By TROY SARVER
Patriot Publishing
A late game comeback by Pulaski County was derailed by a penalty on a two-point conversion as Christiansburg held on to take a 21-19 victory over the Cougars on Friday night at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium.
Rahmyene Jones ( Photo/Robert Simmons)
Trailing 21-13 with 3:19 left in the fourth quarter, Pulaski County’s Rahmyene Jones scored on a two-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to two. On the ensuing two-point play Jones looked to score again on a run up the middle, but the play was called back on an illegal procedure penalty on the Cougars.
The ball was moved back to the seven-yard line after the yellow flag and PC tried for two again. Quarterback Dorrion Long attempted a pass to receiver Cameron Akers, but it was broken up keeping the Blue
Dorrion Jones (Photo/Robert Simmons)
Demons in the lead.
“I told the guys it’s the little things that matter and it came down to execution. There was our opportunity and we jump offsides,” Pulaski County head coach Cam Akers said.
The Cougars’ defense was able to stop Christiansburg on their next drive and get the ball back to their offense, but with Pulaski County starting their final possession on their own 42, the Christiansburg defense held the Cougars without a first down wrapping up the River Ridge District win.
With the defeat Pulaski Co. (0-5, 0-2) dropped to 1-10 in their last 11 games. Ironically that steak started with a last second loss to Christiansburg last season.
Things got off to a good start for the Cougars when on their third offensive play of the game, Long, who was making his first start of the season behind center, broke loose down the Blue Demons’ sideline for an 89-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 at the 2:05 mark of the first quarter.
On three separate occasions in the second quarter the Cougars had a chance to extend the lead when they started drives on the Christiansburg side of the field. Two of those drives, however, ended on failed fourth down conversions and a third ended on a missed 32-yard field goal by PC placekicker Alex Flores.
“You have got to score in the red zone. When you get down there you got to get in,” Akers said.
Christiansburg (2-3, 1-0) was able to tie things up before halftime when Blue Demon quarterback Jeremiah Barnes hit receiver Thierry Macie on a 74-yard scoring pass to make it 7-7 with 3:48 left in the second quarter.
The Blue Demons took their first lead of the contest in the third quarter when Barnes connected on his second touchdown pass on a 7-yard throw to Jack Henry to make it 14-7 with 2:58 left in the period.
Christiansburg then looked to put the game away on their next drive when Barnes and Macie had another huge play connecting on a 70-yard TD pass to make it 21-7 just 59 seconds into the fourth quarter.
Pulaski County, though, fought back putting together a 5-play, 76-yard drive later in the fourth that was capped by a 39-yard touchdown pass from Long to Jayden Aviles with 3:58 on the clock. Flores’ extra point attempt, though, was no good keeping the score at 21-13.
On the following kickoff with Christiansburg anticipating an onside kick, the Blue Demons only had one returner deep who was Macie. The Cougars kicked deep and the ball landed and rolled to the Christiansburg 6. Macie apparently didn’t realize it was a live ball and left it on the ground, allowing PC’s Aviles to run down and pick up the ball. Aviles couldn’t advance it into the end zone, but Pulaski Co. got possession at the 6 setting up Jones late game scoring run.
Long finished the night as the Cougars’ leading rusher with 109 yards. He also had 71 passing yards on six pass completions and a touchdown.
Maddox Thompson had 61 rushing yards for the Cougars before leaving the game in the second half with either a foot or ankle injury.
Pulaski County hits the road next week for a Saturday afternoon game against Graham in Bluefield. Last year the G-Men defeated the Cougars, 56-10, in Dublin.
Game time on Saturday will be 1 p.m.
Christiansburg 0 7 7 7 21
Pulaski County 7 0 0 12 19
PC – Long 89 run (Flores kick)
Ch – Macie 74 pass from Barnes (Banfield kick)
Ch – Henry 7 pass from Barnes (Banfield kick)
Ch – Macie 70 pass from Barnes (Banfield kick)
PC – Aviles 39 pass from Long (kick failed)
PC – Jones 2 run (pass failed)
Christiansburg Pulaski County
First Downs 11 7
Yards Rushing 133 180
Passes C-A-I 11-18-1 6-19-0
Yards Passing 179 71
Penalties-Yards 12-128 9-74
Fumbles – lost 1-1 0-0
Punts – average 3-42.3 5-39.6
RUSHING – Christiansburg, Byrd 16-73, Haile 4-18, Collins 2-2, Lennartz 5-21, Howard 6-10, Barnes 5-9, Pulaski County, Thompson 21-61, Long 4-109, Aviles 2-3, Jones 2-7
PASSING – Christiansburg, Lennartz 4-7-0-12, Barnes 7-11-1-167, Pulaski County, Long 6-19-0-71
RECEIVING – Christiansburg, Macie 5-154, Asbury 1-2, Howell 4-16, Henry 1-7, Pulaski County, Pulaski County, Squires 1-(-1), Aviles 4-64, Jones 1-8
