Silliman's running game surprises Spartans
Courtesy of The Bastrop Enterprise
Coming into Friday night’s contest against Silliman Institute, Prairie View coach Reagan Morrison thought the Spartans had a game plan to stop the Wildcats wide-open offense.
In their Week Two contest against Bowling Green, Silliman threw the ball 41 times.
“We weren’t prepared for what they showed us,” Morrison said, as the Wildcats ran for almost 200 yards, taking a 49-33 win over the Spartans.
Jake Parsons scored on Silliman’s second play of the game to set the tone. The senior had 121 yards on 11 carries with four scores to pace the Wildcats effort.
PVA answered with a textbook 12-play, 70-yard drive, capped by Brandon Goodson’s one-yard dive to knot the score at seven with three minutes to play in the opening period.
Goodson paced the Spartans’ running game with 17 carries for 76 yards and two scores. As a team, Prairie View had 163 yards rushing and 202 yards passing.
“I think our offensive line did a great job tonight,” Morrison said.
After Prairie View tied the score, Silliman took a 13-7 lead when Parsons scored from 11 yards out on a fourth-and-five with 11:48 remaining in the half.
Prairie View took the lead on their next possession on Goodson’s 23 yard run and Sam Spire’s extra point.
It was short lived, however, as the Wildcats scored on the first play following the kickoff as Parsons shredded tacklers en route to a 62-yard run. A two-point conversion pass from Jason Palermo to Josh DeLee gave Silliman a seven point cushion.
Following an exchange of punts, the Spartans tied the game at 21 when Cody Smith connected with Hunter Smith from 17 yards out on a fourth-and-10 with 1:55 to play in the second quarter.
Forcing a Wildcats punt on their first possession of the third quarter, PVA took a 27-21 lead when Cody Smith found Sam Spires on a middle screen. Spires broke several tackles and then followed a key block by Mason Bunch to score from 65 yards out.
Spires, no doubt winded from the scoring play, saw his extra point blocked as the Spartans took a 27-21 lead with 8:45 to play in the third quarter.
Again, the Spartans couldn’t hold the lead as Silliman needed just three plays and less than a minute of the game clock. Palmero’s two-yard TD pass to Kory McLarrin was set up by a 49-yard connection with Trent Hornsby.
After a three-and-out by the Spartans, Silliman stretched its advantage with another drive that took little time off the clock. Receiver Michael Masters took the snap in the Wildcats version of the Wildcat offense and ran 64 yards to set up his 17-yard scamper two plays later with 3:50 to play in the third quarter.
The Spartans answered quickly, with a Jones-to-Spires connection netting 36 yards. Following Goodson’s 14-yard run, Spires crashed in from a yard out to cut the lead to 35-33 with 3:10 left in the period.
Prairie View’s defense forced a Silliman punt, and the Spartans had the ball deep in their own end of the field when Jones went back to Spires. Caleb Blackard’s interception gave the Wildcats the ball at the Spartans 11, and they needed just three plays before Parsons crashed in from the one.
Ducote’s 11-yard run with 8:20 left in the game provided the final points of the night.
With the loss, the Spartans stand at 0-3 on the season. In his post-game comments, Morrison told the team, “We are one or two plays away from being 2-1.”
“I can’t be more happy with the effort we’re showing,” the first-year coach said. “(Silliman) had a good game plan and executed it well, but I saw improvement over the effort we had last week. I’m extremely proud of our guys.”
Prairie View rounds out a three-game home stand at E.D. Baker Field next week against Riverdale.
Courtesy of The Bastrop Enterprise
Coming into Friday night’s contest against Silliman Institute, Prairie View coach Reagan Morrison thought the Spartans had a game plan to stop the Wildcats wide-open offense.
In their Week Two contest against Bowling Green, Silliman threw the ball 41 times.
“We weren’t prepared for what they showed us,” Morrison said, as the Wildcats ran for almost 200 yards, taking a 49-33 win over the Spartans.
Jake Parsons scored on Silliman’s second play of the game to set the tone. The senior had 121 yards on 11 carries with four scores to pace the Wildcats effort.
PVA answered with a textbook 12-play, 70-yard drive, capped by Brandon Goodson’s one-yard dive to knot the score at seven with three minutes to play in the opening period.
Goodson paced the Spartans’ running game with 17 carries for 76 yards and two scores. As a team, Prairie View had 163 yards rushing and 202 yards passing.
“I think our offensive line did a great job tonight,” Morrison said.
After Prairie View tied the score, Silliman took a 13-7 lead when Parsons scored from 11 yards out on a fourth-and-five with 11:48 remaining in the half.
Prairie View took the lead on their next possession on Goodson’s 23 yard run and Sam Spire’s extra point.
It was short lived, however, as the Wildcats scored on the first play following the kickoff as Parsons shredded tacklers en route to a 62-yard run. A two-point conversion pass from Jason Palermo to Josh DeLee gave Silliman a seven point cushion.
Following an exchange of punts, the Spartans tied the game at 21 when Cody Smith connected with Hunter Smith from 17 yards out on a fourth-and-10 with 1:55 to play in the second quarter.
Forcing a Wildcats punt on their first possession of the third quarter, PVA took a 27-21 lead when Cody Smith found Sam Spires on a middle screen. Spires broke several tackles and then followed a key block by Mason Bunch to score from 65 yards out.
Spires, no doubt winded from the scoring play, saw his extra point blocked as the Spartans took a 27-21 lead with 8:45 to play in the third quarter.
Again, the Spartans couldn’t hold the lead as Silliman needed just three plays and less than a minute of the game clock. Palmero’s two-yard TD pass to Kory McLarrin was set up by a 49-yard connection with Trent Hornsby.
After a three-and-out by the Spartans, Silliman stretched its advantage with another drive that took little time off the clock. Receiver Michael Masters took the snap in the Wildcats version of the Wildcat offense and ran 64 yards to set up his 17-yard scamper two plays later with 3:50 to play in the third quarter.
The Spartans answered quickly, with a Jones-to-Spires connection netting 36 yards. Following Goodson’s 14-yard run, Spires crashed in from a yard out to cut the lead to 35-33 with 3:10 left in the period.
Prairie View’s defense forced a Silliman punt, and the Spartans had the ball deep in their own end of the field when Jones went back to Spires. Caleb Blackard’s interception gave the Wildcats the ball at the Spartans 11, and they needed just three plays before Parsons crashed in from the one.
Ducote’s 11-yard run with 8:20 left in the game provided the final points of the night.
With the loss, the Spartans stand at 0-3 on the season. In his post-game comments, Morrison told the team, “We are one or two plays away from being 2-1.”
“I can’t be more happy with the effort we’re showing,” the first-year coach said. “(Silliman) had a good game plan and executed it well, but I saw improvement over the effort we had last week. I’m extremely proud of our guys.”
Prairie View rounds out a three-game home stand at E.D. Baker Field next week against Riverdale.
