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Page IB - Pike County Journal Reporter - Wednesday, November 3, 2021
Pirates score big but fall to Panthers
PHOTOS BY TOMMY POLNASZEK / VIVID MOMENTS PHOTO
Above left, Jakllen King picks up big yardage for the Pirates. He had 265 total yards with 158
yards on 22 carries, 107 yards on two returns and four TDs. Above right, Carter Steele looks to
pick up a sack of the Panthers quarterback during Friday night’s game.
BY CRAIG CHATMAN
Friday night’s region
football match-up be
tween the Pike County
Pirates and the Americus-
Sumter Panthers gave
the Pirates a chance to
win their third game in a
row. It also gave them an
opportunity to keep their
small play off hopes alive.
The Pirates were unable
to capitalize on many op
portunities and fell to the
Panthers by a final score
of 48-35 on Friday night at
Finklea-Robinson Field at
Alton Shell Stadium.
Pike received the
opening kick-off, looking
to get on the board first,
but an errant pitch on the
second play from scrim
mage gave the Panthers
the ball at the 12 yard
line. The Panthers scored
on the next play from
scrimmage and took a 7
nothing advantage early
in the first quarter. The
next drive for the Pan
thers ended after gaining
a first down and leading
to Ozzie O’steen’s first
punt of the game. His
punt pinned the Panthers
back deep. A quick three
and out on defense for the
Pirates, and a nice punt
return by Cameron Tuggle
set the Pirates up with a
short field. In a three play,
23-yard drive capped by
a four yard TD run for
Jakilen King, the Pirates
tied the game up at 7 in
the first quarter. Another
quick stop for the Pirates
defense gave the ball
back to the offense with
about 4 minutes left in the
first quarter. A six-play,
61-yard touchdown drive
followed for the Pirate of
fense. Jake Gilpin scored
on a five-yard run and the
O’steen extra-point made
it 14-7 Pike County. After
another three and out for
the Panther offense, the
Pirates had the football
looking to take a two
touchdown lead early in
the second quarter.
On the ninth play of
the ensuing possession,
the Pirates fumbled at
the Americus 8 yard line
going in to score. It was
all the momentum the
Panthers would need as
their offense came to life
and they went 92 yards to
tie the game at 14. It took
the Pirates just two plays
to respond when King
raced 57 yards for a score
and a 21-14 advantage.
The next series of plays
proved to be costly for
the Pirates as the Panther
offense picked up sev
eral big third and fourth
down plays to extend a
drive and tie the game at
21. The ensuing kick-off
hit a Pirate and was re
covered by the Panthers.
The Panthers offense
again quickly turned the
miscue into points, and
a 27-21 lead after the
point after attempt failed.
Again, the lead was very
short for the Panthers
after a penalty for kicking
the ball out of bounds,
and another penalty for
being off-sides on the
kick. King took the next
kick 75 yards for a touch
down and the Pirates had
a 28-27 lead at the half.
To open the second
half, the Americus offense
came out and went 68
yards for the go-ahead
score early in the third
quarter. The game
changed in the next drive
when the Pirates offense
failed to answer the Pan
thers score, and a short
punt led to another Pan
thers score and a 41-28
lead. Pike County used a
35-yard completion from
Gage Lee to Quindarius
Harris to set the Pirates
up at the Panther 5 yard
line. King took it the re
maining five yards for the
score and a 41-35 deficit.
An onside kick attempt
failed, and the Panthers
were able to milk the
clock and score with just
over a minute to go.
The Pirates offense
was paced by King with
265 total yards with 158
yards on 22 carries, 107
yards on two returns and
four touchdowns. Riley
Gordon had another nice
game adding 10 carries
for 84 yards for an 8.4
average.
The loss drops the
Pirates to 3-6 overall,
and 2-4 in Region 2-AAA
action. The Pirates
will close out the 2021
campaign with a trip to
face the newly crowned
Region 2-AAA Champion
Crisp County Cougars
at 7:30 Friday night in
Cordele.
PCHS cross country teams earn top titles, head to state
The Pike County High
School Cross country
teams both placed as Re
gion Champs and Region
Runner up at the Region
2AAA championship.
The PCHS boys’ and
girls’ cross-country
teams traveled to Crisp
County High School in
Cordelle to compete in
the Region 2AAA Cham
pionship. Both teams
walked away with a win,
the boys earning the
Region Championship
title and girls earning the
Region Runner Up title.
The teams are coached
by Ken Smith and Ashley
O’Steen.
The boys’ varsity team
was led by seniors Aiden
Potter and William Grey
and they scored a team
average of 18:02, secur
ing the region title for the
fourth year in a row. Aid
en Potter led with a time
of 17:29 and earned the
individual runner up for
the region. William Grey
finished third place with
a time of 17:31. All of
Pike’s runners compet
ing in the race had top
10 finishes, including
Luke Woerner in fourth,
Andrew Edward in fifth,
Xander Potter in sixth,
John Barber in seventh
and freshman Jack Bell in
tenth.
The girls’ varsity team
was led by senior Lauren
Smith and junior Cath-
ryn Stuart and they had
their hands full with their
once again team rival
Mary Persons. The girls’
races were hard fought
and they ended the race
with the Region Runner
up title. Madison Wilson,
Aiden Potter earned the indi
vidual second place award in
Region 2-AAA.
Katie Ballard, Morgan
Wilson, Addison Stuart
and Bailey Morris - all
sophomores - helped
secure a strong second
place finish.
Other teammates
running in the JV boys
and girls race included
Copper Hanson, Garrett
Child, Brayden Keiser,
Turner Whelan, Ethan
Dumas, Savannah Mc-
Brayer, Morgan Boynton,
Mackenzie Malcolm and
Emma Summerlin.
Both varsity teams
will head to Carrollton on
Friday Nov. 5 to compete
in the 3-AAA State Cham
pionship Meet.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
The Pike County High School Lady Pirates cross country team are Region Runners Up, including (l-r) coach Ashley O’Steen,
Madison Wilson, Katie Ballard, Addison Stuart, Catherine Stuart, Morgan Wilson, Bailey Morris, Mackenzie Malcolm, Morgan
Boynton and Savannah McBrayer.
Stefs
SoSSiOUHTRy
The Pike County High School Pirates cross country team are Region Champions including (l-r) Noah Strader, Copper Hanson,
Andrew Edwards, Luke Woerner, Aiden Potter, coach Ken Smith, Xander Potter, Will Gray, Jack Bell, Turner Whelan and Brayden
Keiser. The team earned the championship title for the fourth year in a row.
PCHS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
October 29 th vs. Americus Panthers
Offensive Player
#66 Jackson Jeffcoat
tremendous job blocking
all Year
Defensive Player
#34 Austin Lee
6 Tackles, 1 TFL, 1 Sack
Special Teams Player
#30 Jakilen King
75 Yard Kickoff Return
for a TD
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