Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Go-Devils Snakebit By Rattlers

By JOHN MILLER

To say Friday night's game between Gurdon and Murfreesboro was ugly would be a compliment.

Both teams had trouble holding onto the ball, and each suffered penalty problems throughout the game.

The Go-Devils were snakebit as they coughed up the ball six times on 10 fumbles and were picked off twice as well. Murfreesboro lost the ball five times on six fumbles for its share of the blame.

However, the Rattlers took advantage of Gurdon mistakes to post a 43-0 win and make the Devils' chance of post-season play even more remote.

The game opened well for Gurdon as the Devils won the toss and deferred until the second half.

Dionysos Simpson fielded the kick at the 11, returning it to the 27 where the Rattlers set up.

Al Green gained two on first down before quarterback John Terrell went to the air, connecting with Green for five.

The initial first down came when William Meakin carried to the 45 as the snakes were on the march.

Terrell found Brian Caldwell open at Gurdon's 48 before meeting Gurdon's Keone Penney in the backfield for a loss of four.

The Rattlers moved the ball efficiently to Gurdon's 27 before the Devils forced a fumble and recovered the errant ball at their 38.

However, the Devil offense failed to show up on the opening drive as the first two snaps resulted in fumbles, both recovered by Gurdon.

On third down, Eric Allen, who started in place of Jared Toland under center, missed Antonio Gatlin forcing Gurdon to punt.

The kick sailed to the Rattler 31 where it was fumbled, but recovered by Murfreesboro. A penalty against Gurdon for illegal formation (not enough men on the line) was declined.

The Rattlers ran two plays before Josh Griffin blasted Robert Bonner causing another fumble.

Chauncey Charles fell on the ball at the Rattler 39 with 4:49 left in the first.

But the good field position meant nothing as Gurdon lost another fumble on the second play of its short drive.

Kenny Hughes took a pitch on a reverse, but couldn't control the pitch, resulting in another turnover.

Terrell went to the air immediately, finding Simpson for a huge gain, to Gurdon's seven. There, the Devil defense stiffened and pushed the home squad backwards, sacking Terrell at the 15 forcing a 32-yard field goal attempt.

The kick was called wide by the referees at the 2:15 mark, leaving the scoreboard unblemished on both sides.

Gurdon took over at its 20 and gained five when the Rattlers jumped offsides.

Allen handed off to Mario Charles, who fumbled. The ball was recovered by Allen, who then winged a pass which fell incomplete.

Allen missed connection with Eric Hatley on second and 10 and was picked off by Corey Cooks, who took the pick in for a touchdown for the Rattlers. The point after was wide of the mark, but Murfreesboro led 6-0.

C. Charles took the kick at the nine, returning it to the 20, but a flag for an illegal block put the Devils in the shadow of their goal line at the 10.

Toland replaced Allen under center, was hit, fumbled with the ball recovered by the Rattlers for a touchdown with 1:38 to go in the opening period.

Murfreesboro went for two successfully, pushing the score to 14-0.

M. Charles took the kick at the Devil 16 and was stopped at the 32. Two plays resulted in the loss of six yards before Toland was intercepted by Bonner at the 40, who returned the pick to the Devil 34 to end the quarter.

Again the Gurdon defense stiffened, giving its offense the ball back after four plays, when the Rattlers were unsuccessful on a fourth down attempt.

However, the Murfreesboro defense was up to the task at hand as it forced the Devils to return the favor after four plays.

Mistakes continued as the Rattlers fumbled the ball away on the next play, setting Gurdon up at the Murfreesboro 48 after Kaleph Williams fell on the pigskin.

It took four plays for the Devils to get their first first down of the game as Toland hit Hatley with a screen, with Hatley managing to get to the Rattler 24.

The Devils moved inside the Murfreesboro 10, making it to the six before the Rattler defense and penalties forced them back.

On fourth down, a pitch to M. Charles wound up on the ground, with Gurdon recovering at the Rattler 23, but still having to give up the ball on downs.

The Rattlers moved to the Gurdon 36 before penalties pushed them back near midfield at the 47.

Terrell dropped back, found Caldwell all alone in the secondary, laid the ball in perfectly resulting in the Rattler's third touchdown.

The point after was an experience as Gurdon was flagged for being offside, followed by the Rattlers being nailed for illegal equipment, setting up the kick from the seven, which sailed wide, leaving the score at 20-0.

C. Charles fielded the ensuing kick at the 20, taking it to the 36. His effort was nullified by an unsportsmanlike conduct call against Gurdon, moving the ball back to the 21.

Toland connected with Keon Brewer, who fumbled at the Devil 27, with Murfreesboro recovering with 1:04 to go in the half.

An unsuccessful running play resulted in the Rattlers calling their final time out with :50 left. Terrell found Simpson in the flats, with the receiver covering the remaining distance for the score. This time, the PAT split the uprights giving Murfreesboro a 27-0 lead.

The point after, though, resulted in a flag when Gurdon's T.J. Eckert plowed into the holder, resulting in a roughing call and a 15-yard penalty on the following kick.

Fortunately, Gurdon was able to survive the final seconds with nothing more going wrong.

The third quarter was short and sweet. Gurdon took the kick, starting at its 29.

The Devils moved to the 43 before being forced to punt. Robbie Brooks fumbled the boot, with K. Hughes falling on the loose ball at the Rattler 15.

It looked like the Devils would finally get on the scoreboard as they moved to the seven before a pitch to M. Charles wound up on the turf and was picked up by Murfreesboro's Green, who took it the distance for the only score of the period. The PAT was good and the Rattlers led 34-0.

C. Charles gave his team decent field position at the 30, with the Devils moving to the Rattler 45 with the help of a facemask call against the home team.

Two incomplete passes, though, forced Gurdon to punt once again, with the ball rolling dead at the eight.

The Rattle offense began marching downfield, moving to the 39 before the third quarter ended.

The drive stalled at the 43 where they were forced to punt.

Gurdon took over at its nine, losing half this on an illegal motion play before snapping the ball.

Following a gain of one, the Devils were again flagged for motion, putting them even closer to their own goal line.

Unable to move, the Devils lined up for a punt. However, the snap was low and kicker Tommy Otwell