Wolves fall to Owls 44-39

By Staff, 12/4/20 10:25 PM

PRESCOTT – A breakdown in Prescott’s pass defense wound up bringing the Wolves’ season to an end as McGehee posted a 44-39 win Friday night in the AAA state quarterfinals.

In many ways, it was a strange game. Neither defense could stop the opposing offense in the first half, which saw 55 points put up and Prescott on the wrong end of a 30-25 score at the break. The second half was primarily defensive as neither offense could get on track. Both teams put 14 on the board as the Owls scored twice in the final 12 minutes. Actually, both touchdowns came in the final 1:47 of the contest.

Both squads had problems hanging onto the ball and turned it over to the other team and, until the end, there were relatively few penalties in the game.

Prescott ended is year with a 10-1 overall record.

After winning the toss, the Wolves deferred, giving the ball to the Owls. McGehee returned the opening kick to the 38 and used 13 plays and 6:51 to march 62 yards. The touchdown came on a five-yard run. At no time during the contest did McGehee attempt to kick an extra point, choosing instead, to go for two. The Owls were successful after the first score and led 8-0 with 5:09 left in the first.

Another thing the Owls didn’t do was kick the ball deep. Every kickoff was either an onside attempt or a squib. Prescott recovered all but one of these, the one the Wolves lost proved to be too much for the team to overcome.

Prescott’s offense set up shop at the Wolf 46. It took four plays for the Wolves to go 54-yards, the touchdown coming on a five-yard run by Jacobi Nolen with 4:06 showing. Prescott was unsuccessful in its try for two and trailed 8-6.

McGehee returned the kick to the 35, fumbled on first down, recovered, gained three on second down and coughed it up on the third play with Prescott recovering at the Owl 48.

Nolen found Jeffery Williams at the goal for Prescott’s second touchdown. Williams made a great one-handed grab while being held by an Owl defender, falling into the end zone and maintaining control of the ball. The try for two was no good, but the Wolves were up 12-8 with 2:09 to go.

Prescott tried an onside kick, only to see the Owls all on the pigskin at midfield.

The Owls drove to the Wolf 11 in six plays ending the first quarter. McGehee fumbled on the opening play of the second, but recovered at the 13. A third down pass gave the Owls a 14-12 lead, which was increased by a questionable two-point conversion. The Owl receiver caught the ball short of the goal and literally threw it into the end zone where a Prescott player picked it up. However, the officials said the conversion was good making it 16-12 with 11:07 left in the half.

A pooch kick was recovered by the Wolves at the Prescott 46. Jaylen Hopson gained two on first down. Nolen hit Williams on second down, but Williams fumbled with the Owls recovering at the McGehee 49.

The Owls followed with a one-play drive, connecting on a 51-yard pass. The conversion was no good, leaving the score 22-12 with 10:20 to go.

Prescott recovered the squib kick at its 46 and drove 54-yards in 10 plays to cut the lead to 22-18. The score came on a four-yard run by Hopson. The point after was wide.

McGehee bobbled the kickoff, but managed to return the kick to the Wolf 22. The Owls needed four plays to score, the touchdown coming on an 18-yard pass where Prescott blew the coverage leaving the receiver wide open in the end zone. The conversion made it 30-12 with 4:21 showing.

The Wolves set up shop at the Owl 46 after another squib kick. It took Prescott eight plays to cover the distance with Alex George going in from the two. The PAT made it 30-25 with 2:15 left in the half.

Prescott attempted an onside kick the Owls recovered at the Wolf 49.

The Owls ran three plays getting to the 35 before going deep on a double reverse. The receiver was open. The ball hit him in the hands and slid through.

Halftime arrived with the Wolves down 30-25.

Prescott got the ball to start the second half, recovering the squib kick at the Wolf 29 and returning it to the 36.

George fumbled on first down with the Owls recovering at the Prescott 38. A low snap messed up the timing of the play, giving the Owls time to get to George.

Prescott’s defense stiffened, forcing the Owls to turn the ball over on downs at the Wolf 20 with 9:23 left in the third.

Seven plays later the Wolves were lined up to punt, facing a fourth and three at the Prescott 38. McGehee was fooled, as were pretty much everyone, as the ball was snapped to Williams who hit Jacaylon Zachery at the 50. Zachery fought his way to the end zone and Prescott’s first score of the second half. The PAT made it 32-30 with 5:54 on the clock.

The Owls returned the kick to the Prescott 38 and gained six yards in three plays before being picked off by Carston Poole who returned it to the 39.

However, it was three and out as the Wolf offense saw three consecutive passes hit the turf, two being dropped. The punt rolled to the Owl 33.

This time, though, it was three and out for McGehee as the Owls couldn’t get anything going and were forced to punt to the Wolf 25 with 0:31 left.

Prescott moved the ball to the 37 on two plays bringing the period to an end. The Wolves opened the final 12 minutes by driving to the Owl 38. The drive ended with Nolen being picked off near the end zone and the ball returned to the 19.

The Owls managed to get to the 30 before being forced to punt for the second time in the game, with the ball getting to the Prescott 42 with 4:27 left.

The Wolves needed six plays and 2:20 to put six more on the board. After getting to the Owl 42, a high snap went over Nolen’s head. Nolen managed to pick the ball up, find a seam down the sidelines and race 42-yards for the score. The PAT made it 39-30 with  1:47 left in the game.

Normally, a nine-point lead with less than two minutes to go in the game would pretty much be a guaranteed win. This wasn’t to be the case.

For some reason Prescott tried an onside kick, knocking the ball out of bound at the Owl 42.

The Owls needed five plays to score and were aided by a second bad call by the officials. After getting to the 23, the Owls went for it all with the ball being incomplete. However, Prescott was called for interference though the defender was going for the ball. This put the ball at the 11. Two plays later, the Owls scored. The try for two was good, cutting the score to 39-38 with 1:04 on the clock.

McGehee recovered the onside kick a the Prescott 47 with 52 ticks left.

The Owls gained 37 on a first down pass and went to the ground for the next three plays, getting to the seven. On fourth and goal, the Owl receiver slipped past the Wolf  defender for the go-ahead score. The try for two was no good, but the Owls now led 44-39 with two seconds left in Prescott’s season.

The kick went out of bounds, giving Prescott the ball at the Wolf 45. Nolen went for it all, but his hail Mary pass was batted down, ending the game and Prescott’s hope for a state title.