Wolves dump Lions, 53-30

By Staff, 11/3/17 7:07 AM

JESSIEVILLE – It was a long trip for a short night as the Curley Wolves escaped Jessieville 53-30 Thursday night.

The game wasn’t as close as the final score as the Lions, fighting for a playoff spot, scored three times against Prescott’s subs, including several freshmen. Jessieville was in a must-win situation to keep its season alive, but it wasn’t to be as the Wolves refused to lose and end the regular season with a 9-1 overall record and 6-1 in 5AAA play.

Prescott will be home next Friday night, Nov. 10 in the first round of the playoffs. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. but the Wolves’ opponent won’t be known until all of Friday’s games have ended.

Prescott won the opening toss and elected to receive. Jessieville tried an onside kick, only to see Riley Robbins fall on the ball at midfield.

Thomas Muldrew went deep on first down, connecting with Ka’Darius Pearson to the Lion 10. Muldrew kept the ball on the next play, scoring. The point after made it 7-0 with 11:39 left in the opening period.

Prescott attempted an onside kick only to see the Lions recover at the Jessieville 45. Four plays later the Lions turned the ball over on downs, having managed to gain only nine yards.

It was three and out for the Wolves as a holding penalty effectively killed the drive which resulted in a punt to the Lion nine.

The Lions moved to the 25 before Konnor Tinsley picked off a pass, returning it to the 23.

Three plays later Muldrew found Pearson for Prescott’s second score of the game. The PAT made it 14-0 with 5:32 left in the first.

Prescott was hit with a delay penalty when an onside kick attempt failed to go 10 yards. The following kick was returned to the Lion 31.

Jessieville ran two plays, going nowhere before coughing the ball up.

It took Prescott two plays to score for the third time of the inaugural period. Muldrew connected with Cameron Cox on a 21-yard strike for six. The PAT made it 21-0 with 3:39 showing.

The kick went into the end zone, putting the ball on the 20. Jessieville managed to get its initial first down of the game on the drive, but wound up punting when Prescott’s defense stiffened. The kick rolled to the Prescott 39.

Prescott went to the air three straight times, with Cade Haynie’s third pass getting picked off and returned to the Prescott 35 as the first quarter ended.

Derriun Thompson returned the favor, intercepting a Lion pass, taking it back to the Wolves 39.

MyKal Burns gained a yard before Muldrew hit Cox on a 60-yard strike. The extra point was short, but Prescott was up 27-0 with 10:29 left in the half.

It was three and out for the Lions, with the punt getting to the Prescott 40.

Once again, the Wolves struck quickly, scoring in four plays with the touchdown coming on a Haynie to Cox 32-yard pass. The PAT put the Wolves up 34-0 with 7:00 to go.

Once again it was three and out for the Lions, though Jessieville did line up in a standard offensive formation on fourth and four, only to have the quarterback, who was also the punter, boot the ball to the Prescott 30 with 4:57 on the clock.

The Wolves took two full minutes to cover 70 yards, needing nine plays. Haynie hit Muldrew on a 25-yard strike for the Wolves’ sixth touchdown of the half. The PAT put the Wolves up 41-0 with 2:57 remaining.

The squib kick was returned to the Lion 33. A first down lateral wound up on the ground, was picked up by Prescott and returned to the four.

Jessieville was hit for pass interference on first down, moving the ball to the two. Two plays later, Isaiah Wayne went in for Prescott’s seventh score of the night. The PAT was wide, leaving the score 47-0 and making sure the mercy rule would be in effect for the second half.

Prescott substituted heavily, including several freshmen. Jessieville kept its starters in the game and drove 80 yards, after the touchback, in six plays, scoring with 45 ticks on the clock. The Lions were successful on a two-point conversion, cutting the score to 47-8 at the half.

Prescott’s subs remained in the game to start the second half, with the opening kick being returned to the Prescott 47. Jessieville scored its second touchdown after a four-play drive, on a four-yard run. The try for two was good, making it 47-16.

Prescott recovered an onside kick attempt at midfield, but the second string offense was unable to move the ball and punted to the Lion 30, only to see the kick returned to the Prescott 30.

Jessieville needed four plays to score, this time on an eight-yard run. The try for two made it 47-24.

The third ended with Prescott recovering an onside kick at midfield again. The final 12 minutes began with Prescott’s starting offense taking the field. Unfortunately, the Wolves had to punt after three plays with the ball being fair caught at the Lion 17.

Jessieville drove 83-yards in four plays, scoring on a 70-yard catch and run. This time, the try for two was no good, leaving the score at 47-30, and ending the Lions’ scoring for the game.

A miscue on the onside kick attempt resulted in Prescott getting the ball on the Lions’ 41. Haynie hit Cox who made it to the 13. This was followed with a pass to Pearson for three more. In all, it took the Wolves eight plays to score with Haynie hitting Pearson for a four-yard score. This made it 53-30 as time expired.

Early in the game, the Wolves stretched the Lion defense with long pass attempts. Prescott didn’t rely much on the running game at all during the contest, but didn’t really need to.

The regular season has ended for the Wolves. Now Prescott enters the playoffs where it’s a one-game season every week until early December. The Wolves will have at least one home game, that next week, with the opponent to be determined. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m.