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Round One Win for the Saints
Eric Powell and Kash Miller take down the Blue Devil
Austin Daughdrill running the ball for the Saints
Photos by: Jennifer Hall – http://photosbyjenny.zenfolio.com/
BY: Melissa Grace
Tunica Academy rolled into Prentiss Friday with an entourage of trucks, trailers, UTV’s and even RV’s that made the approximately five hour trek south to face the Saints in the first round of the MAIS AA playoffs. They brought with them one of the fastest offensive teams that you will find in the playoffs. The Saints won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff from the Blue Devils. The 35 yard kick was taken by Michael Goddard and returned 11 yards to the 36 yard line of Prentiss. At this point the Saints unleashed a punishing ground attack. Austin Daughdrill and Blaise Holder took turns running right at the Devils. Prentiss mixed in speed from Eric Powell and moved right down into TA territory. Ten plays into the drive, Daughdrill hit the end zone from 4 yards out, but a false start put the ball back on the 9 yard line. Powell took the next handoff and made up the score for Prentiss. Blake Greenlee added the 2pt conversion on a run around left end. With 6:01 left in the 1st quarter, the Saints led 8-0. Josh Daley’s first kickoff of the night went 29 yards with no yardage gained on the return. The Blue Devils opened up their offense gaining yardage up to the 49 yard line. On 4th and 5 Jack Chavis and Kolbe Verdun stuffed the TA running back turning the ball back over to the Saints with good field positon. Prentiss went right back behind the big offensive line with Holder, Daughdrill and Powell in the backfield. Eight rushes later, the Saints had a 1st and 10 on the TA 30 yard line. A series of narrow incompletions gave the ball back to Tunica on their own 29 yard line. The Devils put together a six play drive of their own. With the ball at the PCS 46 yard line, the Devils attempted to convert a 4th and 14, but fell way short by gaining only 1 yard. The Prentiss backs followed the O-line for a five play drive capped off by a 39 yard touchdown sprint by Powell. The PAT missed keeping the score at 14-0 with 5:24 to play in the 1st half. Daley’s kickoff was for 31 yards with no return. The Blue Devils would not bow out easily as they put together an eleven play drive that ended in QB keeper for touchdown from 6 yards out. The 2pt conversion was stopped halting the score at 14-6 with 22 seconds to play in the half. Tunica kicked off 30 yards to Hunter Sutton who returned the ball 20 yards to the midfield stripe. Following a false start and an incompletion, Greenlee hit Daley for a 42 yard strike with only 5 seconds on the clock. Next, Greenlee found Goddard for a 13 yard touchdown pass with no time remaining in the half. Daughdrill added the 2pt conversion sending the Saints into the locker room with a 22-6 lead at the half. Tunica took the 2nd half kickoff all the way to the PCS 35 yard line, but a personal found moved them back to the their own 33 yard line. Three plays later, Holder hit the Tunica QB in the backfield forcing a fumble right into the arms of Ned Sanders who sprinted 31 yards for a touchdown. Powell’s 2pt conversion was stopped making the score 28-6 with 10:23 to play in the 3rd quarter. Greenlee kicked off 37 yards for the Saints, but the Devils got a favorable 17 yard return plus a personal foul penalty on the tackle giving them the ball on the 38 yard line of the Saints. Tunica quickly moved to the 12 yard line on a long QB run, but the Saint defense broke up the next two pass attempts putting TA in a 3rd and 10 situation. A fumble caused by Jack Chavis cost the Devils 11 yards and forcing a 4th and 21 to go. Kash Miller deflected the long pass attempt giving the ball back to the Saints on the 23 yard line. On 2nd down the Saints fumbled the ball back into the hands of the Blue Devils on the 19 yard line. A bad snap by Tunica cost them 21 yards on 1st down and moved them back to the 40 yard line. Following a 14 yard pass on 2nd down, Tunica’s tailback found the end zone on a 26 yard run. The 2pt conversion run was good cutting the Saints to 26-14 with 5:22 to play in the 3rd quarter. Tunica’s kickoff was fielded by Steven Colson on the 27 yard line to start the next PCS drive. TA stopped the Saints on 1st down, but Powell gained 22 yards on 2nd down. Holder earned 2 yards on the next play plus an additional 15 yards on a personal foul penalty against Tunica. The Saints backs kept moving the ball in small chunks down to the 9 yard line. It was there that Holder found a window into the end zone for the touchdown. The 2pt conversion was stopped making the score 34-14 Prentiss. The Greenlee kick was returned 19 yards, but a face mask penalty moved the ball the 47 yard line for TA. Seven plays later, the Blue Devils QB found the end zone again. The tailback added the 2pt conversion tightening the gap to 34-22 Prentiss with 7:34 to go in the game. Tunica attempted the onside kick, but Daughdrill covered the ball on the 49 yard line. After an 8 yard gain by Holder on 1st down, Daughdrill gashed the Blue Devils with a 43 yard touchdown run. Powell added the 2pt conversion giving Prentiss a 42-22 lead at the 6:29 mark in the game. Greenlee’s kickoff was returned to the 48 yard line of the Saints before the returner was brought down by Colson. Losses on 1st and 2nd down were countered with a good gain on 3rd down, but not enough for a 1st down. The 4th down attempt was stopped by Daughdrill and Greenlee giving PCS the ball on the Saint 49 yard line. With time winding down the Saints set out to burn the clock on the ground and that is exactly what they did. With help from consecutive personal foul penalties against Tunica the Saints offense moved down to the 10 yard line. It was there the Saints went into the victory formation to finish the game. PCS will travel to Woodville Friday night to face Wilkinson County Christian Academy in the 2nd round of the playoffs.
Offensive stats-
Greenlee 2/7 passing ,55 yards, 1 TD, 4 rushes, 1 yard- Daughdrill 17 rushes, 103 yards, 1 TD-Powell 9 rushes, 87 yards, 2 TD- Holder 12 rushes, 51 yards, 1 TD- Daley 1 rec, 42 yards- Goddard 1 rec, 13 yards
Defensive stats- Miller 3t, 5a- Daughdrill 4t, 2a, Powell 2t, 5a- Verdun 8a, Holder 2t, 4a- Sutton 3t, 1a- Greenlee 2t, 2a- 2t, 2a, 1TD- Goddard 1t, 2a- Chavis 3a- Berry 3a- Colson 1t
