Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Go-Devils Scorch Hornets

By JOHN MILLER

For the fourth week in a row, the Gurdon Go-Devils emerged from the field of combat victorious.

The latest victim was the Mineral Springs Hornets, who fell 22-21 Friday, Sept. 26.

The Devils, though, made sure their fans had plenty to cheer about, while scaring them to death in the process.

Both teams entered the foray undefeated, though the Hornets had been tied, while the Devils had not seen their record marred in any way, shape or form.

Gurdon won the coin toss and took the ball to get the game underway.

Kenny Hughes fielded the kick at the 24, taking it to the 33, where Gurdon started.

The Devils moved downfield effectively, roaming to the Mineral Springs 39 before turning the ball over on downs to the Hornets.

Gurdon used 4:40 in its eight play drive, showing their hosts they were not going to be the most polite of guests.

Then again, the Hornets were not the best of hosts either. Their do-everything fullback, David Hendrix, started with a 10-yard run, putting the ball near midfield. He added four more yards on his next carry, moving the pigskin into Gurdon territory at the 46.

At this point, the Hornets unleashed their air attack, as senior quarterback John Harless started winging the ball downfield

His first completion went to the Gurdon 19, as he hit Rodney Woodruff. Three plays later, the Hornets were nesting at the Devil 8, and scored on an end-around by Woodruff.

The point after gave the home team a 7-0 lead.

Adrian Meeks fielded the ensuing kick at the 20, giving the Devils good starting position at the 31.

Chauncey Charles gained 15 yards on two carries before the Devils fumbled the ball away at their 46 with 3:54 to go in the opening quarter.

The Hornets began driving toward the promised land, with James Reed gaining 10 yards on two carries.

Harless and Reed hooked up through the air on the third play, taking the ball to the Devil 23. Six plays later, Mineral Springs was sitting on the Gurdon one, but the buzzer sounded, ending the first period of play.

Throughout the game, the Gurdon defense would bend, but never completely broke.

Mineral Springs started the second period with Harless keeping for the six. This time, though, the PAT sailed wide left, but the Hornets still led 13-0.

Something snapped in the Gurdon offense at this point.

Meeks fielded the kick at the 15, taking it to the 30. Hughes barrelled for 15 to the 45 on first down, carrying several green clad Hornets with him.

Charles followed with three yards to the 32, with quarterback Jarrod Toland keeping for a yard on second down. Charles added two more on third down.

This led to a fourth down situation, and decision time for Coach John Pace.

Gurdon's most glaring weak spot so far has been its kicking game. The Devils have only converted one point after by way of the kick. All other PATs have been by two point conversions.

With the ball at the Mineral Springs 29, it was too close for a punt.

This made Pace's decision easy -- go for it.

Toland dropped back, was well protected and fired a strike to Eric Hatley over the middle. Hatley caught the ball, took a hit, managed to keep his balance and sprinted for a touchdown to cut the score to 13-6.

The Devils were flagged for the first time in the game for illegal motion on the conversion attempt, moving them back to the eight. The Toland-Hatley combine failed to connect, and the score remained 13-6.

The Hornets started their next set on the 25, moving downfield to recapture their previous lead.

Mineral Springs drove the 75 yards in nine plays and used a little less than four minutes to score.

Harrell hit Hendrix for a 26-yard touchdown at the 4:49 mark.

After the score, the Hornets went for two, with Harrell keeping to make it 21-6.

The kick was fumbled, but recovered by Gurdon at the 36. However, Hughes was nailed on the first carry and lost the handle.

this time, though, the Devils weren't as fortunate as the Hornets came up with the loose ball.

The Mineral Springs coach must have wanted to put the Devils away quick as Harrell went back to pass on first down.

Letting the ball fly, he managed to find Hatley at the Gurdon 10, giving the Devils possession with 4:31 left in the half.

But the Hornet defense stiffened, forcing Gurdon to punt after the Devils moved out of the shadow of their own goal line.

The 36-yard boot left the Hornets at their own 30.

Mineral Springs ran two plays, moving to the 45, before coughing the ball up themselves.

Terry Cornish pounced on the loose pigskin, managing to move it forward to the Hornet 42 with 0:59 left.

On the first two plays, Kaleph Williams and Hughes moved closer to the Hornet goal as they managed to push the ball to the 31.

The Devils then went airborne as Toland again hooked up with Hatley at the 25 and called their second time out with 0:18 left.

Once play resumed, Toland and Charles missed connection, but the Toland-Hatley tandem was successful to the 17.

With eight ticks left in the half, the Devils called time. Toland's pass to Josh Griffin was tipped away at the last second, leaving the Gurdon team with four seconds to score.

As the ball was snapped, Toland dropped back. The Hornet defense came with a heavy rush, but Toland found Hatley over the middle again. This play worked for a second touchdown as the buzzer sounded ending the period.

However, Gurdon still had the try for point after to go. Pace called for the option, with Toland tossing to Charles, who went in untouched.

This proved to be the difference in the game as momentum shifted from the Hornets, who had threatened a blowout, to the Devils.

At the half, Gurdon trailed 21-14, but had things going its way.

The Hornets got the ball to start the second half.

Beginning at the Mineral Springs 25, the Hornets marched downfield to the Gurdon 22, where Harrell met Griffin up close and personal. Actually, Griffin, on the sack, tried to drive Harrell through the turf on third down. The fourth down play saw a pass fall incomplete at the endzone and give the Devils their first possession of the third period with 6:23 left.

Toland showed his field generalship as the Devils marched relentlessly toward the Mineral Springs goal line, using Charles, Hughes and Williams to batter, bruise and humble the host defense.

The drive took 10 plays, covering 79 yards, culminating with Hughes going in from the eight at the 1:45 mark in the period.

Then came the play of the game. The Devils lined up as if they were going to try and kick the PAT and tie the score at 21-21.

The Hornet defense was fully taken in by the ruse as Toland took the snap, stood up and fired another strike to Hatley for two points and the lead at 22-21.

This sent the Gurdon fans into a frenzy as the visitors stands literally rocked with glee, not to mention quite a bit of noise.

Starting at their own 2