Wolves pull out 43-36 win over Go-Devils

By Staff, 09/5/20 12:01 AM

GURDON – Brian Glass got his first win as Prescott’s head coach Friday night, but it was anything but easy as the Curley Wolves escaped with a 43-36 win over the Gurdon Go-Devils.

Fans, though, had to wait as the game was delayed more than an hour because of weather. For those who stayed, they got their money’s worth as it was a back and forth game between two evenly matched teams.

While the Wolves and Devils are no longer in the same conference, the old rivalry burns just as hot between the squads as neither wants to lose to the other – especially at home. Gurdon’s Astroturf field was slick, which caused problems for both teams early on, primarily in the snapping game.

Early on it was old fashioned smash mouth football as the teams battled to show who was more dominant physically. Gurdon had the edge with a massive offensive line and was able to run consistently all night.

It was also a penalty-filled game, which is to be expected as this was the first game for both teams. Overall, 19 flags were thrown in the game.

The Devils went on offense first, taking the opening kick back to the 36. Gurdon drove to the Prescott 45 before punting with the ball rolling into the end zone, giving the Wolves the ball at the Prescott 20.

Prescott’s first snap sailed over Jacobi Nolen’s head, but he managed to recover the loose pigskin at the four. The Wolves made it to the 11 before punting. However, Prescott’s punter was roughed which  moved the ball  15-yards further downfield and gave the Wolves a first down at the 26. With a bit of breathing room, the Wolves drove for the first score of the game in an 11-play drive. Nolen went in from the 19 for the touchdown. The extra point was good putting the Wolves up 7-0 with 5:10 left in the first.

Gurdon started its second possession at the 36 as well and drove to the Prescott four before the first quarter came to an end. It took the Devils two plays at the start of the second to find the promised land. The touchdown came on a five-yard run with 11:28 left in the half. The PAT knotted the score at 7-7.

Gurdon’s kick was a high pooch with Prescott calling for a fair catch. However, the Devils interfered with the catch resulting in a 15-yard penalty and setting the Wolves up at the Gurdon 43.

The Wolves needed 10 plays to score the team’s second touchdown, this one coming on an 18-yardrun by Jaylen Hopson. The PAT made it 14-7 with 8:01 showing.

Gurdon set up shop at its 34 and drove 66 yards in 10 plays, scoring on a two-yard run. The point after tied the score once again at 14-14.

Prescott called for a fair catch at its 38, with another interference call made movin the ball to the 47, but was unable to do anything and turned the ball over on downs after getting to the Devil 48 with 1:11 in the half.

Gurdon drove to the Prescott 10 in nine plays and with a second left in the half, opted to try for a 25-yard field goal. The kick was blocked.

Both defenses showed up in the third quarter as moving the ball proved difficult for both squads. Prescott managed to score the only touchdown in the period, but it took until the Wolves’ third possession.

Prescott started the half at its 43 and drove to the Gurdon 35 before penalty moved the ball back to the Wolf 36 and a high snap gave the Devils the ball on the Prescott 38. This was the only turnover of the game.

While the Devils were sitting pretty, Prescott’s defense stiffened forcing a turnover on downs at the Wolf 14.

However, the Wolves couldn’t do much with the ball either and punted three plays later. Gurdon bobbled the ball but recovered at midfield.

The Devils ran 11 plays and got as far as the Prescott 24 before turning the ball over on downs again, this time at the 25.

As the ground attack wasn’t working, Prescott decided to go to the air. Nolen went deep, hitting an open Jeffery Williams with a 75-yard strike with 1:58 left in the third. The PAT put te Wolves up 21-14.

The ensuing kick rolled into the end zone for a touchback and set the Devils up on the 20. Gurdon’s running game came to life as Prescott’s defense was shredded. Gurdon ran four plays to end the third, getting to Prescott’s 35. Five plays into the final period, Gurdon scored on an 11-yard pass. The PAT again tied the score, this time at 21-21.

From there, it was on. Until Gurdon’s final possession of the game, neither defense could do much more than get in the way of the other offense.

Prescott went up 28-21, only to see the Devils come back and tie the score at 28-28. The Wolves went up 35-28, and watched as Gurdon came back to score with 2:47 left in the contest. Gurdon opted for a two-point conversion and took the team’s only lead of the game at 36-35.

Wolf fans were sweating, but all remained glued to their seats as the Wolves started Prescott’s final drive at the 39. Hopson broke free to the Gurdon 47 on the first play. Nolen gained yard to the 46 before connecting with Caleb Harris, who battled to the 32. Nolen added two on first down before finding Harris again at the 21. Alex George took the handoff from Nolen, ran over the left side, saw a gap in the Gurdon defense and raced 21-yards for the final touchdown of the night. Wanting a seven-point cushion, Glass called for a two-point conversion. Nolen fought his way into the end zone to make it 43-36.

The problem was, there was still 1:15 showing on the clock, and the Devils had proven they could score quickly as well. Gurdon took over on its 26and made it to the 46 before having to spike the ball with eight ticks remaining.

Silence could be heard from both sides of the bleachers when the ball was snapped. Gurdon’s quarterback scrambled, looking for a receiver and threw a bomb that was caught at the Prescott 30. However, that’s where the receiver’s forward progress ended, along with the game.

Prescott will be home next Friday and will host the Hope Bobcats.