BEARVILLE — Pierce County’s Caden McGatha threw for a career-high five touchdowns and added another on the ground accounting for 384 yards of the Bears’ 507 yards of total offense in a 48-7 homecoming win here Friday night over Class 4A New Hampstead.
During halftime festivities, senior Miss Beyonce Sanchez was crowned homecoming queen in voting by the PCHS student body. Princesses were Miss Bella Delaney and Miss Alexa Alvarez.
McGatha finished 9-of-11 with an interception for 180 yards to haunt the Phoenix defense during the Friday the 13th matchup. He tossed scoring aerials of 46, one, 33, 24 and 29 yards to five different players before sitting out the “mercy rule” final stanza.
McGatha added a season- high 204 yards rushing on a season-best 31 carries scoring on a oneyard sneak leading the Bears (4-0) to a school record-tying 13th consecutive victory. The 2018 team went unbeaten in the regular season and captured three playoff games en route to its first state semifinal appearance.
“We (coaches) knew from looking at film they (Phoenix) were going give us a different look on every snap,” said head coach Ryan Herring of the offensive explosion. “We knew it could be feast or famine for us. We just had to be patient and keep grinding.”
The top-ranked, defending 2A champions scored on seven of eight possessions through three quarters. The interruption was a second quarter interception off the receivers’ hands. PCHS’s last possession ended at the Phoenix (2-3) five when the Bears’ running backs avoided touchdown opportunities.
The Bears had eight “explosive” plays of 24 yards or better with six coming in the passing game.
Pierce County’s defense allowed just five plays of 10-plus yards in surrendering 86 total yards. New Hampstead gained 31 of those yards on the final three snaps of the game.
“Our defense played great,” Herring said. “Getting three-and-outs early on was huge because they (Phoenix) likes to get out to an early lead. We practiced in the rain two days because we knew we had to be ready to cover the whole field with their passing game.
“It was a great week of preparation by the players and coaching staff. The players did a great job of executing the game plan. We took their ‘big play’ receiver out of the game early and that sort of made them lefthanded.” PCHS needed just four plays to strike first after the Phoenix, playing without starting quarterback Rashawn Truell, went three-and-out to start the night. McGatha hit a wide open Chance Williams on a 46yard scoring toss with 7:38 showing on the first quarter clock. Garrett Stevenson tacked on the first of his six PATs for a 7-0 lead.
Miss Beyonce Sanchez (left photo) was crowned homecoming queen during halftime festivities in Pierce County’s victory over visiting Class 4A New Hampstead. PCHS outside linebacker
The second possession followed a 13-yard shanked punt by New Hampstead. The Bears needed nine plays to cover 42 yards in 5:39. PCHS converted twice on third down and gaining another first down via a facemask penalty on a sack of McGatha on fourth down.
Following the penalty, McGatha connected with Joe Drew (three catches, 41 yards) for 13 yards on third-and-12 to the Phoenix seven. The next third down play was a oneyard toss to Jones Herrin (two catches, 32 yards) on the first snap of the second period for a 14-0 advantage after the Stevenson PAT.
Pierce County’s third possession followed another punt by the visitors. Starting at the New Hampstead 47, the Bears were facing fourthand- two at the Phoenix 28 when defensive back Nehemiah Lemon pulled in the tipped pass. McGatha pulled down Lemon 73 yards later at the Bears’ two.
New Hampstead running back Kamron Blake Mazes scored two plays later plowing four yards off left tackle for the score. Jamaal Brown’s PAT closed the deficit to 14-7 with 6:52 left in the half.
PCHS responded with a four-play, 75-yard drive. Williams took a lateral pass from McGatha and threw a 36-yard strike to Nigel Brown (three catches. 68 yards) on the first play. Brown hauled in a 33-yard scoring toss from McGatha three plays later with Stevenson kicking the lead to 21-7.
After New Hampstead turned the ball over on downs on its ensuing possession at the PCHS 36, the Bears moved 64 yards in six plays scoring 17 seconds before intermission. The big play was a 31-yard Mc-Gatha to Herrin completion to the Phoenix 22.
McGatha found Drew in the middle of the field two plays later for a 24-yard scoring strike. Stevenson was true with the PAT for a 28-7 halftime lead.
“The touchdown before halftime gave us momentum going to the locker room,” said Herring. “We talked to our offensive linemen about getting the right blocking calls and that was it. We executed better up front in the second half.”
The second half was played in the rain, which started near the end of halftime festivities.
Pierce County opened the second half with a four-play, 73-yard scoring march all on the legs of Mc-Gatha. The senior signal-caller, who was the Bears’ lone ball carrier for three quarters, piled up 140 yards rushing on 14 carries in the third period alone.
He began the drive with a 16-yard run and broke off a 55-yard scamper two plays later being pulled down at the New Hampstead one setting up his touchdown on the next snap. Stevenson’s wide PAT left the score at 34-7 with 10:32 to play in the quarter.
New Hampstead was unable to capitalize on great starting field position at the Bears’ 44 after a personal foul on the kick. The Phoenix turned the ball over on downs at the PCHS 37.
The Bears drove 63 yards in six plays, the first five on the ground, with Campbell Strickland turning a quick out rout into a 29-yard scoring play, the first of his career, from Mc-Gatha. Steverson converted the PAT into a 41-7 cushion with 5:42 on the clock.
“I’m glad for Campbell turning that short pass into his first touchdown,” Herring said. “He tightroped the sideline to score.”
PCHS’s final touchdown came on the first play of the fourth quarter capping a six-play, 50-yard drive. McGatha carried on the first five plays moving the ball to the New Hampstead 17. Marquez Leggett’s (five carries, 57 yards) first attempt of the game was a 17-yard run up the middle of the New Hampstead defense for a touchdown. Stevenson finished off the scoring with the PAT.
The Bears’ final possession alternated totes between Leggett and Dylan Johnson (three carries, 34 yards). Leggett had runs of 18 and 13 with Johnson sliding down in the open field at the Phoenix 10 following a 26-yard run. PCHS reached the New Hampstead five in turning the ball over on downs.
Senior quarterback Caden Mc-Gatha connects with Joe Drew for a 24-yard touchdown late in the first half. McGatha threw for five scores and rushed for another in Friday’s win. Photo By RICK HEAD
