Opening their second varsity season against the Hornets, the Pottsville Apaches traveled to Hackett, Arkansas and won 14-0.
The game opened with the Apaches receiving, Senior Hornet Chris Nemeth kicking 50 yards to start the game, Sophomore Apache Khris Holbrook returned the kick to the PHS 31 yard line. Junior Apache Chris Alexander labeled by the announcer as the “Workhorse” started what would continue to be a instrumental plan for the Apaches offense. Alexander moved the football up the field to get a first down when an illegal procedure flag was thrown against the Apaches. The penalty didn’t slow them down and Sophomore Apache quarterback Kevin Boyd threw a complete pass for 11 yards to Junior Apache Caleb Moore bringing the Apaches within half a yard to overcoming the penalty they suffered. On a quarterback sneak Boyd held the ball getting a full yard and providing the Apaches the first down. The Apaches worked the ball down the field with Senior Apache David Nichols rushing for 2 yards and Senior Apache Michael Jones carrying 12 yards to the HHS 32 yard line. On first and ten Boyd lost control of the ball after the snap, but was able to recover bringing up the second down and eleven. The Apache offense suffered a blow when Sophomore Hornet Nick Eaton sacked Boyd for a loss of three yards, instigating the Apaches taking a time out with 7:02 left in the first quarter and a long 14 yards to gain. Boyd showed composure when he completed a screen pass to Nichols gaining only three of the 14 yards they needed. The Apaches called another timeout with 6:33 left in the first quarter. Holbrook stepped in as quarterback, but was under extreme pressure by Senior Hornet Kyle Campbell and the ball turned over on downs to the Hornets on the HHS 28 yard line.
The Hornet offense was able to push the ball down the field, but the Apache defense stood in their way often. Senior Hornet quarterback Dallas Quinalty opened the HHS first possession with a handoff to Junior Hornet Marcus Slavens for a two-yard gain. On second down and eight, Senior Apache Kody Bowden took Slavens down in the backfield for a two yard loss. The Apaches defense held their ground and took over on downs at the HHS 48 yard line when Junior Apaches Josh Smith and Caleb Moore stopped Junior Hornet Coby Moore for only a two yard gain.
The Apaches second possession proved fruitful. Boyd and Alexander drove down the field in five plays to the HHS 15 yard line. Boyd handed off the ball to Alexander and on a reverse to M. Jones went up the left side for a five yard gain. Alexander rushed for 5 yards bringing the Apaches within first and goal. Hornet defense was no match for his agility and strength as he crossed the goal line for the first Apache score this season. With :17 seconds left in the first quarter Junior Apache Kadin Fancher’s extra point was good and the Apaches lead 7-0.
Fancher kicked 40 yards to the Hornets and Moore caught the ball and ran for 19 yards to the HHS 30 yard line with :11 seconds left in the first quarter. Quinalty was able to gain two yards in the first play of the second quarter before Junior Apache Cory Ingram took him down at the 32 yard line. Quinalty on the option left two deep zone spread defense carried the ball for 18 yards to the 50 yard line giving the Hornets a first down. The Hornets dominated the first 5 minutes of the quarter. Quinalty faked a handoff to Slavens only to be taken down by Senior Apache Brock Hildebrand for one yard gain. Sophomore Hornet Heath Gillett took a hand off from Quinalty and was able to slip around the Apache defense fro a 12 yard gain. Holbrook made the stop on the PHS 31 yard line and a Hornet first down. Nichols and Ca. Moore tackled Quinalty after he found a whole on the right side for six yards to the PHS 31 yard line. Sophomore Apache Chris Wiggins stepped up and took Slavens down after he gained five yards to get the Hornet first down. Slavens met a wall of Apaches lead by Smith at the PHS 21 yard line leaving the Hornets with a second down and short 5 to go. Wiggins stopped Quinalty on the keeper allowing only one yard gain. Caleb Moore tripped Gillett who only managed one more yard putting the Hornets at fourth and three at the PHS 18 yard line. The Hornets progress stopped after a illegal procedure penalty cost them five yards. Quinalty threw an incomplete pass to Co. Moore turning the ball over on downs to the Apaches with 6:16 left in the first half.
Starting off on their own 22 yard line Boyd handed off to Alexander for a four yard gain. The Apaches fumbled the ball on second and six to the Hornets. The Apache defense didn’t give the Hornets more than two yards. The Hornets turned the ball over on downs at the PHS 22 yard line. Holbrook was in at quarterback, fumbled his second attempt at the QB, but recovered. Holbrook then handed off to Alexander for a two yard gain. On third and eight Holbrook handed off to Jones who was pushed around, he dropped the ball. Nichols recovered and the Apaches had to punt the ball. Coach Collins used his last time out of the half to settle down his young team. Bowden punted for 32 yards and with 1:10 left in the first half the Hornets took over at their own 39 yard line.
Quinalty’s pass intended for Co. Moore was incomplete. On second down and ten, Quinalty went up the left side while under pressure from Ca. Moore for a gain of one yard. Coach Baker took the first time out of the half with :53 left. After a drive that only gained the Hornets one more yard, Quinalty kept the ball and carried for 22 yards, a illegal blocking penalty on the offense gave the Hornets four and long eleven with :07 left in the half. An incomplete pass to Sophomore Hornet Brad Mooneyham ended the half with the Apaches leading 7-0.
The second half started off with a scare for the Apaches when Quinalty ran for a 90 yard touchdown, that was called back to the 50 yard line for clipping. Although the Apache defense let the Hornets move up the field, they held their ground at their own 43 yard line, when Quinalty’s pass bounced out of the hands of Co. Moore into Apache Josh Smith intercepted the football.
The Apaches didn’t make enough progress to get a first down and had to punt. Holbrook kicked a 28 yard punt that Quinalty ran back to the Hornets own 38 yard line when he was stopped by Wiggins. On second and ten Quinalty handed off to Slavens for a three yard gain, he was tripped up by Hornet Heath Gillett at the 41 yard line. On third and seven Quinalty fumbled the ball and Wiggins recovered with 4:27 left in the third quarter. Boyd handed off to M. Jones up the left side for nine yards. The Hornet defense was able push Alexander back for a loss of one yard, but the Apache offense was determined. Alexander pumped up the right side for a nice 13 yard gain to the HHS 12 yard line. In the next two plays Alexander was only able to get two yards. The Apaches suffered a penalty when a reverse play from Boyd to Alexander to M. Jones backfired putting the Apaches on fourth down and a long 16 at the HHS 25 yard line. Fancher stepped up to attempt a 35 yard field goal and it was good. The score with 1:51 left in the third quarter was 10-0 Apaches.
Quinalty handed off to Co. Moore when several flags were thrown. The Hornets were penalized for illegal procedure having two men in motion in the backfield taking the Hornets to the 15 yard line on first down and fifteen. Slavens took a hand off from Quinalty and rushed for 5 yards, Ca. Moore made the stop. The officials took a time out with 1:07 left in the third quarter. Having settled down, Slavens rushed for six yards when M. Jones and Ca. Moore took him down at the 26 yard line. The quarter ended with the Apaches in the lead 10-0.
Sophomore Hornet Josh Elmore’s kick off was caught at the PHS 35 yard line and Holbrook broke loose and got inside the 5 yard line giving the Apaches first and goal. The “Workhorse” Alexander rushed for the three yards to score his second touchdown. Fancher’s extra point was good. With 11:39 left in the game the Apaches extended their lead 17-0.
Fancher’s 20 yard kick off was returned by Quinalty to the HHS 34 yard line. Quinalty was pushed back 4 yards by Junior Apache Kennith George and Wiggins to the HHS 30 yard line. The Apache defense showed no mercy and allowing only the four yards the Hornets lost to be gained back. Holbrook returned Hornet Chris Nemeth’s punt to the PHS 35 yard line. Boyd pitched the ball to Alexander for a nine yard gain. On second down and 1, Nemeth took Boyd down in the backfield by for a one yard loss. Boyd’s pass to Ca. Moore was incomplete. On fourth down and a short three yards to go Holbrook was back to kick the punt and was forced to run, he was stopped by Senior Hornet Kyle Campbell at the 47 yard line. Apache Kody Bowden deflected a pass intended for Co. Moore. Coach Ed Baker took a time out with 7:11 left in the game to settle his quarterback down. Although Quinalty suffered another incomplete pass on third down and ten he handed off to Gillett who carried for 13 yards. Gillett, Moore and Slavens moved the ball up the field to the PHS 30 yard line. On the quarterback keeper Quinalty had a big gain of eight yards. Slavens was able to find a hole on second down and two up the middle to get the Hornet needed first down. Bowden stopped cold his second attempt. Quinalty threw an incomplete pass to Gillett, on third and nine long yards Ca. Moore took Gillett for a loss of three yards. The Hornets didn’t make any more progress down the field and the clock played out. The Apaches took their season opener win of 17-0.
Head Coach Phil Collins had this to say about the games performance, “I am real proud! We have improved in the last two weeks. We did some good things, we still made some mistakes, but we are an inexperienced and young team. This was a good experience!! The boys deserved the win. They needed the win. I am real excited!” The Apaches will travel Friday, September 12, 2003, to play the Murfreesboro Rattlers, game time will be at 7:30 p.m.
