The Locker Room September 6, 2003

Game Pictures by Steven Marcus

VICTORY STADIUM - Something just didn't feel right about tonight. Maybe it was the slight chill in the air, which is unusual for early September. Maybe it was the fact that the Golden Cougar Marching Band was absent. Maybe it was the lack of ability to control the stadium scoreboard. Whatever it was, there was a vibe in the air that this writer couldn't explain and shrugged off immediately.

After one of Cougardave's great tailgates, this writer headed for the stadium to take his seat. A few minutes later, the coin was flipped and landed in William Fleming's favor. They deferred the decision, giving the Cougars the opportunity to choose who got the ball first. There was some confusion as the Cougar captains chose to kick.  After a discussion with Head Coach Jack Turner, the Cougars lined up to kick off.

Kicker Jamie Steger sent the ball soaring through the brisk night air and into the endzone for a touchback, putting the Colonels on their own twenty yardline to begin the game. Things got off to a fast start when the carrier got the handoff and ran all the way up to the thirty-eight before getting pushed out of bounds by Brandon Anderson. However, an anonymous second Cougar got in a late hit and Pulaski was flagged. This time, the ball was carted through the middle for a minor two yards before its escort was bulldozed into the field. From the forty, Fleming tried a pass. Their quarterback seemed to cower a little, however, and ran backwards slightly to evade the hungry Cougar defense. When he did pass, the ball soared though the air--directly into the grass for an incompletion. The down was now third and eight on the forty yardline. The Colonels tried another pass which was launched right into the waiting arms of Brandon Anderson, who dashed five yards before the Colonels caught up to him and dragged him down.

As typical Pulaski drives go, this one was about the usual length. Brandon Anderson carried first for a gain of two, followed by Derrick Burks who got three more in. A flag was thrown on the next play, signaling a William Fleming foul. This put the Cougars on the thirty-five yardline for an automatic first down. From there, Derrick Burks reached the thirty-one and went down, only to get up and grab four more yards on the next play. Brandon Anderson carried the ball next but the defense was prepared for this and prevented any gain. Just in time (it was fourth down), Burks got the handoff and stiff-armed his way into a first down. From the twenty, Burks immediately got the ball to what appeared to be the ten yardline. A measurement confirmed this, and the Cougars had another first down. It was first and goal on the ten yardline. Anderson tried to make the best of this opportunity but was shut down at the six. Ernie Hodge stepped into the fray with the ever-famous criss-cross play that this writer couldn't get enough of last year. Unfortunately, it only snagged one yard. Anderson got the ball again but was bull rushed back two yards to the seven yardline. On the fourth down, Jamie Steger was called into action to attempt a field goal. Pulaski was nailed for illegal motion and after moving back a little, the ball was launched and went just a little too wide and the score remained 0-0.

William Fleming automatically got the ball next and from the twenty, took it three yards directly into the Cougar defensive line. Next, they were completely shut down and lost two yards, courtesy of S.G. Brown. The next play was a pass attempt that literally bounced right out of the intended receiver's hands. This made the down fourth and nine. Wisely, the Colonels punted. It landed out of bounds at the thirty-five.

Brandon Anderson took the ball straight to the forty-two for a gain of seven yards right off the bat. Derrick Burks carried it in for a first down to the forty-six and William Fleming called a time out. Anderson defied the defense's expectations next, sneaking through the middle and gaining five. Burks dashed to the forty-three for another first down, backed up by some great Cougar blocking. Anderson took it from there, but got pounced on and lost a yard as the clock ticked down to zero to end the first quarter.

The second quarter began with a long bomb pass from Cougar quarterback Britt Shumate that was intended for Steven Cobbs but was overthrown. Ernie Hodge carried it next for a criss-cross to try and make up for the lack of a previous gain and got four yards to show for it. However, this fell short of what Pulaski needed and with the down fourth and seven on the forty, they decided to punt. The ball sailed into the endzone for another touchback. This time, the Colonels tried to be a little fancy and ran a bootleg. This failed to fool anyone, however, and the quarterback was mobbed for a one-yard loss. Next, Fleming got two yards before junior linebacker Frank Baldwin rammed the ball carrier into the ground. The next play got three more yards under the Colonels' belts before the carrier was surrounded and Baldwin again got the tackle. The down fourth and six, the Colonels were again forced to punt.

The punt to Anderson again fell short, and the Cougars claimed the thirty yardline to begin their next drive. Derrick Burks found himself in a somewhat odd situation when somehow the Colonel defense, in an effort to bring him down, ended up pushing him forward all the way to the forty-one for a first down. Brandon Anderson did not have the same luck and failed to gain anything on the next carry. Derrick Burks took it to the forty-five before a William Fleming lineman made a dive at him. Britt Shumate tried a quarterback keeper after that, gaining one yard. Again, though, the fact that it was fourth down and five compelled them to punt.

After another touchback, William Fleming pitched right and the carrier was able to reach the thirty yardline for a first down before Brandon Anderson nabbed him. Next, the carrier for the Colonels successfully dashed all the way to the fifty yardline. However, Fleming was called for holding and had to move back exactly one quarter of the field length. It was now first and fifteen on the twenty-five. The quarterback pitched right, and six yards later S.G. Brown brought the carrier down to earth. An incomplete pass followed, courtesy of Frank Baldwin. Next, the carrier was only allowed one yard before juniors Ryan Dean and Ernie Hodge took him down. This made the down fourth and eight, again calling for a punt. This time, however, Brandon Anderson was fortunate enough to catch the ball, running it all the way up to the forty-three. Derrick Burks got the handoff and pushed the Cougars up three more yards. Brandon Anderson tried to duplicate the maneuver but the defense was again prepared for and didn't gain anything. From the forty-six, Britt Shumate dropped back for another pass attempt to Steven Cobbs but the pass was again tragically overthrown. This unfortunate lack of yardage sent Jamie Steger back onto the field for another punt and another touchback.

The next drive began with a pass to a receiver who, somewhat awkwardly, failed to gain. A fumble followed but after a second of confusion was revealed to be recovered by Fleming. A Pulaski time out followed, and Fleming made it to the fifteen. The drive ended somewhat abruptly afterwards, with a fumble on the two yardline and a Pulaski County recovery, much to the delight of the now-screaming visiting crowd.

From their own two yardline, the Cougars again called on Derrick Burks to wade through the sea of defenders for a gain of three. He followed up with two more, and then Anderson ran wide right and got four more yards. The down was now fourth and one. Jamie Steger came out for the punt which sailed out of bounds and came within about a foot of hitting an unsuspecting Pulaski County cheerleader, who also happens to be a friend of this writer, right in the head. Directly afterwards, Fleming unleashed a pass that Steven Cobbs was fortunate enough to intercept. Finally, the clock (which was screwing up royally at this time) dwindled down to zero to signal halftime, the score deadlocked 0-0.

After ten minutes of enjoying the William Fleming band performance, the cheerleader stunts, and the stadium's great funnel cakes, the game resumed. Jamie Steger sent the ball screaming into the endzone for yet another touchback. From the twenty, the carrier juked his way to the thirty-four before Frank Baldwin took him down. A six-yard gain stopped by Matt Tilley followed, after which Brandon Anderson was left lying on the field. Much to everyone's delight, he was able to get up on his own power. The down was second and four on the forty yardline. The Colonels got three more yards and there was speculation that there was a first down, but a measurement proved otherwise. They did, however, manage to claim one yard for the first down before S.G. Brown pounded the carrier. A long run got Fleming another first down directly afterwards, putting them in touchdown range before Ryan Dean pushed the ball carrier out of bounds. S.G. Brown pushed the carrier back a yard on the next play. Then, the carrier made it all the way to the one-yardline before tumbling out of bounds. Directly afterwards, Fleming desperately shoved their way into the endzone for the first touchdown of the game. After a time out, the extra point was blocked by Steven Cobbs, making the score 0-6 with 8:20 remaining in the third quarter.

The following kickoff sailed into the arms of junior running back Chad Thompson, who successfully reached the twenty-nine yardline. Derrick Burks followed up with a two-yarder to the thirty-one. Thompson answered back by reaching the thirty-two. An anonymous carrier took it in for three more yards, but there were still four yards to go by the time it was fourth down. The punt sailed to the returner on the twenty-two yardline before he went down. The following drive began with the carrier getting bull rushed by half the starting Cougar defensive line. From the twenty-one, the carrier made up for the loss by running six yards before Matt Hall and Ryan Dean popped him like a zit. From the twenty-seven, Fleming carried it to the thirty-eight for a blatant first down before Ernie Hodge stepped in to deal with him. Six yards were claimed in the next two plays before the Colonels reached the forty-seven for a first down. From there, their quarterback unleashed a long bomb that failed to connect and Fleming got flagged. This made the down second and fifteen. From there, the quarterback dropped back for a pass but ran scared from the Cougar defense and Fleming got flagged again. This made the down third and thirty. From there, the quarterback was sacked by Derrick Burks. This made the down fourth and forty. The carrier was then snagged by Cougar freshman linebacker Kevin Crouse. This marked the end of the third quarter.

Brandon Anderson caught the punt and was able to run it to the forty-two. He then made it to the forty-five before going down. Derrick Burks dashed through the middle for a mild two-yarder. The down was now third and five on the forty-seven. Anderson gained only one yard, however, so Pulaski was forced to punt again.

At this point my colleague, Jeff Wolfe, began performing the "chickenfoot"curse that he, ScottCougar, and Cougardave made so infamous last year. For those not familiar with the chickenfoot, it involves clawing the air in the direction of the opposing team's punt or kickoff returner with three curved fingers. With much faith, it's almost sure to make the receiver trip, fumble, or otherwise screw up badly. That is exactly what happened here, as the receiver caught the ball and immediately stumbled to the ground on the twelve yardline. Three consecutive three yard gains followed, which made the down fourth and one. This was another time when Fleming felt like trying something fancy. The imminent punt was faked and the quarterback kept the ball, trying madly to find someone open. Finally, he simply sent it plummeting blindly to the twenty-one yardline.

Beginning their next drive on the Fleming twenty-one yardline, Pulaski County was undoubtedly in excellent field position. Derrick Burks started it off by dragging the ball and himself to the eighteen. Brandon Anderson followed up with a gain of his own, reaching the fourteen yardline. Burks carried it in for a first down next, insuring some kind of score for the Cougars. Burks ran it again but was met by a large group of Colonels and gained only two. He carried it again on the next play and gained only one. Then, Brandon Anderson was unceremoniously shoveled back four yards. This tragically made the down fourth and ten on the ten yardline. After a time out, Pulaski made up their mind: it was field goal time. Jamie Steger was called back out onto the field to make the attempt, which was pulled off successfully to make the score 3-6 with minutes remaining in the game, ending any chance at all for a William Fleming shut-out.

The kickoff that followed sailed to the returner, who made it to the twenty before getting totally smacked out of bounds by one of Kevin Crouse's large shoulders. A three yarder was stopped by S.G. Brown and Shaun Branscome, and a first down followed. Next, the carrier was chased by Matt Tilley but tackled by Kevin Crouse. Sadly, these efforts weren't enough to hold out the clock long enough and the William Fleming Colonels emerged victorious by a mere three points.

"Their defense was so good," stated head coach Jack Turner, "there weren't many opportunities at all to take advantage of, but these kids played hard and keep it close."

Indeed they did. Still, it was a depressing night for many, including yours truly. Hopefully, our boys will have better luck next week against Patrick Henry High School in our first home game at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium. See ya there. Until then for cougarfootball.net, this is Pete Cougar signing off.

Game Pictures
by Steven Marcus

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Game Pictures by Steven Marcus