Rockachaws topple Blue Devils 63-49
The Pearl River Central Blue Devils and St Stanislaus Rockachaws traded blows in the first half of their football game on Friday quicker than one can push the button on their Rockem’ Sockem’ robots, but second half defensive adjustments by the Rockachaws proved to be the difference allowing them to pull away for a 63-49 win at Kenneth L. Hendrix Stadium in Carriere.
SSC scored the first points of the game on a defensive touchdown when Aaron Rush stripped the ball from a Blue Devil runner and raced 48 yards with 11:21 showing on the clock. William Weber’s point after made it 7-0.
PRC’s Detrich Spikes and SSC’s Delvin Henry, Jr. scored touchdowns on their first five carries combined after the fumble return by Rush.
On the third play after the kickoff, Spikes took off on a 73 yard touchdown scamper and Sam Lambert’s extra point made it 7-7 with 9:33 left in the first quarter.
Detrich Spikes (21) and (6) Kobe Whitehead
On the Rockachaws first snap after the ensuing kickoff, the center snap the ball over Henry’s head and the Blue Devils jumped on the ball at the SSC 9. On the next play, Spikes ran it in for a touchdown and Lambert booted the point after for a 14-7 lead with 9:15 left in the quarter.
On the first play after the PRC kickoff, Henry lined up in the shotgun, took the snap, and bolted through the Blue Devils defense for a 66 yard touchdown and Weber’s extra point was good to tie the game at 14-14 with 8:57 left in the quarter.
When the Blue Devils got the ball after the Rockachaw kickoff, Spikes took the handoff on second down and raced down the right sideline for a 79 yard touchdown outrunning the SSC secondary. Lambert’s point after made it 21-14 with 7:55 left in the first quarter.
Henry answered on the first snap after the PRC kickoff with an 86 yard sprint for his second touchdown and the Weber point after tied the game at 21-21 with 7:34 left, still in the first quarter.
The Blue Devils next possession ended at the 50 yard line when the Rockachaws held them on downs.
SSC couldn’t move the ball and punted it back to PRC with the Blue Devils starting at their 6. Spikes took a handoff on first down and broke to the outside to his right, and after tight-roping the sideline between the forties for the touchdown with 2:36 left in the quarter. The point after was no good due to a bad snap and PRC led 27-21.
The PRC defense got the ball back on the next SSC possession recovering a fumble at the SSC 31. Six plays later Kobe Whitehead bulled his way for a touchdown from a yard away and Lambert’s PAT made it 34-21 with 11:07 left in the second quarter.
Henry answered with a 73 yard touchdown on the first play after the Blue Devil kickoff and the Weber PAT made it 34-28 with 10:54 left in the half.
PRC started on their next drive at the St Stanislaus 21 due to a great kickoff return from Xavier Lockhart who took the ball at his own 5 and weaved his way through the R return team. Seven plays later, Spikes scooted in off right tackle for the touchdown and Lambert converted the extra point for a 41-28 lead with 7:44 left in the quarter.
The ensuing kickoff went over the head of SCC’s Brandon Bordelon and he eventually picked the ball up at the 1 yard line, went right, then cut back across the field on his way to a 99 yard return for the touchdown. The point after by Weber made it 41-35 with 7:27 on the clock.
The Rockachaws executed a successful on side kick, recovering the ball at the Blue Devil 48. Henry ran the ball three consecutive plays from the shotgun and scored on the third one from 43 yards out and the Weber extra point gave SSC the lead at 42-41 with 5:43 left in the half.
The Blue Devils were stopped on fourth down at the SSC 47, but the defense got the ball back forcing a punt. PRC’s next possession ended on an interception.
St Stanislaus took the second half kickoff and put together a 6 play 70 yard drive with Henry scoring on an 8 yard run with 10:07 left in the third to push their lead to 49-41 after the point after was good.
PRC moved the ball to the Rockachaw 35 yard line, but again were able to convert on a fourth down.
Henry scored again on the fourth play after the change of possession on a 46 yard run to make it 56-41. The Blue Devils move the ball to the SSC 35 again and the Rockachaws held them on fourth down again to get the ball back with 11:54 left in the fourth quarter.
Henry scored his final touchdown three plays later from 1 yard out and Weber’s extra point made it 63-41. PRC would move the ball again to the SCC 35 yard line and again were stopped on fourth down.
The Blue Devil defense held and SSC punted the ball away with PRC taking over at their own 38. From there, the Blue Devils drove the 62 yards on 9 plays with Whitehead scoring on a 12 yard run and he ran in the two point conversion to make it 63-49.
Henry finished with 395 yards on 21 carries and seven touchdowns.
Spikes had 22 rushes for 328 yards and five touchdowns while Whitehead had 146 yards on 27 carries and two touchdowns. Ryan Spradley added 11 carries on 48 yards for the Blue Devils.
PRC Head Coach Jacob Owen, despite the loss, was proud of this team’s effort.
“I’m proud of the way our kids fought the whole game. That gave a great effort. That was a great running back, maybe the best on the coast. I take full responsibility for the loss and I don’t feel like a coached very well the second half. That’s on me,” he said after the game.
PRC (1-3) will open up region play on Friday at Long Beach. Kickoff is set for 7:00pm at Lance Lumpkin Stadium.
