Game Pictures by Steven Marcus

View From The Stands by Ardent Cougar

Fan Fotos by Jeff Wolfe

Pulaski County’s Cougars met Vinton’s William Byrd Terriers for the first time tonight.  The Cougars scored 10 touchdowns, and posted 69 points, the most ever by a Cougar team.  How does one put a game like this in perspective?  Ask Cougar Head Coach Joel Hicks.

“We play like we practice,” he said.

This game was billed as a battle of running teams.  Marcus English entered the game with 1126 yards.  Jerome Mann had 616 yards for the Terriers.  Compare that with Jeremy Porter’s 957 and Josh Calfee’s 957 for the Cougars.

Porter scored from the 50 on the Cougar’s 4th play from scrimmage.

The Cougars held the Terriers without a first down, but were called with roughing the punter and William Byrd would keep the ball.  Two plays later English broke a tackle from a PC linebacker and streaked 65 yards for a touchdown.  It was an impressive show of power and speed by English.

The Cougars had scored and the Terriers had responded.  It looked like the start of a real nail biter.

The PC special teams rose to the challenge and halted WB’s momentum.  Porter returned the kickoff 60 yards to the Byrd 21.  He caught the ball on the right side, ran laterally to the middle of the field to find his blockers, proceeding north to the 50, then cutting left down the sideline.

Calfee ran right for a 21 yard score on the next play.  Hedge added the PAT, 14-7 with 7:24 remaining in the first quarter.  Hedge kicked a touchback.

Would the Terriers respond?  There was tension in the air, but just for one more series.

Quarterback Jeff Highfill rolled right and threw into the flat to Mann, who dropped the ball.  English ran for three yards on second down.  Highfill dropped strait back and three receivers flooded the right side of the field.  The Cougar DB’s were on the receivers like white on rice.  Chris Hardin got the coverage sack on Highfill for a 10-yard loss.  The punt was shanked and stopped on the Terrier 41. 

Porter carried 41 yards for a touchdown on the next play.  The center of the line was crowded and he bounced the run out left and to the corner of the end zone.  The Cougars were so eager to add the PAT that Porter was penalized for still not being back on the Cougar sideline.  Hedge kicked the long PAT right through.  Cougars on top 21-7 with 5:49 remaining in the first quarter. 

English ran for 4 on first down.  The Terriers sold themselves short keeping the ball out of English’s hands.  Highfill threw incomplete twice and punting followed, to the Cougar 39.

Porter scored four plays later from the Terrier 37.  Hedge added the PAT for a 28-7 lead.

The kickoff was returned to the Terrier 15.  English was stopped for no gain.  Then he carried for three yards.  Highfill hit Kyle Allen for a 3-yard gain.

The Cougars started at the PC 44.  Allen met Calfee at the line of scrimmage, but Calfee broke that tackle, and ran down the right sideline to the Terrier 30.  Greg Cobbs carried the criss-cross left for a 12-yard gain.  Five plays later Calfee carried right for a 5-yard score.  The Hedge PAT increased the lead to 35-7.

Mann returned the kickoff to the WB 30.  Alan Wheeling intercepted a Highfill pass intended for Michael Ralph and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown.  Hedge added his PAT, 42-7.

“I read my key and the tight end arrowed to the flat,” said Wheeling.  “I broke on the ball and once I caught it, I wasn’t going to go down.”

Hedge kicked the touchback.  English ran for 6 yards, then for 1.  Highfill rolled left but was sacked for a 4-yard loss.  PC would start at their own 40 after the Terrier punt. 

Wheeling dropped back and threw a high arcing pass down the middle of the field to Matt Roan for a 30-yard gain.  It hung in the air for a while, but Roan was in front of two defensive backs.  This is a perfect way to pass to him since at 6’5” he has such a significant height advantage over most opposing DB’s. 

Cobbs carried the criss-cross left for a 30-yard score.  The PAT was wide right, but may have been partially blocked.  Cougars 48-7 with 6:59 remaining in the second quarter.

Byrd returned the kickoff to the 35.  English ran for no gain.  Allen was open 10 yards behind the nearest Cougar defender but Highfill overthrew his target.  English took the dive play up the middle and cut left.  Calfee was the last man to beat.  He made the touchdown saving tackle, catching English from the side, and limiting him to only an 8-yard gain. 

Calfee scored six plays later on a 7-yard run.  Hedge added the PAT for a 55-7 lead, which would be the half-time score.

Wheeling threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Roan late in the third quarter.  Hedge made the score 62-7.

“I was so open, it was unreal.  We just put that play in this week,” said Roan.

The Cougar defense began playing with some second team players.  English threatened to break another long gain, but was caught by Wheeling.

Highfill threw a 33-yard strike to Mann, beating John Harman at corner.  Harman responded by blocking the PAT.  Cougars were still comfortable, 62-13.

“Greg Cobbs opened a big hole, and I laid out and blocked it.  I could have blocked them all night, I just didn’t lay out,” said Harman.

“We worked on it real hard in practice,” said Cobbs.  “I cut hard at the up back to give John a better angle at it, and it worked,” he added.

Derrick Burks added the final score for PC, a 4-yard touchdown run.  Jamie Steger added the PAT for the 69-13 score.

“It was the 22 play.  Before the play, the nose guard was motioning to the side were the ball was going to go.  I had to cut back, then I walked into the end zone,” said Burks.

The Terriers added a late score for the final, Cougars 69- Terriers 20.

William Byrd doubled up Salem last week 42-21.  The Cougars more than tripled up the Terriers tonight.

Post Script:

Vinton was unprepared for Pulaski County in more ways than one.  A half hour before kickoff, the Terrier cheerleaders had sold out of programs.  Before halftime, the concession stand was out of hot-dogs. 

Blue Ridge District teams need to maximize their sales to Cougar Fans.  We have money, will travel and will open our wallets.  We love our Cougars, and we put our money where our mouth is.   As the years go by, William Byrd will learn, we will fill the opposing stands, every year we play in Vinton, even when we aren’t the top AA ranked team in the state

Game Pictures by Steven Marcus

View From The Stands by Ardent Cougar

Fan Fotos by Jeff Wolfe