Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Curley Wolves Shoot BeeBe With 54-18 Win In First Round Of Playoffs

One team at Beebe Friday night tucked its tail and ran, but it was the Badgers, first in their conference, not the Curley Wolves, fourth in the 7AA Conference.

Fans around Beebe conceded after the game that Prescott must play in a very tough conference with the likes of Fordyce, Nashville and De Queen.

Prescott's 54-18 trouncing of the Badgers was a surprise to many people, including many Prescott fans. However, one must remember that the same team that showed up at Beebe looked like the same team that went to De Queen and lost by only one point.

And, with just a few changes, the outcome against Ashdown, Hope and Nashville could have been different, too. It's very forntunate that the Curley Wolves have chosen this time of year to perform like champions.

You could say the Wolf Pride is back! The defense came shining through like new silver dollars, and the offense executed as well.

Prescott's first two touchdowns came from the defenseCas did its last one. In all, the Big D caused six turnovers against the Badgers while only losing the ball twice for themselves.

One could say it was the cold, wet field and the slippery football. One would have to remember that mud was on each team. The defense just did their thing.

Prescott won the coin toss and opted to get the ball the second half, which is just the way the team has always done. The Badgers put on a scoring drive that left the impression it was going to be a long night for Prescott fans.

To make matters worse, the Prescott offense on its first possession fumbled the ball away after making one first down. Prescott was doomed, it appeared. Not!

On its first possession, the Beebe Badgers drove 69 yards in eight plays with Prescott helping them along with two first downs because of penalties. The score came from 15 yards out when quarterback Josh Price connected with Ross Jefferson at the 10. Jefferson made it safely to the end zone. The extra point was missed for a 6-0 lead.

After Prescott fumbled, a pitch-back went rolling on the ground, where Jason Morrow picked it up on the run. He quickly out-distanced everyone for the 50-yard TD. Mike Fountain's extra point try missed to leave the score at 6-6 with 6:39 left in the quarter.

Beebe again fumbled the ball on its next possession with the Curley Wolves taking over on the Badger 35. Prescott gave up the ball on another turnover withing striking distance. The fumble was recovered at the seven.

The Badgers, with their back to the wall, managed one yeard, then lost it. On third down, Price tried to hit a receiver on either side of Al Johnson, who picked it off and went down the sideline for the team's second TD.

Although a five-yard penalty moved the ball farther away from the goal line, Coach David Bennett still elected to go for two points to make up for the one already missed. The catch was about a foot high, but Calvin Flemons held on for the effort with two officials ruling a catch. Another official overruled them to keep the score at 12-6 with 1:30 left in the period.

The wet ball wasn't easily kicked all night, and this one by Fountain only went to the 28, where Jefferson returned it to the 41.

Two quick first downs had the ball on the Prescott 29, when Nicholas Bradley broke up the middle and went the distance for the TD with seven seconds remaining in the period. Johnston and Justin Jernigan were on the kick to block it for the score to remain tied at 12.

The kick to Prescott ended the quarter, which was a new begin-ning: the offense was ready to romp.

From the 26, Carlos Van Hook got the handoff, his first for the night, and picked up six yards. Flemons was stopped for no gain, then Johnston hit Fountain for the first down at the 39.

Johnston came right back with another pass for Terry Woodley, who tipped the ball, but fortunately Morrow caught it downfield for another first down at the Beebe 42.

Van Hook got another first down on the ground with a 15-yard gainer.

Woodley picked up three more, getting the ball to the 24. Johnston elected to run with the ball on the next play and got inside the five, but a five-yard penalty nullified the run and moved the ball back to the 29. A pass for Douglas Flenory was over his head. Then a little screen pass to Van Hook at the 20 moved the ball to the 15, enough for a first down.

A face mask penalty against Beebe moved the ball to the four-yard line. Woodley went on the next play. Van Hook was called upon for the two-pointer, and he converted it to make the score 20-12 for the underdogs with 7:32 left in the half.

With another good return after the kick-off, the Badgers started at their 48. On first down, Price passed to Jon Raney for a pickup of 34 yards.

Then Prescott, which had fewer than 11 players on some plays, were caught this time with 12 players on the field. The penalty moved the ball to the eight, where Heath Gammage got the next two calls and another TD for the Badgers. Once more Beebe couldn't convert the extra point and the score remained 20-18 with 6:49 left in the half.

This is all the offense for the Badgers, as far as rushing goes. The remainder of the game the wound up with a minus 11 yards on the ground, and only 72 in the air for the next three quarters.

The first punt of the game came on the Wolves' next possession on fourth and three. Beebe had to do the same on fourth and eight.

The punt rolled dead at the Prescott 15, where the Curley Wolf offense was to begin its biggest scoring drive of the night.

Van Hook got the first call and gained 21 yards for the first down. A screen pass to Morrow picked up another nine yards, then a penalty moved the ball back to the 40. A sweep by Woodley got the first down at the Beebe 48.

On the next play, Johnston faked up the middle, but threw a pass to Van Hook, who evaded several tackles to go all the way for the fourth Td. This time the PAT by Fountain was good to make the score 27-18 for Prescott.

This very well could have been the breaking point for the Badgers. They never gained their composer again, even after halftime when adjustments are usually made. The Curley Wolves were superb.

The good part was that no half-time adjustments were made by the Badgers. Prescott once more drove downfield for another touchdown after taking the kick-off.

The series began at the Prescott 22. In the shotgun formation, Johnston went back to pass, but ran instead, getting the first down at the 36.

Woodley was stopped for no gain, then Van Hook, going up the mid-dle, fumbled forward for a gain of three yards. A screen to Fountain picked up the first down at the Beebe 47.

Van Hook gained five; Woodley got four; then Van Hook gained one for the first down.

Johnston went into the shotgun formation again, and his pass to Fountain was enough for a first down at the Beebe 23.

He then overthrew Morrow, giving Van Hook the opportunity to get two more yards. Johnston went back to pass, and