REIDSVILLE — Pierce County scored touchdowns on five consecutive possessions to end the first half en route to a 42-7 victory here, spoiling Tattnall County’s Senior Night.
The Bears (8-1 overall, 2-1 Region 3-AA) bounced back from a 28-16 loss a week earlier to Crisp County, ending PCHS’s streak at 96 consecutive weeks in the Top 10 polls.
“We (coaches and players) talked about it all week right before the game of coming out and setting the tone,” said Ryan Herring, who won his 80th game in 90 outings as Pierce County’s head coach. “We (coaches) know about our culture, about the mindset of our players and about their focus.
“We can’t worry about what’s in the past nor can we worry about what’s in the future. All we had to worry about was Tattnall County. I thought the guys did a good job of doing that.”
Following a three-andout on their opening series, the Bears needed just 20 plays over the next five series to take a 35-0 lead by intermission.
“To get on the scoreboard early was big in a game like this,” said Herring. “We didn’t need to give them life. This was their last game with no chance at getting in the playoffs. We didn’t need to give them something to fight for. We wanted to kind of give them a reason to put it in the tank.
“We (coaches) knew they weren’t just going to move out of the way, but I knew if we could come out and have a good, productive first half on both sides of the ball, the second half should go our way. I thought our guys did a good job on both sides of the ball.”
PCHS’s first half production was 301 yards of offense (357 for game) with scoring drives covering 44, 71, 95, 41 and 53 yards. Defensively, the Bears forced five punts, allowing just 56 yards of offense.
With a 35-point lead and running clock for the last two periods, Pierce County played a plethora of backups on both sides of the ball against the Warriors’ starters. PCHS finished the second half with 56 yards on 11 plays with a touchdown while the defense allowed 124 yards and surrendered a score.
“It was not really about resting the starters, but about letting those guys’ backups play, because they work every day just like the guys ahead of them,” Herrin said. “It was great for them to get out there and play on a Friday night.”
The Bears five-touchdown explosion, comprised of 20 plays, ate up just 7:13 of the first half clock. The 35 points were two points shy of PCHS’s total first half points for the previous four games (37). It was also a season high, surpassing the 31 points in Game 2 at Brantley County.
Jae’Veon Williams pushed his season totals to 1,212 yards and 24 touchdowns with an 11-carry, 152-yard night over the first 24 minutes. Williams recorded his seventh consecutive 100-yard game and has scored at least two touchdowns in nine straight games.
His first carry was a 44yard burst off right guard for a touchdown one play after Dylan Johnson’s 31yard punt return. Garrett Stevenson converted the first of his six PATs for a 70 lead with 7:18 left in the first period.
Pierce County’s second score followed a second punt by the Warriors. Drake Dowling (3-of-4, 108 yards) hit Stevenson (two catches, 79 yards) in stride on the ensuing snap for a 71-yard score with 3:01 left in the quarter. Stevenson followed his first career touchdown with the PAT for a 14-0 lead.
The Warriors threatened on their third possession, gaining 67 yards on two runs moving the ball to the PCHS 13. Trevon Rogers (17 carries, 99 yards) found an opening at left guard for a 56-yard gain with Johnson saving the touchdown. The run pushed Rogers over the 1,000-yard mark for the season.
Two quarterback sacks by Noah Delaney totaled 25 yards in lost yardage eventually setting up a fourth-and-32 punt on the first play of the second period.
Pinned at their own five, the Bears covered the 95yard distance in seven plays. Williams had backto back runs of 15 yards in the middle of the drive.
Dowling found Nigel Brown behind the Tattnall County defense on a 29yard aerial for the score with 9:09 left in the half. Stevenson kicked the margin to 21-0.
The Bears went 41 yards in five plays on their next possession with Williams crossing the goal line from nine yards out. Stevenson’s PAT pushed the lead to 28-0.
One final punt in the first half was followed by a fifth consecutive scoring possession by the Bears, who moved 53 yards in six plays. Dowling opened the drive with a 13-yard run and finished with a oneyard plunge just 45 seconds before intermission for a 35-0 advantage.
Tattnall County averted the shutout on its second possession of the second half scoring with 9:09 remaining in the game on a five-yard run by Peyton Finnerty. Eli Debevec kicked the PAT, cutting the deficit to 35-7.
PCHS followed with a touchdown on its final possession of the night. The Bears marched 58 yards in five plays with Beck Hodges speeding around right end for a 24yard score. Stevenson’s PAT finished off the scoring.
