Wolves advance with 45-27 win

PRESCOTT – Three mistakes proved to be the difference in the game Friday night, between the Curley Wolves and Clinton Yellow Jackets.

The end result was a 45-27 win for the Wolves, as Prescott’s defense picked off three Clinton passes that were turned into touchdowns. For a playoff game, there were a lot of penalties, with more than a dozen called on the night, though most were of the five-yard variety.

When the game began, it looked as though the Wolves would be in for a fight for the entire 48 minutes. Clinton won the coin toss, took the opening kick, returning it to the Prescott 49 and driving the ball down the Wolf defense’s throat in nine plays for the first score of the game. The touchdown came on a one-yard run with 8:47 left in the first. The extra point made it 7-0.

Clinton’s offense didn’t have any big plays on the drive, but was methodical and simply couldn’t be stopped.

The Jackets tried an onside kick, recovering the ball at the Wolf 49. However, a Clinton player touched the ball before it went 10 yards, but no official saw this. Clinton had its second drive before Prescott’s offense saw the field. However, the Wolf defense was ready this time and stopped the Jackets, with the help of a pair of holding calls. Clinton punted to the Wolf 17.

Prescott’s offense didn’t do itself any favors with back-to-back motion penalties to start the drive. With the ball moved back to the seven, the Wolves drove 93-yards in 13 plays with Ryan Johnson going in from the two with 23 seconds left in the first. The point after tied the game at 7-7.

Clinton started at its 39, making it to the 40 as the first quarter came to an end. Period two saw the Jackets march the rest of the way downfield, punching it in from four yards out. The PAT gave the hosts a 14-7 lead with 9:27 left in the half.

Derriun Thompson returned the kick to the Clinton 44 where Prescott set up shop. Johnson gained five on first down, with the Wolves getting a first down as the Jackets jumped offside on the next play. Three plays later Johnson broke free on a 26-yard run to make it 14-13. The PAT knotted the score at 14-14 with 7:50 showing. This was as close as the game would be for the rest of the night.

A squib kick was returned to the Clinton 46. The Jackets drove to the Prescott 49 before being forced to punt, with the kick getting to the Wolf 29.

The next drive was one of the few the Prescott offense failed to score on. The Wolves managed to get to the 41 before punting to the Clinton 39 with 2:33 on the clock.

It was three and out for the Jackets with the punt fielded by Jacobi Nolen at midfield and returned to the Clinton 46 with 1:15 left.

The Wolves showed a ground game rivalling that of Clinton as Prescott ran the ball down the Jackets’ throat, getting to the 34 before Johnson found Cameron Cox with a touchdown pass with 14 seconds left. The PAT gave the Wolves a 21-14 lead that Prescott wouldn’t relinquish.

The kick was returned to the 42 with the Jackets gaining two as time expired in the half.

Prescott got the ball to start the second half, with Thompson fielding the kick at the 28, returning it to the 45. Again, the Wolves used a punishing ground attack to grind up the turf and chew up the clock. The drive took 11 plays, all on the ground, ending with Alex George going in from a yard out. The PAT made it 28-14 and took some of the spirit out of the Jackets.

Some, but not all. Starting at the Clinton 34, the Jackets went deep on first down trying to catch Prescott’s defense off guard. It didn’t work as Johnson picked off the pass at the Prescott 27.

The Wolves drove to the Clinton 20 on seven plays before Luis Rabadan was called on to attempt a 37-yard field goal. The kick just cleared the crossbar, making it 31-14 with 4:32 left in the third.

Clinton showed there was still plenty of fight in the Jackets, as the hosts returned the kick to the 44 and drove 56-ayrds in eight plays, scoring on a one-yard plunge with 1:34 showing. The PAT made it 31-21.

Prescott recovered the onside kick attempt at the 43 and was immediately hit with a motion call on first down. The Wolves made it to the 49 as the third quarter came to an end. The final 12 minutes saw the Wolves punt for the second time of the game, with the ball rolling dead at the Clinton four.

Clinton went to the air, getting to the 49 before Keonte Franklin picked off a pass at the Prescott 48 and returned it to the Clinton 10 with 9:07 to go.

It took three tries, but the Johnson scored on a three-yard run to make it 38-21 with the PAT splitting the uprights.

The kick was returned to the 36. Clinton again went to the air, only to have Trey Rucker pick off a pass at the Prescott 34 with 6:03 left.

Three plays later, George broke loose on a 34-yard run to ice the game. The extra point made it 45-21 and ended Prescott’s scoring for the night.

The kick was returned to the 41. Clinton needed seven plays to cover the 59 yards and scored on a 33-yard halfback option pass with 1:48 to go. The Jackets were unsuccessful with a two-point conversion attempt, leaving the score 45-27.

Rucker fielded the onside kick attempt giving Prescott the ball at its 42. The Wolves went into victory formation with Johnson taking a knee three times and punting to the Clinton 25 on fourth down.

With 15 seconds left, the Jackets managed to run two plays, getting to the Wolf 20 as Clinton’s season came to an end.

The Wolves will return to the friendly confines of Cummings Stadium next week as Prescott host McGehee, as the Owls dumped Newport, 42-21. It was a good night for teams from the 5AAA as Smackover edged Danville, 49-35 and Camden Harmony Grove sent Glen Rose to basketball season with a 47-28 whipping.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.