CORDELE — Joe Drew’s 96-yard return of the opening kick set the tone for top-ranked Pierce County in a 34-6 Region 3-AA win here Friday night over Crisp County.
The Bears’ (7-0 overall, 2-0 region) only other trip to play in the Cougars Den came in the Class AAA state quarterfinals in 2016, a 56-21 loss to unbeaten fifth-ranked Crisp County.
“I believe the kickoff set the tone for the rest of the night,” said head coach Ryan Herring after his team won for its 16th consecutive game dating back to last season in the October 18 matchup. “We had great blocking and Joe just simply ran past defenders. It was a jolt to them as well as us. We just played at a high level of intensity the whole game.”
The kick return was not Drew’s only highlight. His effort on the defensive side was even more impressive with at least three devastating “decleaters.”
“There is not a better kid in America,” said Herring. “Joe is a high character guy, hard worker, a great teammate and a leader. He has all the tangibles and intangibles.
“We (coaches) challenged him to shut down their (Cougars) wide receiver who has committed to Louisville and he did.”
While the PCHS offense showed it could be quickstriking and methodical, it was the Bears’ defense that was dominant.
Crisp County’s first six possessions netted 31 yards on 27 plays with just four first downs. The Cougars, who trailed 34-0, scored on their final offensive series with a nineplay, 80-yard drive picking up four first downs.
“I thought we were relentless on the defensive side of the ball,” Herring said. “They (Cougar offensive coaches) schemed pretty good, but we made adjustments. We bent a little, but we never broke.”
Offensive, Pierce County scored on four of its six possessions with the seventh ending with the clock running out. The Bears unleashed a threeheaded monster for its running game.
Sophomore Jae’Veon Williams, who was injured in the first game of the season, returned with vengeance showing fresh legs. He compiled 115 yards on 17 carries running through and over would-be tacklers scoring once on a sixyard burst around right end for PCHS’s last touchdown of the night.
“It was great to have Jae’Veon back out there,” said Herring. “With him, Caden (McGatha) and Marquez (Leggett), this gives what I was looking for in the backfield when the season kicked off.” McGatha, who had recorded four straight 100plus yard rushing nights, settled for 71 yards on 13 carries with one score. He completed 8-of-15 pass for 101 yards and two scores.
Leggett finished with 16 yards on four carries as the Bears netted 208 yards on the ground. PCHS did not have a negative rushing attempt.
“The offensive line blocked well the whole game,” Herring said. “As a whole, the work all the players put in to this program is so rewarding and it’s fun to watch them play on Friday nights.”
Leading 7-0, Pierce County’s first offensive series was a time-consuming (6:13) 11-play drive (all on the ground) covering 85 yards. McGatha kickstarted the possession with a 15-yard run, one of seven carries in the scoring drive.
His 12-yard run on the sixth snap was followed by a 17-yard run from Williams moving the ball to the Crisp County 18. The Bears needed four more plays before McGatha plowed two yards up the gut for 14-0 advantage after Garrett Stevenson’s PAT with 1:27 left in the opening period.
After turning the ball over on downs at the Cougars’ 30 on its next possession, the Bears struck quickly on their next offensive series going 61 yards in three plays.
McGatha, after faking into the line of scrimmage, pulled up and hit a wide open Jones Herrin (two catches, 43 yards) running up the middle of the field. Herrin made a one-hand catch of the slightly overthrown pass en route to the 43-yard score with 3:20 left in the half. Stevenson’s PAT extended the margin to 21-0.
Following another empty series and punt by the Cougars, PCHS followed with a second straight 61-yard scoring possession scoring :06.4 before intermission.
Eight of the nine plays were passes with McGatha hitting on five with the final a 20-yard zip to Chance Williams on a third-and-10 skinny post. Earlier in the drive, McGatha hooked up with Drew for 15 yards on a third-and-10. The touchdown pushed the lead out to 28-0.
Pierce County put the final touch on the night with a 12-play, 49-yard scoring possession which spilled over in the fourth quarter.
Following a turnover on downs by each team near midfield, the Bears consumed 7:39 of the third and fourth quarter clock. The drive end with the first touchdown of the season by Williams with 6:52 to play. Stevenson’s PAT was blocked leaving the score at 34-0.
The Cougars finally found some footing in its passing game hitting on 5of-7 passes for 77 yards. They scored on a 14-yard slant pattern with 2:09 remaining to avert the shutout. The PAT missed wide left.
