Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Curley Wolves Nip Redbugs In Finale

The battle for second place is over.

First place is taken by Nashville; second place was either going to Prescott or to the Fordcye Redbugs. The battle was fought last Thursday, and Prescott won it, 12-0.

The Redbugs finished third and De Queen was fourth. All four teams are in the state play-offs.

Prescott's first game in the play-offs is this Friday at Prescott. The Wolves will play the Gosnell Pirates, third place team from the 3AA Conference.

Gosnell has a 5-2 conference record and the Pirates are 8-2 overall.

Looking at the brackets, Prescott could have another `home' home next week. The McGehee Owls host the Prairie Grove Tigers this week in the play-offs. If McGehee and Prescott win, the Curley Wolves will have to travel to McGehee. If the Tigers and Wolves win, Prairie Grove will have to travel to Prescott.

For four games after the Nashville loss, the Wolves had no competition. They had no test of their endurance.

Coach Eddie Jackson played his reserve players with confidence in each of those games: all he had to do was to put key players back in the game if the opponent should begin a drive. He did this for four games, even playing freshmen against Fouke. The games were really no contest for the Wovles.

No so against the Redbugs. The Wolves were tested last week. They got to see what a Redbug is made of -- on the kick-off.

Like the bloodsucker Fordyce is named after, they sought blood on the kick-off, and a Prescott player had to be helped off the field. Later another Wolf received a cut nose and lip. It was a hard-hitting game and Prescott needed it.

The game typified what could await the Wolves in the play-offs. No doubt perserverance paid off for the Curley Wolves against the Redbugs. The Prescott defense was able to endure the pressure put on them repeatedly.

Twice Al Johnston intercepted passes when the Redbugs were threatening deep in Prescott territory. All threats were taken care of by the defense.

Stopping the Redbugs from scoring in the fourth period was the major goal of the Prescott defense; their battle cry was, "Don't let them score!" They wanted to shut them out, and they did. This type of defense must be played in the games in the play-offs.

Even though the Redbugs were within striking distance early in the fourth period at the Prescott nine-yard line, the defense kept them from scoring.

Mistakes by Prescott are still happening, though. Fortunately, the Redbugs couldn't take advantage of the two fumbles they recovered from Prescott, even though one of them was only 24 yards away from the goal line.

These mistakes could be very costly in the play-offs.

The first two possessions of game resulted in turnovers. The first by Fordyce, the second by Prescott.

Once more the Wolves won the coin toss and deferred until the second half. They kicked off to the Redbugs, who drew a clipping penalty the first thing.

Beginning on their 11-yard line they were able to move the ball down feild to the Prescott 20-yard line, thanks to outstanding running by Roger Grandy and two big passes from quarterback Steven Morgan to tightend Kevin Williams.

On first down at the 21, Grandy gained one yard, then an offsides penalty moved the Redbugs back one yard. Morgan then attempted to hit Williams in the end zone, but Johnston was there for the interception.

Prescott took over on the Wolves' 20.

The Wolves picked up four first downs (one on a fumble out-of-bounds by Johnston), down to the Fordyce 18. At the 18, Heath Duke lost the grip on the ball with a Redbug coming up with it for the turnover.

The Redbugs took over, but had to punt (thanks to the Prescott defense) early in the second period from their 38, with the Wolves getting it at their 37. It was time for a scoring drive.

On first down Carlos Vanhook rushed for five yards, then quarterback Al Johnston picked up the first down at midfield.

Sam Marlow then gained six yards, and on the next play he rushed to the Fordyce 20. However, a holding penalty nullified the run and 10 yards were marched off against the Wolves.

On second and 14, Johnston went back to pass, but had to run out of the pocket. His speed picked up the first down at the Fordyce 39-yard line.

On first down Vanhook gained 35 yards to get the first down at the four.

Marlow gained two, then Vanhook got one yard, but Jared Yates lost a yard on the next play. On fourth and goal to go from the two, Marlow got the call and the touchdown. The point after try was blocked as Mike Fountain's kick was extremely low and it was blocked. The scored remained 6-0 with 5:59 left in the half.

The Curley Wolves threatened again in the half on their next possession, but time ran out.

After the Prescott TD, the Redbugs finally had to punt after making a couple of first downs. The ball was killed at the Prescott 43.

On first down, Johnston connected with Flemons on a pass that netted eight yards. The Fordyce defender also connected with Flemons the same time the football did, but Flemons managed to hold on to the ball in spite of the hard hit.

Prescott was stalled. The big play came on fourth and two. Rashad Johnson went back to his normal punting position. But Prescott fans know he has a good arm and he proved it, too.

Johnson took the snap and sailed the ball to Flemons at the Fordyce 22 for the first down with only a few seconds left in the half.

On first down, Johnston went back on a pass option. Finding no one open, he opted to run, and run he did. He picked up the first down at the five with no timeouts remaining.

He gained one on the first play, but was sacked for a six-yard loss on the next. He never got the next play off as time ran out.

Prescott got the first possession the second half, but had to punt. Fordyce also had to punt, but with their backs at the end zone. The punt rolled dead at the Fordyce 39. The Wolves were ready to score again.

Marlow eeked out a yard on first down, Heath Duke lost a yard, then Marlow took the handoff on a draw that netted 12 yards and a first down at the Fordyce 27.

On the next play, there was no stopping Vanhook as he went the full 27 yards for the TD. A two-point try by Johnston failed and the score remained 12-0.

Prescott finished the game with 14 first downs. Fordyce had 12.

The Wolves' total offense was 253 yards while the Redbugs had 189.

Prescott rushed for 212 yards. The Redbugs rushed for 132, with Grandy getting 122 of them. Vanhook was Prescott leading rusher with 104 yards.

Johnston attempted five passes, competing two for 14 yards. Rashad Johnson passed once for 27 yards. Morgan attempted 12 passes for Fordyce, completing three for 57 yards. He had eight incomplete pass