Wolves win strange homecoming game, 52-14 over Bismarck

By Staff, 10/22/21 10:15 PM

PRESCOTT – From start to finish, Friday night’s game between the Curley Wolves and Bismarck Lions was unusual, to say the least.

It was homecoming for Prescott with the Wolves posting a 52-14 win, though it took until the 11:25 mark of the fourth quarter for Prescott to pull away enough to invoke the mercy rule. This moves Prescott to 8-0 on the season and 5-0 in conference play. Bismarck drops to 5-2 and 2-3.

The game had a Halloween aspect early in the third with a 20 minute power outage. The cause of the outage was unknown, but play was halted as the game can’t be played in the dark. It took a while for the lights to come back on, with the teams warming up while the lights warmed up. This wasn’t the only strange thing about the game. Neither offense, on the teams’ first two possession, could do anything but go backwards. and punt. Both quarterbacks were sacked on the first two possessions and centers for both squads had problems, early on, keeping the ball down on snaps.

The Lions punted to the Prescott 18 on Bismarck’s second possession. Jaylen Hopson carried for 17 to the 35. Carston Poole went to the air, finding Jacaylon Zachery on a 65-yard touchdown strike. The try for two was no good, but the Wolves led 6-0 with 5:13 left in the opening period.

Bismarck recovered a pooch kick to its 46, ran six plays and saw the drive end with Zachery picked off a pass at the Prescott 27.

Poole found Omarion Dickens, who fought to the Lion 27. However, Prescott was hit with consecutive holding calls moving the ball back to the 42. Four plays later, Poole hit Zachery with a 24-yard touchdown pass to make it 12-0 as the try for two was no good.

Prescott recovered an onside kick attempt at the Lion 48 as the first quarter came to an end.

The Wolves needed four plays to put the third touchdown on the board, this time it was a 22-yard pass from Poole to Eric Grigsby. The point after was good, making it 19-0 with 11:33 left in the half.

It was three and out for the Lions with Prescott taking over on its 20. The Wolves scored in five plays with Hopson breaking loose on a 17-yard run. The PAT boosted the score to 26-0 and ended Prescott’s scoring for the half.

Bismarck returned the kick to the Prescott 47. The Lions quarterback was sacked at the 49 on first down. Second down saw the Lions put the ball on the ground but recover it at the Lion 46. A third down completion moved the ball to the Wolf 46 with 7:00 to go. A blown coverage left a Lion receiver open for a 46-yard touchdown. The PAT made it 26-7.

The Lions recovered an onside kick as a member of the team slapped the ball out of a Wolf’s hands, recovering it at the Prescott 36. It didn’t matter as Bismarck went backwards on the first two plays before completing a pass to the Prescott 24. The drive ended with P.J. Gulley making Prescott’s second interception of the half in the end zone with 3:32 showing.

Poole was picked off with Bismarck taking it to the Wolf 6.

The Lions got to the one, but couldn’t breach the Prescott defense, turning the ball over on downs with 47 seconds left.

Prescott drove to the Lion 16 in seven plays and attempted a 33-yard field goal, which had plenty of distance but was wide.

Bismarck got the ball to start the third, returning the kick to the Lion 32. The miscues continued for Bismarck’s offense, with the Lions’ drive apparently ending at its 41 when the team lined up to punt. The kick was partially blocked and bounced off a Prescott player with Bismarck recovering at the Prescott 48. Before a play could be ran, the power went out, halting play. When play resumed, Bismarck scored on its third play, a 46-yard strike to a wide open receiver. The PAT cut the score to 26-14, which was a close as the Lions would get. The drive, with the fumble recovery, took 14 plays and most of the third quarter.

Prescott was hit with a roughing the passer call on the touchdown pass, allowing the Lions to kick from the Wolf 45. Bismarck attempted an onside kick, only to have Jerry Glass field the ball and return it to midfield. Five plays later, Hopson scored on an eight-yard run. The PAT made it 33-14 with 5:09 to go in the third.

It was three and out for the Lions with the punt rolling dead at the Prescott 26. The Wolves needed but four plays to go 74 yards, with Hopson breaking loose on a 36-yard run. The officials blew an unsportsmanlike call against Bismarck as Hopson was tackled five-yards deep in the end zone. The PAT made it 40-14 with 2:11 to go.

The Lions started at Bismarck’s 38 and went nowhere in four plays, turning the ball over on downs at the Lion 44 with 1:11 showing.

This was more than enough time for the Wolves to score as, three plays later, Poole found Zachery with a 41-yard scoring pass. The PAT was blocked, but the score was 46-14.

The ensuing kick went out of bounds, giving the Lions the ball at the 35. The quarter ended with the Lion signalcaller being sacked. Two plays into the final quarter, the Lions punted to the Wolf 45 with 11:38 left in the game.

Poole hit Eric Grigsby, who found a seam and raced 55 yards for the score. The PAT was no good, but the score was 52-14 and the mercy rule went into effect.

Prescott subbed heavily as the clock ran without stopping. Bismarck started at the Wolf 49 and drove to the 13 before the Lion quarterback was annihilated with a vicious tackle and fumbled with Prescott recovering at the 14.

The Wolves kept the ball the rest of the game, driving to the Lion 29.

Bismarck’s quarterback will likely be sore Saturday as he was sacked eight times in the game. Prescott’s quarterbacks were sacked four times, with Poole being caught three times and Jayce Moore once.

The Wolves will be on the road on Oct. 30 as Prescott travels to Jessieville for a date with the Lions. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.