Please note that this post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward MageeNews.com a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
Saints Smother Sylva Bay
By: Melissa Grace
Photos by Jennifer Hall
The Saints of Prentiss Christian played host to the Saints of Sylva Bay Friday night. This was the first district matchup of the season for both teams. Prentiss won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff to start the game. Austin Daughdrill took the kick at the PCS 24 yard line and returned it twenty-three yards to the 47 yard line. Blake Greenlee went deep for Josh Daley on first down, but the pass was incomplete. Daughdrill opened the ground game with a short game before Greenlee hit Daley on a thirty nine yard strike. Sylva Bay was hit with a horse collar penalty to move the ball all the way to the SBA 6 yard line. Daughdrill found the end zone the very next play and Daley added the PAT to give PCS a quick 7-0 lead only a minute and a half into the game. Daley kicked off for PCS to the SBA 32 yard line and the kickoff team only gave up a four yard return. Sylva Bay only gained two yards on the first two plays, but a blown coverage on third down resulted in a fifty eight yard gain to the Prentiss five yard line. SBA gained three yards on first down and on second down the Saints gave up their first points of the season on a halfback pass. The PAT was blocked by Prentiss keeping the score at 6-0 with 7:14 to play in the first quarter. SBA’s kick was fielded by Hunter Sutton and returned thirteen yards to the PCS 33 yard line. Prentiss mishandled the next snap and fumbled the ball back to Sylva Bay on first down. Prentiss shut down the SBA Saints on three consecutive plays, but a roughing the passer call gave Sylva Bay a first down on the PCS 17 yard line. SBA worked down to the 8 yard line, but Daughdrill stepped up and deflected back to back passes giving the ball back to Prentiss at that spot. Prentiss hit the ground running with carries by Daughdrill, Blaise Holder, Eric Powell and Jeremiah Sumrall getting up to the 41 yard line quickly. However, a holding penalty moved the ball back to the 31 yard line. Greenlee hit Sutton on a nine yard pass play to end the first quarter. The Saints gained another eight yards on the ground, but an illegal block cost PCS ten more yards. Prentiss made up for it with a thirty nine yard pass play from Greenlee to Powell along the Saints sideline. Daughdrill took back to the ground, but another holding penalty put Prentiss back on the SBA 32 yard line. Prentiss threw a couple of incompletions, but Daughdrill and Holder kept the ball moving on the ground until Daughdrill hit an eight yard dash into the end zone. Daley added the PAT making the score 14-0 with 8:21 to go in the first half. Daley boomed his next kickoff for sixty yards forcing a touchback for SBA and placing the ball on the 20 yard line. SBA managed out to the 26 yard line; however a holding penalty put them into a fourth down situation from their own four yard line. Sylva Bay punted for twenty yards to the SBA 24 yard line. On first down, Greenlee found Sutton on a nice pass into the end zone for another Saints touchdown. The fake kick pass to the kicker from Greenlee to Daley added the two point play giving Prentiss a 22-6 lead. Daley’s kickoff was fielded at the ten yard line and returned the 31 yard line of SBA. An incompletion on first down led to a six yard loss on second down. A good gain on third down was not enough for a conversion and forced SBA into a forth and one situation. Sylva Bay punted for seventeen yards giving the ball to Prentiss on their own 43 yard line. Greenlee mixed in completions to Daley with a couple of incompletions softening up the defense for a twenty three yard blast from Daughdrill to the SBA 22 yard line. Sumrall lost yards on first down so the Saints went back to the air. Daley hauled in back to back passes setting up Holder for a five yard touchdown run. Daley again added the PAT giving PCS a 29-6 lead. Daley’s fifty four yard kick was covered well stopping the runner at the 18 yard line. The defense mauled the SBA running back on first and second down and hit the runner in the backfield forcing a fumble and a recovery by Jack Chavis at the SBA 7 yard line. Greenlee went for the TD on first down, but the ball fell incomplete. Daughdrill was called upon for PCS gaining seven yards on two carries making another touchdown for Prentiss. Daley punched in another PAT raising the score to 36-6 nearing the end of the first half. The Prentiss kickoff sailed sixty yards again giving SBA another touchback. Prentiss let Sylva Bay have some ground game to keep the ball in front of the defense as time expired on the first half of play.
Daley kicked the ball fifty three yards, but poor coverage gave up a 38 yard return for Sylva Bay. SBA was unable to gain yardage on their own, but back to penalties against Prentiss put the ball into PCS territory. Prentiss was up to the challenge and forced a turnover on downs at the PCS 29 yard line. PCS mixed up the pass and run in quick fashion moving the ball at will against SBA. New to the mix were Zevohn Smith and Wade Watkins. This well managed drive was capped off with a two yard touchdown run by Greenlee. Daley added his last PAT of the evening giving Prentiss a 43-6 lead. Mercy rule was well into effect at this point forcing a running clock. Daley booted a 55 yard kickoff that was well covered with only an eight yard return. SBA lost five yards on the drive and elected to punt back to Prentiss Christian. Following the SBA punt, Prentiss started their next drive on the Sylva Bay 47 yard line. With Taylor Barrett adding some tough yards inside, Watkins rushed all the way down to the 10 yard line of Sylva Bay. Chandler Holloway caught a nine yard pass from Steven Colson, but was hauled down just shy of the goal line. Barrett and Watkins both tried to pound it in; however they were stopped short giving the ball back to Sylva Bay. A massive defensive substitution took place for Prentiss. Despite giving up yardage to the SBA 31 yard line, the defense held strong as Dathan Dungan ended the game with a forced fumble and recovery as the horn sounded on another Prentiss Christian victory. The Saints travel to Hillcrest this week for a non-district matchup.
Offensive stats-
Greenlee 12/19-131 yards-1TD-2 rushes-1 yard-1TD, Colson 1/1 passing-9 yards, Daughdrill 9 rushes-74 yards-3TD, Watkins 5 rushes-34 yards-2 rec-13 yards, Holder 6 rushes-23 yards-1TD, Powell 2 rushes-12 yards-1 rec-39 yards, Sumrall 2 rushes-3 yards, Barrett 3 rushes-3 yards, Daley 6 rec-41 yards, Sutton 2 rec-33 yards-1 TD, Holloway 1 rec-9 yards, Smith 1 rec-5 yards
Defensive stats-
Verdun 3t 7a, Sumrall 3t 6a, Holder 7a, Miller 7a, Chavis 1t 3a, Smith 5a, Sutton 1t 2a, Colson 3a, Bullock 2a, Daley 1t, Berry 1a, G. Dungan 1a, D. Dungan 1a, Magee 1a
