Wolves start slow, but beat Devils, 42-7

By John Miller, 09/23/22 9:35 PM

GURDON – Two old foes met on the gridiron Friday night as Prescott made the short trip to Gurdon for a date with the Go-Devils.

When all was said and done, the Wolves came away with a 42-7 win, but the victory wasn’t as easy as the final score might indicate. Both teams entered the game undefeated, Gurdon, 4-0, and Prescott, 3-0. This was the first time Prescott played on artificial turf this season. Gurdon primarily ran the ball throughout the game, rarely passing and not being especially effective when the team went to the air. Prescott mixed it up, but found going up the middle to be nigh on impossible. However, the Wolves eventually utilized their team speed to go outside.

The first 12 minutes was brutal as both defenses made it difficult for offenses to do much of anything. In fact, neither team scored in the first quarter, though the Devils dominated time of possession as the Wolves only managed six plays in the frame – turning it over on downs and having an interception.

As the first period was coming to an end, the Devils had the ball on the Prescott 26, running two plays to the 20 as time expired. Five plays into the second quarter, the Devils struck first on a one-yard run. The point after made it 7-0 with 8:28 to go in the half.

Gurdon tried an onside kick, only to see the ball recovered at the Prescott 45. Prescott had to overcome a pair of holding penalties, but drove 55-yards in five plays to tie the game with 6:32 showing. The score came on a nine-yard run by Eric Grigsby. From there, the Wolves scored on the team’s next four possessions.

Prescott attempted an onside kick the Devils recovered at the Gurdon 41. Gurdon made it into Prescott territory getting to the 41 before having to punt. The boot rolled to the Wolf  5 with 1:38 left in the half.

Most teams would be content to go the lockers tied at the break. Others would take to the air, looking for a quick score. Prescott relied almost exclusively on the running game, driving 95 yards in little more than a minute and overcoming an illegal motion penalty. The score game on the drive’s only pass, a 38-yard strike from Carston Poole to Grigsby. The PAT made it 14-7 with 25 seconds left.

Gurdon ended things by taking a knee. The first half took 50 minutes to complete, in spite of six penalties being called.

Prescott got the ball to open the third period, recovering an onside attempt at the Wolf 48. It took six plays to cover 52-yards, with Poole going in from three-yards out. The PAT made it 21-7. However, the Wolves again had to overcome a holding penalty during the drive. In fact, Prescott was called for holding four times in the game, and was hit with the majority of penalties in the outing. Of the 13 accepted penalties, 11 were against Prescott.

The kick was returned to the 30, but Gurdon was aided by a personal foul call, moving the ball to the 45. Gurdon ran nine plays, getting to the Prescott 23 before fumbling it out of bounds at the Wolf 17 and turning it over on downs.

Two runs by Travion Dickens moved the ball to the Gurdon 30, where Prescott was hit with another holding call. Poole hit P.J. Gulley, who scampered down the sidelines, bobbled the ball, picked it up and made it to the Devil’s 18. An 18-yard touchdown by Dickens was called back for yet another holding penalty, moving the ball to the 23. An option play went awry with the ball winding up on the ground, but being recovered by Prescott at the 30. Poole found Brenan Bradley for a gain of 10 and scored on a busted play. The PAT made it 28-7 with 1:49 left in the third.

Gurdon started at its 20, ran two plays and had a halfback option pass intercepted.

However, Prescott returned the favor on the next play when Poole was picked off and had the ball returned to the Gurdon 27.

Gurdon lost two yards on the last two plays of the period. The fourth quarter saw a Devil pass fall incomplete and lost to the 25 on fourth down, giving Prescott excellent field position.

Three plays later, Dickens went in from 16-yards out . The PAT made it 35-7 with 10:37 left in the contest.

Gurdon returned the kick to its 28, ran two plays and had another pass picked off, this time at the Prescott 48.

Poole went airborne, finding D’Wayne White with a 52-yard touchdown pass. The point after sealed the game as the Wolves were now up by 35 points at 42-7 with 8:34 to go.

Gurdon started at its 27 and drove to the Prescott 30 against the Wolves’ second-string defense, but saw time expire as the Devils suffered the team’s first loss of the season.

Prescott is now 4-0 on the year and will be back in the friendly confines of Cummins Stadium Friday night as the Wolves host the Junction City Dragons. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m.

Fans might want to show up early at the Prescott Junior High School cafeteria as the Prescott Kiwanis Club will be hosting its annual pancake supper from 5-7 p.m.,