The Pirates went into the practice week with a 2-1 record in non-district play. Coach Hardin was preparing his team for their first district opponent of the season in the Wildcats. Last season the Wildcats handed the Pirates a big loss which was not forgotten going into this matchup.
Friday came quickly as the Pirates loaded the buses for the hour and a half drive east to Sulphur Springs. It was homecoming night for the Wildcats and they were ready to compete. Sulphur Springs started out with the ball on their own twenty-eight-yard line and didn’t waste any time scoring. It took only six plays for the Wildcats to march down the field and score the first points of the game. The Wildcats used a dual threat receiver who they brought into the Wildcat formation to use in the run game. This would show to be a problem for the Pirate defense.
Coach Hardin’s fast paced offense came out on the field ready to answer back. They did just that with their own eight play drive. Running back Chris Abron took it to the house with his quick moves and feet from twelve yards out. Sulphur Springs answered quickly with another six-play drive, going for it on fourth down, scoring on that play. The Pirates would be shut down this series and go three and out with a punt. The score was 13-8 Sulphur Springs at the end of one quarter.
The Pirate defense would come out and force Sulphur Springs to attempt a field goal after a long ten play series. Sophomore Kendrick Jones had other plans coming off the outside to block the forty-one-yard attempt. This gave the Pirate offense good field position. No matter to the Wildcat defense though as they forced another three and out punt. It took the Wildcat offense only four plays to score, on a fiveyard rush, out of Wildcat formation. The score was now 20-8 Sulphur Springs half way through the second quarter.
The Pirate offense came out poised knowing they needed to score. Quarterback Jamonte Gordon-West marched them down the field to another Abron rushing touchdown. The only thing missing was a turnover by the Pirate defense to swing things their way. This happened on the fifth play of the Wildcats drive. Outside linebacker Samuel Omosigho read the quarterback’s eyes the whole way, picking him off and taking it all the way back for the score. The Pirate defense would come up big again forcing another field goal attempt by the Wildcats. Kendrick Jones was having none of it! Jones came off the edge getting his finger tips on the ball enough forcing it to miss.
With everything starting to go the Pirates’ way you knew it wouldn’t take long for them to score. West took the Pirates down the field quickly, connecting with junior receiver Luke Moffitt, on a twenty-two-yard touchdown reception. The score was 20-29 Crandall at halftime.
The Pirates would start out with the ball and give it up in their redzone on a bobbled snap. The defense came out and forced the Wildcats to punt after a hard-fought series. Receiver Luke Moffitt was back deep and fielded the punt on the eleven-yard-line. His return team came up with some great blocks which allowed him to take it back eighty-nine-yards for the score!
Coach Lewis would send his defense back on the field for another huge stop forcing the Wildcats to punt. It took the Pirate offense two plays to score, West connecting with Omosigho on a fifty-six-yard touchdown reception. After another stop West and his offense marched back onto the field. It was a beautiful seven play drive ending with West hitting Moffitt in the corner of the endzone for a twenty-seven-yard touchdown reception. The score was 20-50 Crandall after three quarters of play.
The fourth quarter saw two scores by the Wildcats and one by Pirate quarterback West on a three-yard rush. The final score was 34-57 Crandall. The story of this game was the big special teams plays, defensive stops and quick strikes from an explosive Pirate offense. Crandall is 3-1 overall with a 1-0 record in district play.
The Pirates take on the North Forney Falcons at Pirate Stadium this Friday at 7:30pm.
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