Coming into tonight’s game between our biggest and most powerful foe who is also the number one team in the entire state of Virginia in Group AA, nothing much was expected from the Cougars by the media, reporters, and the community alike. This game was supposed to be a runaway as Salem was going to continue their 17-game winning streak, roll right into the playoffs as the number one seed, and face their toughest rival on two consecutive Friday nights, quinescient as the USC of high school football.

The Cougars gave the Spartans all they could possibly handle, as they came back from a 14-point deficit during the second half and held the lead until 11 seconds left in the game, when Keith Gaines found a wide open D’Juan Smith in the endzone for the game winning touchdown. That touchdown ruined the chance of Pulaski ending the Spartans’ 17- game winning streak and ending this 3-game losing streak to finish out the 2005 regular season.

It seemed an unfitting end to one of the closest games in school history, as the Cougars were stunned to see this game turn a complete 360 degrees in the final 11 seconds due to a very questionable pass interference penalty called on Kevin Crouse very late in the game. What was the difference that gave Salem the win?

There were a couple of things here and there that aided the Spartans; first of all, the three penalties that the Cougars committed cut their guts out, secondly, the officiating was everything but great, they made horrible calls throughout the entire game. There was also a couple of mistakes on special teams, including a 19-yard punt and a huge kickoff return from Tony Spradlin that gave Salem extremely wonderful field position.

Statistically the game was extremely close. Kevin Crouse led the way for Pulaski County as he rushed for 151 yards and two scores on only 27 carries. Nubian Peak added 30 on five runs, Benji Poindexter had 21 on four, and Ryan Brown got just two yards on three carries. Dunnigan was thrown for a nine-yard loss when he tried to pass, and threw one completion for 28 yards.

The Cougars totaled 221 yards for the game. The Spartans ran 30 times for 85 yards and Gaines hit 11 of 25 passes for 122 yards and two interceptions. The Spartans had 14 first downs to the Cougars 11.

Neither offense could move when the game began, but a 19-yard shanked punt by Luis Piscura put Salem in excellent position to score as they retained possession of the football at the 48. The Cougar defense gave ground grudgingly, but 11 plays later Gaines rolled left and passed left to Cameron Chaney for 14 yards out to score the game’s first touchdown. Jonathan Murphy kicked the conversion for a 7-0 Salem lead with 5:38 left in the first half.

Pulaski County made its first move following the kickoff, but a great run to almost the Salem 25 by Poindexter was nullified by a holding penalty. The Spartans had one last chance, but a pass into the end zone was nullified by a holding penalty.

Salem quickly took control in the second half. Tony Spradlin ran the kickoff all the way back to the Pulaski County 19 and on the first play, Gaines again swept left off the option and scored the second Salem touchdown of the game. Murphy was good again for a quick 14-0 Salem lead. This was the junction where the scoreboard looked the worst for the boys from Pulaski County, because after that score things started to click for the Cougar offense. Crouse rushed for 11 and a first down on the 37. Two plays later Poindexter got 11 more and a first down at the Salem 40. Then it was Crouse for 6 and then 10, and Salem was hit with a personal foul penalty and the ball was now at the Salem 17. Then it was Crouse again for consecutive runs of nine, seven, and one into the end zone with 7:40 left in the third quarter to cut the Cougar deficit to seven.

On the second play following the kickoff, Crouse picked off a Gaines pass, his third interception of the season, at the Salem 43. On the next play, Nubian Peak streaked around the right side and down the sideline inside the Spartan 15, but a holding penalty nullified the play, and Salem would eventually hold the Cougars on downs at the 37.

The Spartans wanted to drive the ball, but the ferocious Pulaski County defense was playing extremely well and stopped the effort at the 21. The next play, the first snap of the fourth quarter, was a Peak run of 15 yards to the 49. On the next play Crouse blew off the left side and rumbled 51 yards untouched to the end zone. Piscura’s kick tied the game 14-14 with 11:53 to play.

Salem could no longer mount any sort of rushing attack against the Cougar defense and went to the passing game exclusively, however on a third and five at the 31. Austin Twine got his third interception of the season at the 50 and ran all the way back to the Salem 10. A personal foul was added to the play giving the Cougars half the distance, and it was now first and goal for the Cougars at the Salem 5.

The Cougars could not punch it in and Piscura kicked a 20-yard field goal to finally give Pulaski County the lead with 7:38 to play. Piscura is seven for seven for field goals this season. Following the kickoff, Salem could not move and on fourth and 18 had to punt. Pulaski County took over on its own 32. Just one first down would have put the Cougars in great position to win, leaving Salem little time on the clock, and two first downs would have essentially put the game away, but the Spartan defense held and it was three and out.

Salem got the ball back with 3:04 to play at its own 26. Gaines passed twice over the middle for 17 yards, but after one first down, it was fourth and three for the Spartans at the 44. Gaines tried a pass to Spradlin; the ball bounced free as Crouse was there on coverage. In a somewhat much-delayed flag, Pulaski County was called for interference and put the Spartans on the Cougar 42 with exactly one minute to play. Gaines hit Hanabury with a fourth down pass of seven yards at the 30, but time was running out. Gaines quickly spiked the ball on the next snap to stop the clock. On the next play, he found D’Juan Smith open behind the Cougar secondary for the score and the final 21-17 margin with only 11 seconds to play.

A loss is truly a loss, but this loss truly should have been a win for the Cougars. Sometimes it feels that you have to beat a certain team at a certain location by two touchdowns to win by a point. This is definitely not the first time that there has been frustration of this kind concerning a game at Salem. It was almost a repeat of other occasions over the past 25-plus years, and they are still talking about the play at the pylon over at Cave Spring from three weeks ago when the Knights came up a point short at Salem Stadium. Cave Spring believes strongly that it should be the 10-0 team.

However, the Cougars are blessed because we get to come right back this upcoming Friday night when the Region III, Division 4 playoffs opens in Salem Stadium. Will the Cougars have enough to pull out a victory? Was that the best performance of Salem? We just have to find out, Pulaski County knows that they can beat them. I am also sure that Salem feels the exact same way too. Do the Spartans want to play Pulaski County again as much as the Cougars want another shot at striking down the Spartans?

I think that this second half of this performance is going to be the best game we have seen all season, so please come out and support the Cougars! Come and support the many seniors as they hopefully bring this team deeper into the playoffs. Let’s get rowdy Cougar Crazies, and tell the Spartans’ to get in the truck!

GO COUGARS!!!