Wolves tame Lions 63-6, Jessieville next

By Staff, 10/23/20 9:21 PM

BISMARCK – Prescott remains undefeated after the Wolves whipped the Bismarck Lions xx-x Friday night.

The Wolves got off to a slow start and were sluggish defensively as the Lions took the opening kick back to the Prescott 46 and drove to the 22 before Justin Wilson picked off a pass and returned it to midfield.

Prescott didn’t do itself any favors gaining two yards on three plays and fumbling on fourth down with the Lions recovering at the Bismarck 35.

Wind and cooler temperatures made it tougher to hold onto the ball for both teams. However, after the opening possessions, it was all Prescott as the Wolves ran rampant over the Lion defense. Prescott scored often, seldom requiring more than a few snaps. It did hurt that Prescott had great field position throughout the first half, starting most drives near midfield or in Bismarck territory.

The Lions made it to midfield on their second possession before turning the ball over on downs with 5:44 to go.

Jaylen Hopson took a pitch from Jacobi Nolen on a jet sweep and raced 50 yards to the end zone. The extra point put Prescott up 7-0 with 5:28 showing. However, the scoring had just begun.

The kick sailed into the end zone setting the Lions up at the 20. It was three and out with Hopson muffing the punt with Carston Poole recovering the loose pigskin at the Bismarck 23.

Nolen missed connection with Jeffery Williams, before handing the ball to Alex George on the next two plays. George went in from four yards out with 3:21 on the clock. The PAT made it 14-0 and the rout was on.

Again the kick went into the end zone. Again it was three and out for the Lions with the punt being called out of bounds at midfield, though it actually went out around the Bismarck 45.

It didn’t matter, Nolen went to the air, connecting with Williams on a wide receiver screen. Williams raced to the end zone with 1:26 to go. The extra point made it 21-0.

For the third time, the kick went into the end zone and Bismarck set up at the 20. The Lions got to the 40 on three plays as the quarter ended.

The Lions made it to midfield but turned the ball over on downs.

Prescott needed one snap to score as Nolen found Jacaylon Zachery for the Wolves fourth touchdown of the game. The PAT made it 28-0 with 11:31 left in the half.

Kicking into the wind, the ball didn’t make it to the end zone and was returned to the Lion 37. It was irrelevant as the Lion quarterback was sacked twice and threw an incomplete pass forcing the hosts to punt. The ball went out of bounds at the Prescott 47.

It was a familiar tune as the Wolves scored on first down, this time with Nolen connecting with Caleb Harris on a wide receiver screen. The point after made it 35-0 and the Wolves were on cruise control.

Bismarck bobbled the ensuing kick, but managed to return it to the 30, where the Lions ran four plays and turned the ball over on downs at the Lion 34.

Nolen hit Harris for 14 before the Wolves went to the ground game. Hopson battled to the nine, with George carrying the mail twice for the score. The PAT made it 42-0 with 7:47 left in the half.

The ensuing kick was returned to midfield. Again, it didn’t matter as Prescott’s defense stymied the Lions forcing yet another turnover on downs, this time at the Bismarck 47.

Nolen threw a near perfect pass to Williams, who was wide open for a touchdown, only to have the ball go through his hands. Second down saw Nolen find Zachery for six. The extra point put the Wolves up 49-0 with 5:59 to go.

Bismarck started at its 34, ran four plays and turned it over on downs again at the Lion 38.

Williams stepped under center, connecting with Hopson for a gain of five on first down. Williams second pass was underthrown and picked off at the Lion five.

Bismarck proved to be its own worst enemy with an illegal motion call moving the ball back to the three. The snap was fumbled on the next play with Prescott recovering in the end zone for six. The point after pushed the score to 56-0 with 3:48 to go.

The Lions were hit with an unsportsmanlike call before the kickoff, setting Prescott up at the Lion 45. The kick was returned to the Bismarck 26.

From here, the game got ugly for the rest of the half. The Lions completed a pass only to fumble the ball away to the Wolves at the Prescott 33. Prescott had substituted heavily and the second string defense was on the field.

The Wolves offense was it with four holding penalties on its next possession, moving the ball back to the seven. Prescott made it to the 15 as time expired in the half.

The mercy rule was in effect for the rest of the game. Prescott’s substitute offense did little on its first possession, giving the ball back to the Lions. Bismarck managed to score on a 33-yard run midway through the third. The PAT was wide leaving the score 56-6.

Prescott retuned the kick to its  29, ran three plays and punted with the boot rolling 67-yards with the help of the wind. This pinned the Lions back at the Bismarck five.

Bismarck made it to the 37 as the third ended and wound up turning it over on downs as the final 12 minutes got under way.

Jace Moore took over signal calling duties and relied heavily on Branen Bradley’s legs as Bradley gained 24 yards on two plays. Jacob Jackson got the call next and fought his way into the end zone. The PAT iced it for scoring at 63-6.

Bismarck started at its 41 only to turn the ball over on downs after four plays at the Lion 49.

Prescott was hit with a delay call, ran two plays to the Lion 45 before coughing the ball up with the Lions recovering at the 38 as the game came to an end.

Prescott is 6-0 on the season and 4-0 in 5AAA conference play. The Wolves will be at home Friday night as they host the Jessieville Lions. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.