The Locker Room August 16, 2002

Game Pictures by Steven Marcus

Pulaski County gave away two pass interceptions and three fumbles tonight, as the new troops worked out the jitters.  Graham was gracious enough to return a few of the gifts.  There were plenty of penalties for both teams in the summer heat.

It would seem to be the story of two teams who can not get enough of each other.

The Cougars opened the pre-season against Graham of Bluefield for the second year in a row.  And if that isn’t enough, Graham played just after the Cougars for the State championship in Lynchburg at the end of the 2001 season.

The G-Men played tonight with many returning starters from last year, while the Cougars were breaking in a new litter of young cats.

And just in case tonight’s battle wasn’t enough, the two teams will meet again next Friday for the Touchdown Classic.  PC will play half games against Graham, Franklin County, and Varina.

Graham had its first series stopped when a Matthews’ pass to a short curl route was intercepted by junior Brandon Anderson.

The Cougars lost possession on 3rd and 10 from the PC 42 when Jeremy Porter bobbled a pitchout.

The G-Men pushed themselves back to 1st and 22 by committing a holding penalty.  Graham showed off their offensive spark with a 22-yard pass completion, a curl route catch and run.

Graham opened scoring on a pitch right and a tailback pass to the corner of the end zone for a 9-yard TD.  The PAT was good, 7-0 Graham, 4:55, 1st quarter.

Sophomore Ernie Hodge carried for 7 yards from his wingback position.  PC could not convert, and John Hedge had a 31-yard punt.

The Cougar defense held, with Graham slowing itself with an illegal procedure penalty.  Graham’s punt went for 37 yards.

Junior HB Derrick Burks was stopped for a 1-yard gain to bring about an apparent 4th down.  An inadvertent facemask penalty on Graham tacked on 5 yards and gave PC a first down.

Porter took a dive play 13 yards using his signature spin move, but lost the ball when he was caught from behind and stripped.

After a holding call on Graham, Matthews was sacked for a big loss by Hodge and Junior DL Justin Lewis.

Three plays later Anderson had trouble fielding the punt, and lost 10 yards of field position before recovering the ball.

PC Junior QB Britt Shumate performed a seven-step drop back to pass, and found himself surrounded by a strong pass rush up the middle. He was sacked for a 15-yard loss.  Shumate threw a curl route to Anderson for an 8-yard gain on second down.  The option play right to Porter lost 3 yards.  Hedge wowed Cougar fans with a 57-yard punt that rolled dead at the Graham 4.

Two consecutive dive plays by Graham were stuffed by the Cougar defense.  Matthews was sacked on the half-yard line on third down.  The punt from the back of the end zone came out only to the Graham 25.

The exchange of punts set the Cougars up for a short scoring drive. 

The Cougar kicking game doesn’t rebuild or reload.  Instead it is the Fully Automatic Weapon that has more ammunition than the Radford Army Ammunition Plant.  Both defenses had succeeded in stopping offensive drives, but the net result was a short field for the Cougars, thanks to the Hedge Howitzer.

On 3rd and 4 from the 19, Burks showed why he is a Division 1 college prospect as a junior.  He carried the ball for one yard before making contact with the first tackler.  Then he lowered his shoulder pad level below that of the tackler and bounce blocked the tackler away to earn 5 more yards and the first down.

Two plays and a Graham unsportsman-like penalty later, Burks carried to the entering left flag of the end zone for a 6-yard score.  Hedge’s PAT was good, a 7-7 tie, 5:11 remaining in the second quarter.  Graham was called for roughing the kicker.

Graham put together a 9-play 70-yard drive, with Matthews calling his own number, carrying the ball himself for a 9-yard TD.  The PAT was good, 14-7, 2:16 remaining in the half.

Shumate threw a curl route left to Anderson for a 15-yard gain.  Shumate dropped back deep to pass, lost his footing while under heavy pass rush pressure, and forced a throw deep while falling down.  The pass was under-thrown, hung in the air, and was intercepted. 

As bad as the 15-yard loss on a sack was earlier in the game, this was magnitudes worse.  Sacks can be compensated for by the Big Cougar Kicking Gun of the Season.  Throw the ball away, Throw the ball into the ground, Take the sack, then Punt, then win.  Desperation passes cause losses.  I wish our young quarterback the best, and hope for his rapid discontinuation of this habit. 

The last time the Cornfield on the Old County Farm saw the ‘falling pass’, the Cougars avoided a losing season by one play.

Put out the scarecrow Coach Dobson, and wish this play away. 

And if that doesn’t work, the Cougar Coven already has a bag of the Panther “Mojo” on order from Permian HS in Odessa, TX.

Break out the pointy hat, Coven. 

Dust off the Cauldron and your ‘Friday Night Lights’ book, and remove the curse of the ‘falling pass’.

John Harman intercepted a deep pass by Matthews with less than a minute remaining in the half.

“I was in position, and it fell right in my lap,” said Harman.

One play later, blitzing Graham linebackers passed Porter on a dive play, on his way to a 47-yard touchdown.  The PAT tied the score at 14.

The Cougars fumbled the ball on their second series of the second half.  Graham scored six plays later on a 31-yard run by Bradshaw.  The PAT was missed, 20-14.

Shumate threw the curl again to Anderson for a 13-yard gain.  Burks scored three plays later on a 33-yard run.  Illegal procedure on PC made for a long PAT, but it was good, PC 21-20.

Four plays later Bradshaw answered with a 43-yard TD.  The two-point conversion pass was thrown high and out of the end zone for the 26-21 final score.

Burks converted a 4th and 3 situation.  PC committed two penalties before Shumate threw another interception.

Three plays later, a Graham receiver was 5 yards from a touchdown when he was caught from behind by Anderson, who caused a fumble and the Cougars recovered.

“I was in a man-to-man coverage, the receiver broke on a slant for the catch,” said Anderson.  “I was doing everything to catch him from behind.  I went to tackle him, not strip the ball, but that’s how it worked out.”

PC put together an 11-play 85-yard drive, but came up short on 4th and goal from the Graham 11.  The spirited drive was the longest drive of the game for either team.

“We’re a young team,” said Anderson.  “We played well as a team tonight.  We are going to get better.”

“The Wall still has some holes in it,” was Cory Bentley’s assessment of the offensive line’s play.  “Were going to get there though,” added the senior and starting offensive lineman from last year’s State runner-up campaign.

“It was a good performance for our sophomores and juniors, in this heat and humidity,” said Coach Joel Hicks.  “We’re going to grade film and look at our play calling, to see what we can do better,” he added.

Last year’s head coach of the Christiansburg Blue Demons, Mike Cole, is coaching linebackers and running backs for the Cougars this season.

“We have a great coaching staff, and the addition of Cole just supports that,” said Hicks.

Game Pictures by Steven Marcus