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Cougars pounce, top BHS
PCHS earns 22-0 victory
Patrick County's Josh Walker leaps a Bassett defender during Friday's 22-0 win over the Bengals. (Photo by Ray Reynolds)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
By JOHNNY BUCK - Bulletin Sports Editor
Patrick County stepped up to the occasion on Friday night, while Bassett did not.
The Cougars got a 22-0 win on senior night in Stuart, piling up 294 total yards without a pass attempt. Bassett, meanwhile, turned the ball over four times — three in the PCHS redzone — and generated just 46 rushing yards as a team.
“The two differences to me in the ballgame were the turnovers they had down there (in the redzone) and the way our defense played the entire night,” said Cougar coach Brad Dalton. “I thought our defense played smarter. I thought it played probably the best it’s played all year.”
Bassett coach Jay Gilbert said the game was decided in the trenches.
“They pretty much just manhandled us up front. There wasn’t no secret to what they ran. They ran three or four plays on offense and just pounded it up front,” he said. “We’re undersized up front, they exploited it, and maybe it will be a challenge to our guys to do what it takes in the offseason ... to be competitive, because right now we’re not there.”
PCHS senior Josh Walker ran for a career-high 201 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, helping to offset the loss of quarterback Jacob Reynolds, who did not play due to injury.
Walker said his team played especially hard after Dalton put the game in perspective prior to kickoff.
“I think it was the pregame speech that coach Dalton gave us. We knew we had to win if we wanted to get a postseason run, and the team came together. We all played, did our jobs and got a victory,” he said.
Walker also noted that his teammates were playing for Reynolds, a captain injured during last week’s loss to Magna Vista.
“We knew everyone had to step up an extra level, because he’s a big part of the offense and defense,” Walker said.
Patrick County scored on its first possession of the game.
The Cougar defense forced a turnover on Bassett’s next offensive play when Aaron Bowman’s sack of Patrick Blankenship jarred the ball loose, and Jalen Reynolds recovered.
Three plays later, the Cougars (4-5 overall, 2-1 Piedmont District) had covered 40 yards and made the score 14-0.
Afterward, Gilbert was critical of his team’s mindset.
“We came out of the blocks and fell down 14 (points) real early. I really think our guys thought that since one of their studs (Jacob Reynolds) wasn’t playing, that we were going to come up here and have an easy game,” said Gilbert, whose teams have won or shared a portion of five straight PD titles. “I don’t mind that being printed, because I think that’s exactly what happened. Obviously, you can’t do that against any team, especially when you’re not a real great team yourself.”
Early in the second quarter, a nine-play BHS drive was halted when Eston Raines intercepted a Mason Maples pass.
Patrick County marched 74 yards on eight plays to open the second half and went ahead 22-0 when Walker took a sweep around the right end for a score, then rushed for the 2-point play.
Bassett (3-6, 2-1 PD)got to the PCHS 14-yard-line early in the fourth quarter after starting at mid-field, but Shaq Finney fumbled on a running play and Pierre Scales recovered for the Cougars.
After Jalen Reynolds fumbled for PCHS on a 4th-and-inches running play, Bassett drove to the 8-yard-line and threatened to score with about 6 minutes to go in the game. Dashaun Valentine’s second-down pass was underthrown, however, and Justin Vernon picked it off.
PCHS then milked the final 5:41 from the clock, letting bruising fullback Jalen Reynolds carry it seven times on the nine-play drive. He finised with 87 yards on 24 carries.
Score by Quarter
PCHS 14 0 8 0 — 22
BHS 0 0 0 0 — 0
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
PC — J. Walker 10 run. (J. Martin kick failed). 7:48
PC — J. Reynolds 6 run. (A. Bowman 2-point run). 6:08
Third Quarter
PC — J. Walker 5 run. (J. Walker 2-point run). 7:15
Team Stats PC BHS
Total Yards 294 140
Rushing A-Y 44-294 29-46
Passing Yards 0 94
Passing C-A-I 0-0-0 6-15-2
First Downs 10 10
Penalites #-Y 6-55 4-20
Turnovers 1 4
Punts #-Avg. 4-28.5 3-41
Time of Poss. 28:04 19:56
Individual Stats
Rushing: PCHS — J. Walker 19-201, 2 TDs; J. Reynolds 24-87, TD; A. Bowman 1-6. BHS — D. Valentine 13-64; E. Bowman 3-8; P. Blankenship 4-(-7); M. Maples 3-(-9); S. Finney 6-(-10).
Passing: PCHS — None. BHS — D. Valentine 3-for-4, 43 yards, INT; M. Maples 2-for-9, 42 yards, INT; P. Blankenship 1-for-1, 9 yards; S. Finney 0-for-1, 0 yards.
Receiving: PCHS — None. BHS — D. Woods 3-60; S. Finney 2-25; B.J. Preston 1-9.
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