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Saints win battle over the Hawks
Melissa Grace
Photo by Jennifer Hall
Prentiss Christian played host to AAA Hartfield Academy of Flowood Friday night. This game was also senior night for the players, cheerleaders and drill team members enjoying their last season at PCS. The Saints won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kick from the Hawks. Hunter Sutton fielded the kick at the 10 yard line and returned it out to the 24 yard line, but an illegal block put the Saints back on the 14 yard line. There was little room for Austin Daughdrill on first down, but Eric Powell gained twenty nine yards on second down. He opened the door two plays later for Hunter Sutton to gain forty five yards around the left end putting the Saints down to the Hawks 11 yard line. Daughdrill picked his way to the 3 yard line, but a penalty backed up the Saints five yards. Powell tried to score around the right end, but he was called out of bounds near the two. On fourth down, the Saints could not convert and turned to the ball over on downs to the Hawks. Hartfield struggled early on and had to punt from the 9 yard line. The punt was downed on the HA 47 yard line. Powell and Daugdrill moved the ball on the ground to the 27 yard line setting up a nice seventeen yard run by Blaise Holder. After short runs and swapping penalties for false start and off sides, the Saints found the end zone on a one yard carry by Daughdrill. Josh Daley added the PAT giving the Saints a 7-0 lead with only forty seven seconds left in the first quarter. Daley’s fifty yard kickoff was brought out to the 28 yard line where the tackle was made by Steven Colson and Dathan Dungan. On first down, the Saints sent a blitz hitting the quarterback in the backfield causing a fumble. Powell made the hit, scooped up the ball and scampered in for the touchdown all in one quick action. Daughdrill added the two point conversion giving Prentiss a 15-0 lead. Daley’s next kick went forty one yards and was returned out to the 31 yard line. The Saints held the Hawks to four yards on the drive and forced another Hawk punt. Powell fielded the punt on the 37 yard line. Prentiss could not get much on the drive and elected to punt the ball back to HA. Blake Greenlee’s punt sailed forty eight yards and was downed on the 12 yard line of the Hawks. Hartfield found some room this time and set up a twelve play drive that resulted in a two yard touchdown run. The PAT was added cutting the lead back to 15-7. The Hawks kick was fielded by Powell on the 10 yard line and returned out to the 25 yard line. The Saint offense was stalemated again setting up another Greenlee punt. This punt was downed after thirty eight yards at the HA 34 yard line. With help from a facemask penalty, the Hawks found the end zone again on a four play drive. The PAT sailed left keeping the Saints with a narrow 15-13 lead. Sutton took the next kick out to the 35 yard line on a nice return. The Saints however, were unable to move the ball as time expired on the first half. Daley opened up the second half with a forty four yard kick that only gained seven yards thanks to a nice tackle by Zevohn Smith. A solid defensive series held the Hawks to six yards and set up a punting situation for Hartfield. Their punt was downed on the 30 yard line of the Saints. After a good first down run was called back for holding, the Saints got a false start penalty that backed them up well into their own end of the field. Greenlee was forced into a passing situation on second and long. A waiting linebacker snagged the pass for an interception and carried all the way down to the Saint 9 yard line. The Saint defense held the Hawks to a 13 yard field goal rather than giving up a touchdown. The Hawks had their first and only lead of the night with a score of 16-15. Sutton was again the recipient of the Hawk kickoff. He darted ahead to the PCS 40 yard line before being tripped up. PCS gained minimal yardage on runs by Powell and Greenlee, as well as, a catch by Sutton. However, Prentiss could not convert and had to punt back to the Hawks. Greenlee’s thirty one yard punt was downed on the HA 25 yard line. Prentiss held the Hawks to a third down, but gave up a big gain moving the ball into Saints territory. Despite the big gain, the defense was able to hold the Hawks a few plays later on a crucial forth down at the Saint 34 yard line. The Saints could not use the momentum to move the ball and ended up punting again from the 38 yard line. Greenlee’s punt was downed at the 23 yard line of Hartfield. The Hawks put together a solid drive, but a personal foul on the Saint 32 yard line moved the Hawks back to their own 47 yard line. In a major play for the game, the defensive line burst through and Tanner Berry came up with a big sack. This loss of yardage set up another Hawk punt. Prentiss would start on their own 30 yard line. Two plays later, Greenlee hit Daley up the sideline on a fifty seven yard pass moving the ball to the 11 yard line. Daughdrill gained a yard on first down followed by a ten yard touchdown pass from Greenlee to Daley in the corner of the end zone. Sutton grabbed the two point conversion pass putting the Saints up 23-16. Daley sent a nice fifty yard kick down field that was returned out to the 30 yard line before Smith and Colson made the tackle. The Hawks again found ways to move the ball, but with time running out had to open up the play book a bit. With less than a minute to play, the Hawks pass was intercepted by Greenlee near the end zone essentially sealing the win for Prentiss Christian. All that was needed was for the offense to go into their victory formation and run out the clock.
Offensive stats- Greenlee 5/10 passing-76 yards-1TD-1int- 4 carries—5 yards, Powell 8 carries-60 yards, Sutton-2 carries-44 yards- 1 rec- 4 yards, Daughdrill 14 carries-23 yards-1TD, Holder 2 carries-22 yards, Daley 4 rec- 72 yards- 1 TD
Defensive stats- Sumrall 3t 14a, Holder 1t 11a, Verdun 3t 6a, Berry 2t 6a 1 sack, Daley 1t 7a, Miller 6a, Daughdrill 1t 3a, Sutton 1t 2a, Smith 1t 1a, Bolin 3a, Powell 3a 1TD, Colson 2a, D. Dungan 1a, Bullock 1a, Greenlee 1 int