Wolves advance with 52-16 win over Melbourne
PRESCOTT – Prescott’s offense didn’t set foot on the field during the fourth quarter of the second round of the AAA state playoffs Friday night.
It didn’t matter as the Wolves posted a 52-16 win over the Melbourne Bearkatz to advance to round three and a date with the McGehee Owls.
The game was sloppy early on as both teams had turnover problems and neither could do much on their first possession. Melbourne drew first blood scoring on a 22-yard pass after the Wolves coughed the ball up on a bad snap. The Katz opted for two successfully and were up 8-0 with 9:17 showing in the first. This was the last they would score until the game was well in hand for Prescott and deep into the final 12 minutes of the game.
Melbourne tried an onside kick, but the ball failed to go the required 10 yards and Prescott was set up on excellent field position at the Katz’ 40.
It took the Wolves nine plays, mostly on the ground before Jacobi Nolen followed Alex George into the end zone on a nine-yard run. Prescott also went for two and knotted the game at 8-8 with 6:03 to go in the opening period.
The ensuing kick trickled into the end zone setting the Katz up at the 20. Melbourne ran six plays and punted to Jacaylon Zachery at the Prescott 25. He returned the ball to the 40.
Nolen found Jeffery Williams at the Katz six on first down, kept the ball for a yard gain on the next play and at this point Prescott’s offense sputtered. In the end, the Wolves settled for a 22-yard field goal from Luis Rabadan to make it 11-8. From there, the Wolves didn’t look back.
The kick was returned to the 29 with the Katz getting to the 30 as the first period came to an end.
Period two opened with Melbourne punting and the Wolves setting up shop at the 39.
Jaylen Hopson took a handoff, found a gap and was off to the races where he finished first after a 61-yard run for six. The point after made it 18-8 with 11:07 left in the half.
Prescott attempted an onside kick Melbourne recovered at its 49. The Katz ran three plays, gaining four yards and went for it on fourth down. Omarian Dickens picked off the pass, returning it to the Katz 49.
The Wolves needed four plays to score, overcoming a holding penalty in the process. The touchdown came on a 22-yard run by Zachery. A bad snap left the score at 24-8 with 7:36 to go.
Melbourne returned the kickoff to the 27, ran six plays, getting to the Wolf 43 and saw the drive come to an end when Jeffery Martin picked off a pass at the Prescott 22, returning it to the 37.
Prescott was hit with a false start call on first down. It was irrelevant at Nolen found Zachery for a 68-yard touchdown. The PAT made it 31-8 with 2:34 to go.
Melbourne started at its 29, went backwards and wound up punting to the Katz 48 with 1:28 left in the half.
The Wolves needed seven plays to put seven more on the board. The score came on a 16-yard pass from Nolen to Zachery. The PAT made it 38-8 with three ticks on the clock.
Melbourne returned the kick to the 35.
Prescott got the ball to start the second half. Melbourne made the mistake of trying an onside kick the Wolves recovered at the Prescott 44.
A false start call moved the ball to the 39. Nolen went deep again, connecting with Williams at the Melbourne nine. George capped the drive off two plays later. The PAT made it 45-8 and the mercy rule was put into effect.
The Katz started at their 28, drove to the 40 and saw the drive end with another interception, this time by Tywan Thompson at the Prescott 30.
Back-to-back penalties pretty much stopped the Wolves’ drive before it got started and Prescott punted to the Melbourne 11. By this time, though, Prescott was also substituting heavily.
Melbourne ran four plays, getting to the 46 as the third period ended. The Katz opened the final period by driving the remaining 54 yards, scoring on a 22-yard run. The two-point conversion was good, making it 45-16 and ending scoring for the Katz.
Prescott, though, had one more touchdown left. Hopson fielded the kick off at the 18, found a gap in the middle of the field and raced 82-yards for the touchdown. The PAT made it 52-16.
Melbourne returned the kick to its 32 and drove to the Prescott seven as time ran out.
McGehee dropped Bismarck, 42-20 in their game. In other AAA games involving 5AAA teams, Centerpoint whipped Camden Harmony Grove, 47-22; Glen Rose escaped Charleston, 21-14 and Harding ended Jessieville’s season, 42-14.