Pulaski County started this 2005 football campaign with high aspirations and dreams of bringing a state championship back to Dublin; indeed that dream is still in reach due to the fact that our team has made a complete 360-degree turnaround over the past two weeks. We did start the season with a considerable number of injuries, especially in our extremely talented backfield; however, it now appears that progress was made in certain areas because of those injuries and many players have gotten better at a faster than anticipated rate.

The Cougars played the first two weeks of the season with a very uncertain backfield situation; we had two of our running backs out with ankle and knee injuries. In a short time, our backfield has been a huge advantage, as they have rushed for 821 yards in the last two games against two very good football teams, Franklin County and Jefferson Forest.

Pulaski County ran for 366 yards and had possession of the pigskin for over 32 minutes in Friday night’s 35-14 victory over a very talented and speedy Jefferson Forest team. In both of the wins over JF and FC, our backfield has been much more than okay; it seems that our Wing-T offense has hit stride once again.

Pulaski County is now at .500 for the season with a huge game on the line at home against the Group AAA EC Glass Hilltoppers this Friday night. This EC Glass team is one of the best they’ve had in a long time, as they are as talented as ever with lots of team speed and strength. This game should be a barnburner, as both teams desperately need to finish their out of district schedules with a victory.

There is a lot of credit to spread around for Friday’s victory, which is a great thing to say. It’s truly a team thing, and a lot of Cougars are beginning to find a way to make plays and stop the offensive outbursts that were so prevalent during the first few games of the season. Crouse rushed for 175 yards and four touchdowns and would have gone over 200 yards again if a 50-yard gallop wasn’t called back due to an illegal block penalty. Benji Poindexter ran for 135 yards and a touchdown, Luis Piscura was perfect on all five of his extra point attempts and his kickoffs were very effective. John McDaniel came up with his second interception of the season, and freshman Nubian Peak got the Cougars off to a great start with a huge kick return that had the Cougars start in Cavalier territory. The Pulaski County defense allowed 181 yards, the first time this season it surrendered less than 300 total yards in a game.

Following Peak’s opening kickoff it only took the Cougars seven plays to drive to the hole as Kevin Crouse ran from 18 yards out. That was the only touchdown scored in the first quarter, as both teams played at a stalemate.

Jefferson Forest was a new opponent; we didn’t know all of the “weaknesses” that they have like we do a team like Salem or Christiansburg. We expected a lot of speed and we were disappointed to an extent, as Jefferson Forest played really stale football.

Early in the second quarter the Cougars moved 88 yards in 15 plays, overcoming a 15-yard illegal block penalty along the way, to score on a Benji Poindexter run from 12 yards out. The second lost fumble of the game setup the Cavaliers in Pulaski County territory on the 34-yard line. Quarterback Will Honbarrier passed to tight end Daniel Bryant on a criss-cross pattern to score from 12 yards out and the margin was cut to 14-7.

Then the Cougars made their most impressive possession of the game; with less than four minutes to play in the first half, Pulaski County took over following the kickoff at their own 30. The Cougars stormed down the field, driving 70 yards in 14 plays when Crouse zoomed over from the two on a left pitch with just 18 seconds to play in the half for a 21 to 7 lead.

At the break, Jefferson Forest had only seven yards of offense in the first quarter, but finished the half with 68 yards and three first downs after recovering the second Cougar fumble. Pulaski County had 221 yards rushing at the half on 38 plays, one of which was used to spike the ball to stop the clock.

As the whistle blew to start the second half, the Cougar defense was stunned as Jefferson Forest scored on the first play from scrimmage on a 65-yard scamper from Mondreus Oakley to cut the deficit to seven. Fortunately, that touchdown would be the last for the Cavaliers as the Cougar defense shut them down.

Pulaski County was forced to punt on their next possession, but with the ball on its own 41, the Cougars got really cranked up again moving 59 yards in eight plays with Crouse slamming into the end zone from the six. The final tally of the game came when Pulaski County moved 78 yards on 10 plays with Crouse scoring his fourth TD of the game from the one. That score came with 9:01 still to play.

As the clock ran out, Cougar fans and players alike were extremely ecstatic. We had just moved back to two and two for the season, and it seemed as if the Cougars had turned a pivotal corner, they are hungry and ready to play and win every time they step upon the field. The team is playing with a lot of intensity, tenacity, and heart; they are a pleasure to watch. They still want to go to state, and by the way we are playing with just a few adjustments, who knows; we may be taking a trip to Lynchburg in late December.

Please come out to Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium to witness what should be a very competitive game between the visiting Group AAA EC Glass Hilltoppers from Lynchburg and our Pulaski County Cougars who can’t wait to finish this grueling out of district schedule with another win. This game should be one to remember, as both teams are extremely talented and have great players on both sides of the ball. Friday night will indeed be Homecoming night, so come out and support not just Pulaski County football, but the entire community and our great high school.

GO COUGARS!