Second time the charm for PillowSouthern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas
Just one year ago the Pillow Mustangs were 9-2 and advanced to the Class AAA Division II title game but fell hard to Washington to finish the season at 9-3. Last night the Mustangs tasted the fruit of their season long labors and erased last season’s title game disappointment with a 28-14 win over Oak Forest to claim the Class AAA Division II State Championship.
Senior tailbacks Ja’Quez Taylor and Luke Kimmel combined for 265 yards rushing and each scored two touchdowns and the Mustang defense limited Oak Forest to 113 yards on the ground. Pillow’s defense set the tone early as they forced the Oak Forest offense into a quick three and out on the Jacket’s first possession of the night.
The Mustangs took advantage of good field position on their first series and took an early lead as Ja’Quez Taylor capped off an 8 play, 54 yard drive with a one yard plunge with 6:03 remaining in the opening quarter. Cayson Cox nailed the PAT to give Pillow an early 7-0 advantage.
(Above) Pillow tailback Ja'Quez Taylor (#32) breaks away from Oak Forest linebacker Alex Rimes (#33)Oak Forest responded on the ensuing possession. James Peterson hit Drew Misita on a 1st down from the Jacket 30 yard line with a quick 13 yard pick up to the 43. Five plays later, and Oak Forest staring at a 3rd and 8 from the Mustang 45 yard line, Blake Carter hit Chris Gill on a short out route and Gill work his way down the sidelines for the Jacket’s first score of the night at the 3:19 mark of the 1st quarter.
On Pillow’s first possession of the second quarter the Mustang’s once again capitalized on solid field position and produced a 7 play, 57 yard drive peppered with the running of Taylor and fellow senior tailback Luke Kimmel. Kimmel put the Mustangs back on top with a 7 yard run around the left side and into the end zone with 8:37 left in the half. With the successful PAT from Cayson Cox the Mustangs held a 14-7 lead.
Pillow was threatening to build more momentum as the Mustang defense limited Oak Forest to another three and out. Following Chris Gill’s 52 yard punt the Mustangs set up shop at their own 14 yard line. The momentum quickly nosed southward as Oak Forest defensive back Josh Hughes picked off a Landon Taylor pass at the Pillow 24 yard line with 6:41 left in the half.
Oak Forest struggled to moved the football and faced a 4th and 8 from the Pillow 22 yard line and with kicker Homero Natal poised to attempt a 39 yard field goal holder Chris Gill ran a fake that netted just two yards to the 20 yard line. Oak Forest caught a break as Pillow was flagged for a facemask violation that moved the line of scrimmage to the 10 yard line and a 1st and goal for the Jackets. Oak Forest quickly moved in reverse as a spot holding penalty pushed the Jackets back to the 25 yard line. Two plays later quarterback James Carter hit James Peterson with a 24 yard touchdown pass and Homero Natal converted on the PAT to knot things up at 14-14 with 2:42 remaining in the 2nd quarter.
(Above) The Pillow tandem of Taylor (#32) and Kimmel (#42) combined for 265 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns
In what would prove to be a critical possession just before halftime Pillow return man Charles Nause set the Mustangs up at their own 47 yard line with an 18 yard kick-off return. Ja’Quez Taylor hit the hole on 1st down for a quick 8 yards to the Oak Forest 45 yard line and one play later Luke Kimmel burst through the Jacket defense for a 45 yard score with 1:42 left in the half. Cox added the PAT and Pillow would take a 21-14 slim cushion into halftime.
Oak Forest hoped to take advantage of a Ja’Quez Taylor fumble recovered at the Pillow 42 yard line just one minute into the 3rd quarter but the Jackets stalled at the Mustang 21 yard line and came away empty handed after Homero Natal’s 38 yard field goal attempt fell short.
Pillow’s longest drive of the night would start at their own 30 yard line with 3:31 remaining in the 3rd quarter and stretch nearly two minutes into the 4th quarter. With Ja’Quez Taylor directing the offense from the “Wildcat” formation the Mustangs pushed down field with a sense of purpose and with 10:11 remaining in the game Taylor polished off the 70 yard, 11 play drive with a 12 yard run and Cayson Cox added his final PAT of the night as Pillow went up 28-14.
Oak Forest put together a final push to trim the 14 point deficit. The Jackets pushed their way to the Pillow 14 yard line in 9 plays behind the running of senior Alex Rimes but on a 2nd and 8 Blake Carter’s pass was tipped by linebacker Myers Falls in the end zone and right into the waiting hands of teammate Ja’Quez Taylor with 5:03 left in the contest.
(Above) Oak Forest quarterback Blake Carter (#12) picks up positive yards
Pillow consumed the remaining five minutes of the game to take the 2010 Class AAA Division II title back home to Greenwood.
Ja’Quez Taylor led all rushers with 153 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns and fellow senior tailback Luke Kimmel picked up 112 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Blake Carter led Oak Forest with 127 yards passing and two touchdowns and picked up 51 yards rushing.
Pillow, and head coach Michael Fair, finishes their championship season with a 10-2 mark. The Mustangs are 26-9 under the direction of Fair who just wrapped up his third season at the helm.
Oak Forest wrapped up their second season in Class AAA with a 9-4 mark.
Pillow was threatening to build more momentum as the Mustang defense limited Oak Forest to another three and out. Following Chris Gill’s 52 yard punt the Mustangs set up shop at their own 14 yard line. The momentum quickly nosed southward as Oak Forest defensive back Josh Hughes picked off a Landon Taylor pass at the Pillow 24 yard line with 6:41 left in the half.
Oak Forest struggled to moved the football and faced a 4th and 8 from the Pillow 22 yard line and with kicker Homero Natal poised to attempt a 39 yard field goal holder Chris Gill ran a fake that netted just two yards to the 20 yard line. Oak Forest caught a break as Pillow was flagged for a facemask violation that moved the line of scrimmage to the 10 yard line and a 1st and goal for the Jackets. Oak Forest quickly moved in reverse as a spot holding penalty pushed the Jackets back to the 25 yard line. Two plays later quarterback James Carter hit James Peterson with a 24 yard touchdown pass and Homero Natal converted on the PAT to knot things up at 14-14 with 2:42 remaining in the 2nd quarter.
(Above) The Pillow tandem of Taylor (#32) and Kimmel (#42) combined for 265 rushing yards and 4 touchdownsIn what would prove to be a critical possession just before halftime Pillow return man Charles Nause set the Mustangs up at their own 47 yard line with an 18 yard kick-off return. Ja’Quez Taylor hit the hole on 1st down for a quick 8 yards to the Oak Forest 45 yard line and one play later Luke Kimmel burst through the Jacket defense for a 45 yard score with 1:42 left in the half. Cox added the PAT and Pillow would take a 21-14 slim cushion into halftime.
Oak Forest hoped to take advantage of a Ja’Quez Taylor fumble recovered at the Pillow 42 yard line just one minute into the 3rd quarter but the Jackets stalled at the Mustang 21 yard line and came away empty handed after Homero Natal’s 38 yard field goal attempt fell short.
Pillow’s longest drive of the night would start at their own 30 yard line with 3:31 remaining in the 3rd quarter and stretch nearly two minutes into the 4th quarter. With Ja’Quez Taylor directing the offense from the “Wildcat” formation the Mustangs pushed down field with a sense of purpose and with 10:11 remaining in the game Taylor polished off the 70 yard, 11 play drive with a 12 yard run and Cayson Cox added his final PAT of the night as Pillow went up 28-14.
Oak Forest put together a final push to trim the 14 point deficit. The Jackets pushed their way to the Pillow 14 yard line in 9 plays behind the running of senior Alex Rimes but on a 2nd and 8 Blake Carter’s pass was tipped by linebacker Myers Falls in the end zone and right into the waiting hands of teammate Ja’Quez Taylor with 5:03 left in the contest.
(Above) Oak Forest quarterback Blake Carter (#12) picks up positive yardsPillow consumed the remaining five minutes of the game to take the 2010 Class AAA Division II title back home to Greenwood.
Ja’Quez Taylor led all rushers with 153 yards on 26 carries and two touchdowns and fellow senior tailback Luke Kimmel picked up 112 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Blake Carter led Oak Forest with 127 yards passing and two touchdowns and picked up 51 yards rushing.
Pillow, and head coach Michael Fair, finishes their championship season with a 10-2 mark. The Mustangs are 26-9 under the direction of Fair who just wrapped up his third season at the helm.
Oak Forest wrapped up their second season in Class AAA with a 9-4 mark.
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Post Game Interviews:
*Pillow head coach Michael Fair
*Pillow senior tailback Luke Kimmel
*Pillow senior tailback Ja'Quez Taylor
