Wolves halt ‘Hounds, 41-6, go to Rison Friday

By John Miller, 11/18/22 10:03 PM

PRESCOTT – In some ways, Friday night’s game between Prescott and Salem was odd, but the Wolves posted a 41-6 win to advance to round three of the AAA state playoffs.

The Wolves will be on the road next week as the team faces the Rison Wildcats. The ‘Cats ended Bismarck’s season to earn a date with Prescott.

Salem proved to be a one-trick pony, only able to move the ball on the ground. The Greyhounds rarely went to the air and were unsuccessful when they did. The team was also plagued with fumbles, losing two in the first quarter the Wolves turned into touchdowns and managed to recover three other fumbles. Prescott put the ball on the ground once, losing it to the ‘Hounds.

Until the end of the first quarter, the game was penalty free. The first flag was against Prescott for a horsecollar tackle. From there, the flags flew frequently, slowing the game and stalling drives.

Prescott had three possessions in the first period, scoring on all of them. Leading 21-0 after one, it appeared as though the mercy rule would be invoked by halftime. This, though, wasn’t the case as Salem’s defense stiffened and held the Wolves in check. The mercy rule was eventually invoked, but it was irrelevant as there was only 2:25 left in the game.

Salem took the opening kick to the 28 and coughed it up, with Prescott recovering at the 27.

It took the Wolves seven plays to cover the distance as the Salem defense proved to be tough to run against. However, Travion Dickens went in from the three for the first score. The extra point put the Wolves up 7-0 with 9:56 showing.

The ‘Hounds started at the Salem 35, but went three and out, punting to the Prescott 20.

Again, Prescott needed seven plays to cover 80 yards, getting a big chunk when P.J. Gulley scampered from the Prescott 43 to the Salem 10. The drive ended with Carston Poole connecting with D;Wayne White with an eight-yard pass. The PAT made it 14-0.

After returning the kick to the 33, the ‘Hounds fumbled with Tidorian Thompson falling on the ball at the Salem 33.

An incomplete pass started Prescott’s third scoring drive, but runs by Dickens and Gulley set things up for Jaylon Johnson, who scored on a three-yard run with 4:03 to go. The PAT made it 21-0.

Salem’s offense proved it could move against the Wolf defense as the ‘Hounds drove to the Prescott five as the first quarter came to an end. Period two began with Salem facing a fourth and goal on the Wolf five, and saw the visitors denied as Jerry Glass tipped a pass in the end zone.

This meant Prescott was 95 yards away from Salem’s end zone, a difficult, but not impossible task as the Wolves have proven this season. Unfortunately, this wasn’t one of those times as the Wolves managed to get to the 29 before being forced to punt. The punt made it to the Salem 47, but a personal foul call against the ‘Hounds moved it to the 28.

It was three and out for Salem, with the punt getting to the Prescott 42.

Dickens fumbled on first down with Salem recovering at the Wolf 40.

This put the ‘Hounds in great field position. Salem drove to the three in eight plays but turned it over on downs when a fourth down pass was almost picked off in the end zone.

For the second time in the period, the Wolves needed to basically go the entire length of the field. The drive began with 3:54 left in the half. Two offside calls against Salem kept the drive alive early as Prescott drove to the Salem 19 where John Rabadan attempted a 35-yard field goal. The attempt had everything but the distance, falling just short as the half came to an end with the Wolves up 21-0

Prescott got the ball to start the second half, scoring twice in the third period. However, it wasn’t without some excitement as Salem opened play with an onside kick attempt recovered by Avery Hubbard at midfield.

Three passes fell incomplete and the Wolves were hit with a holding call on fourth down. The punt made it to the Salem 28.

It was three and out for the ‘Hounds with the punt making it to the Wolf 40.

A delayed handoff to Dickens gained 13 to the Salem 47, but a holding call negated a solid run deep into Greyhound territory, moving the ball back to the 48. On the sixth play of the drive, Poole found Gulley, who fought his way into the end zone. The PAT made it 28-0 and Salem was nailed with a personal foul call, with the penalty enforced on the kickoff.

The kick was fielded at the three and returned to the 45. Still, it didn’t matter as it was three and out for Salem with the punt making it to the Prescott 35.

It was also three and out for the Wolves as Prescott’s aerial attack was sporadic on the night. The punt rolled to the ‘Hound 22.

Salem returned the favor after going nowhere in three plays and punted to the Prescott 43.

The Wolves needed eight plays and to overcome a holding penalty for the team’s fifth touchdown on the night. Prescott drove to the Salem 14 and faced a fourth and one. Poole handed the ball to Dickens, who found a gap and slithered into the end zone to make it 34-0. The extra point would have invoked the mercy rule, but this wasn’t to be as the kick was no good, leaving the score 34-0 with 31 ticks left on the clock.

Salem returned the kick to the 27, and made it to the 45 on the last play of the third period. The fourth quarter opened with the ‘Hounds driving for the team’s only touchdown of the game, scoring six plays into the frame on a 15-yard run. Salem tried to get cute, lining up in the swinging gate formation before getting into a normal extra point formation and tossing a shuttle pass that went nowhere. With 8:40 left in the game, the score was now 34-6.

Prescott set up shop at the Salem 49 on another onside attempt, with Tanner Jarvis covering the ball.

The Wolves drove to the ‘Hound 36 and, for a brief second, looked to invoke the mercy rule a second time as Poole hit Bradley on a 36-yard touchdown pass. It was all for naught as Prescott was called for offensive pass interference, moving the ball back to the Wolf 48. Prescott made it to the ‘Hounds’ 35 before turning the ball over on downs.

Salem went nowhere fast fumbling twice on the drive, recovering both and eventually punting to the Prescott 28.

After losing three on first down, Genoa Harris fought to the 31. Poole hit Bradley at the 49, and Harris battled to the Salem 45. The drive ended with Poole finding Gulley for six with 2:25 to go. The PAT invoked the mercy rule, though it didn’t matter. The score was now 41-6.

Salem returned the kick to the 41 and saw the game end as the ‘Hounds got to the Prescott 49 on the final play.

Rison whipped Bismarck 30-19 to advance and retain home field advantage. The Wolves will be traveling to Rison Friday night for a date with the Wildcats. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.