:50 left in the first.

Kick number three stayed in play, with Patrick taking the ball at the 12 and returning it to the 38.

Johnson broke into Gurdon territory on two carries, getting to the 46, before another fumble ended the drive.

Gurdon recovered the errant pigskin at its own 49.

Charles took the ball on a sweep to the Horatio 39 on first down. This was followed by Cox running to the 28 on a counter. The third play saw Allen picked off by Patrick at the Lion 16.

Horatio's comedy of errors continued as a miscue cost the Lions six yards on first down and ended the first period.

Billingsley carried to the 19 on a bootleg and was sacked at the 12 on third down. However, it was definitely laundry night as a flag had fluttered to earth on the play. Gurdon was nailed for grabbing the facemask and the ball moved to the 17.

This served to infuriate the Devil defense and Billingsley was promptly sacked at the 14, forcing a punt.

Charles took the kick at the Lion 41, returning it to the 34.

The Devils used 3:02, going back and forth, gaining and losing because of penalties, before having to turn the ball over on downs. But this was not before a little trickery.

On fourth down, Gurdon on the Lion 40 the Devils were lined up to punt. A short snap to Hopson temporarily confused the Horatio defense, but he was brought down at the 19, short of a first down.

Three plays and a sack later, the Lions punted again. Charles took the kick at the 37 and brought it to the 13 before being stopped.

Two plays later, he had the Devils on the Horatio 5. Griffin took a handoff on a reverse and capped the drive and giving his team a 26-0 lead.

The try for two was good and Gurdon was up 28-0 with 4:05 left.

Horatio began its only scoring drive of the night on its own 31.

Johnson was the workhorse on the drive, gaining 19 yards on two carries to get it underway.

Billingsley made it to the Gurdon 40, but, on the next play, met Griffin at midfield.

He wisely shoveled the next snap to Johnson, who rambled to the Gurdon 40. A facemask call moved the ball 15 yards closer on the Devil 25.

Billingsley, after seeing the Lions moved back five yards for illegal motion, found Justin Williamson for a touchdown with 0:11 showing.

Horatio's try for two was no good, but the score was 28-6.

Hatley fielded the short kick at the Gurdon 33. Instead of taking a knee and ending the half, Allen handed off to Hatley.

Hatley broke through the line, headed down the sideline and didn't stop until he found the promised land with no time showing. The PAT split the uprights and Gurdon led 35-6 over a demoralized but determined Horatio squad.

The Devils added two more touchdowns in the third quarter, while Horatio showed up against all odds.

The Lions opened period three with an onside kick attempt. It failed.

But, Gurdon was unable to generate any offense and punted after three plays.

Horatio took over on its own 27, ran three plays and gave the ball back to the Devils.

Hopson took the punt at the 34, returning it to the Lion 46.

First down saw the Devils nailed for holding and moved back to their own 44.

Allen missed Demond Beasley with a pass on first down and kept the ball the next play himself,