Pierce’s bid for perfection ends in loss

Appling Co. replaces Bears at No. 1 after 13-6 win

BAXLEY — “We were our biggest enemy.”

Those were the words of top-ranked and previously unbeaten Pierce County head coach Ryan Herring after his squad fell 13-6 to ninth-ranked Appling County here inside a packed Jimmy Swain Stadium Friday night in the battle of Region 3-AA behemoths.

“We had unbelievable community sport and were 100 percent packed,” Herring said of PCHS supporters and of the electric playoff atmosphere. “We live in a God-fearing community with God-fearing people. I always say it, there’s not a better place.”

The Bears (8-1 overall, 3-1 region), the consensus No. 1 team in six polls, had their school-record 17game winning streak snapped with a third consecutive loss in the series to the Pirates (7-2, 4-0), who won their sixth game in a row to capture the region championship.

“We’ve had two tough games,” said Herring. “We had this one and the one in Brooks County. Both games were very similar (physical) and the scores were very similar (17-14 over Trojans).

“The bottom line is we’ve got to realize we stopped ourselves a couple times on crucial drives with the ball deep in the red zone. We just can’t do that and win the big thing (championship).

“It doesn’t matter if we won 13-6 or lost 13-6, we will come in Sunday and go to work regardless. My hat’s off to Appling County, though.”

Six of Pierce County’s eight drives crossed midfield into Pirates’ territory. Three reached the Appling County 20 with two getting as close as the Pirates 12. The Bears scored once, that coming on a 20-yard run by Jae’Veon Williams (seven carries, 42 yards).

“We got the ball inside the red zone, and we go and run and clip people behind the ball,” said Herring. “We can’t get first downs inside the 20 and lose 40 yards on a clipping way behind the ball. When you make mistakes like that, it’s hard to win on the road in a rivalry game. You can’t make those kind of mistakes.

“This boils down to me. Evidently, I’m not doing a good enough job coaching us for two different times to run and clip people behind the ball. So that’s a poor job of coaching on my part ... poor job.

“Maybe there’s some things I’ve been taking for granted. We’ve (coaches) got to make sure we get those cleaned up.”

Despite mistakes coming at critical times, PCHS continued to fight. The Bears drove to the Appling County 26 in the final seconds with a chance to tie the game with a touchdown and PAT at 13-all and force overtime.

A third down pass from quarterback Caden McGatha (5-of-12, two interceptions, 60 yards) into the endzone to Joe Drew with 13 seconds remaining was broken up. The fourth down attempt ended with McGatha (30 carries, game-high 137 yards) being sacked for the fifth and final time by Appling County’s relentless pressure.

The Pirates’ sacks resulted in 39 lost yards. PCHS also lost 13 yards on two fumbles and two more yards on a running play.

The Bears’ defense regrouped after giving up a 60-yard scoring play on Appling County’s third snap of the game. They limited the Pirates’ offense to nine yards over the next four possessions.

Clinging to a 7-6 lead with four minutes remaining in the third quarter after the Williams touchdown, Appling County’s next two possessions ended with field goals accumulating 119 (all on the ground - 10 yards rushing before the two drives) of their 194 yards for the night.

It was the only two times the Pirates reached PCHS territory in their eight possessions.

“We didn’t play perfect,” said Herring of the defensive effort. “When you give up 13 points, generally you should win the game. We played good enough on defense to win.”

Appling County struck first and with quickness. Facing 3rd-and-four, quarterback Harrison Hickox connected with a wide open Jaiden Knight for the lone Pirates’ touchdown from 60 yards out. Alan Rameriez kicked the PAT for a 7-0 lead with 10:24 on the first quarter clock.

“I can’t remember if they (Pirates) picked, which they did about three different times,” said Herring. “They (picks for receivers) were blatant. I told the officials before the game because it’s on their films and we didn’t get one call.”

PCHS tried to respond with McGatha breaking off a 34-yard run on 3rdand- five on the Bears’ ensuing possession. The third-down conversion was the only one of the night for Pierce County, which finished 1-for-9.

McGatha was tackled at the Appling County 12 on the run, but a block in the back five yards behind the play backed the ball out to the Pirates’ 27. A bad snap on 3rd-and-four lost 11 yards with McGatha getting picked off by linebacker Tavion Wallace on fourth down.

The next five possessions, three for the Pirates and two for PCHS, ended with punts. The Bears’ final series of the half ate up the last 3:54 of the clock and somewhat controversial.

Pierce County drove from its own 19 using a 36-yard pass from McGatha to Nigel Brown on second down to ignite the drive deep into Pirates’ territory. The Bears reached the Appling County 12 after a roughing the passer call wiped out an interception at the Pirates’ two inside the final minute of the half.

A McGatha to Drew swing pass for a 12-yard score on the next snap was negated by a PCHS penalty. Two sacks and an incomplete pass later had the Bears facing 4th-and-38 at the Appling County 40.

A pass interference against the Pirates on the final play of the half gave Pierce County one more chance to get on the board before intermission. A 42yard field goal attempt came up short leaving Appling County clinging to a 7-0 lead.

PCHS reached the Pirates’ 36 on the opening drive of the second half. McGatha, who faked into the line, just overthrew a wide open receiver some 15 yards behind the Appling County secondary on 2nd-and-8.

The Bears would finally punch in their lone score on their next offensive series aided by a pass interference call. McGatha carried on the first three snaps setting up PCHS at the Pirates’ 20.

Williams bounced off the right side, broke through some would-be tackles at the second level and dove headlong into the endzone with four minutes remaining closing the deficit to 7-6. Wallace stormed through to block Garrett Stevenson’s PAT.

Appling County ate up the final four minutes of the period moving from its own 36 to the Bears’ 21. Rameriez, the hero of last year’s 17-14 Pirates’ win in Bearville, calmly booted a 38-yard field goal on the first snap of the final period for a 10-6 advantage.

Three penalties, two holding, against PCHS stalled the Bears’ ensuing possession. Appling County’s Kemoni Ryals picked off an errant McGatha aerial giving the Pirates possession at its own 37.

Appling County unleashed Wallace in its “Big Pirate” package on its next possession. The allstate player while at Wayne County plowed for 61 yards on six carries helping the Pirates reach the PCHS seven. Rameriez’s 24-yard field goal with 2:40 remaining gave Appling County a sevenpoint advantage at 13-6.