Wolves escape Knights 42-20

GLENWOOD – Many things can be said about Prescott’s 42-20 win over Centerpoint Friday night – sloppy, mistake prone and ugly come to mind.

At times it seemed as though neither team really wanted to win the game as much as just get it over with – especially in the second half. From the start of the third to the final buzzer, it was laundry day as 22 penalties were accepted in the game, 14 in the second half alone and seven in the final 12 minutes, though two were declined.

Both teams were hit with penalties that cost touchdowns, and both turned the ball over three times each. Still, the Wolves managed to ruin homecoming for the Knights with the win and remain undefeated at 4-0 overall and 2-0 in 5AAA play.

Prescott won the toss and took the ball to get things started. The kick went into the end zone for a touchback with the Wolves setting up shop at the 20. Prescott made it to the Knight 41 before being forced to punt.

Centerpoint took over at its 17 ran three plays and punted back to Prescott, with the ball getting to the Knight 46.

Jaylen Hopson took the handoff, found a seam and scampered 46-yards for the first score of the night. The point after put the Wolves up 7-0 with 4:54. However, Prescott was also hit with an unsportsmanlike call, moving the ball back to the 25 for the kickoff.

The Knights fielded the ball at the Centerpoint 28 returning it to the 45, got to the Prescott 43 before going backwards and punting. The Knights got lucky as the snap was high, but there was little rush allowing the punter plenty of time to kick the ball away. It rolled to the Prescott 18.

Hopson gained 13-yards on two running plays before Alex George coughed the ball up. A Knight defender picked it out of the air and went in for six. The PAT tied the score at 7-7 with 54 seconds left in the first.

Hopson took the kick at the 15, returning it to the 32. Jacobi Nolen went deep to Jeffery Williams, who got behind the Centerpoint defense, on a 68-yard touchdown pass. The PAT made it 14-7 and this was as close as the Knights got the rest of the night.

Centerpoint returned the kick to the 35, and managed to run one play before the end of the period.

Period two began with the Knights facing a second and 10 at their 35. A heavy rush resulted in the quarterback getting rid of the ball late and getting called for grounding. This put the ball back to the Knight 20. Centerpoint fumbled on the next play with Prescott recovering at the 27.

Four plays later Hopson went in from 14-yards out. The extra point made it 21-7 with 10:44 left in the half.

The kick was returned to the 16. Centerpoint drove to the Prescott nine in nine plays and settled for a 26-yard field goal. This made it 21-10 with 6:53 remaining.

Prescott took over at the Centerpoint 34 after a good return by Jacaylon Zachery. The Wolves needed five plays with Hopson connecting with Caleb Harris on a 16-yard scoring strike. The PAT made it 28-10, ending scoring in the period.

Centerpoint drove to the Prescott 20 before being picked off, only to have Prescott return the favor three plays later.

The flags started flying almost immediately in the second half. Centerpoint returned the kick to its 25, gained nothing on first down and was hit with an illegal motion call, followed by a pass interference call against Prescott and a sack before the Knights completed a pass to the 43 on third down. The Knights went for it on fourth, losing three yards and turning the ball over on downs.

Prescott didn’t do itself any favors as the Wolves were hit with a holding, illegal motion and unsportsmanlike call before turning the ball over on a fumble at the 40. The unsportsmanlike call gave the Knights the ball at the Wolf 45 with 6:19.

The Knights managed to get to the 13 and settled for a 31-yard field goal to cut the lead to 28-13 with 3:38 left in the frame.

Centerpoint attempted a squib kick, which was recovered by Prescott at its 39. A holding call on first down pretty much killed any hopes of a drive as the Wolves wound up punting three plays later to the Knight 38.

Centerpoint made it to the Prescott 35 as the period ended. The Knights opened the final period by completing the drive in six more plays, scoring on a 24-yard pass, only to see it called back for holding. The penalty killed the drive as the Knights wound up turning it over on downs at the Prescott 37 with 9:00 to go.

It took the Wolves two plays to score, with Nolen connecting with Zachery on a 70-yard strike. The PAT made it 35-13, but more laundry was on the turf. Prescott wound up getting hit with two unsportsmanlike calls on the score and PAT requiring the Wolves to kick off from the 12.

The kick was fielded at the Knight 40 and returned to the Prescott 40. Centerpoint needed three plays to score on a 42-yard pass. The PAT made it 35-20 with 6:20 left in the game.

Prescott recovered the onside kick attempts at its 47. Nolen hit Harris on first down to the Knight 46 before flags began flying on almost every play. Prescott was penalized for holding and illegal motion, while the Knights were nailed with a personal foul call. A holding call against Prescott was declined as Nolen had been sacked. In the end, the drive stalled at the 32 with the Knights taking over on downs with 4:15 on the clock.

For all practical purposes, the game ended on the next play when Tywan Thompson picked off a Knight pass, returning it to the Centerpoint 32. Alex George gained 10 on first down before Hopson finished it off with a 22-yard run. The extra point made it 42-20 with 3:04 to go and all the steam taken out of the Knights.

Centerpoint returned the kick to the 35 and kept the ball on the ground, running out the clock.

Prescott will be at home against Genoa Central Friday night for homecoming. The homecoming parade will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, starting at the Senior Adult Center and ending at Central Baptist Church. Homecoming festivities will resume at the field at 7 p.m. However, masks are required for everyone entering and no one is allowed on the track or football field.