Saukees steller in big win over Tigers

PITTSFIELD — With an awesome display of fireworks, the Pittsfield/Griggsville-Perry Saukees put on an amazing show for their 2008 homecoming game.

“There are a lot of distractions that go on during homecoming week,” Pittsfield coach Don Bigley said. “We had a really good week of practice, and the players prepared to have what happened tonight, happen.”

What happened was a 54-14 victory, and a pair of Pittsfield running backs each had more than 100 yards rushing. Juniors Devon Johnson (205 yards) and Elijah Hoover (112 yards) led their team in the rout of the visiting Beardstown Tigers.

“The offense line did amazing tonight,” Johnson said. “I didn’t have to do much. I just ran.”

Johnson and Hoover provided just about all the offense the Saukees needed. Aside from their rushing yardage, Johnson scored two touchdowns and ran in three conversions. Hoover added three touchdowns of his own, all of which were followed by Johnson’s conversion runs.

Quarterback Jordan Cawthon played only in the first half, but he rushed for two touchdowns as well. He also completed a pass for one, 2-point conversion and rushed for another.

Nearly all of the Saukees’ touchdowns came on long yardage plays. The Saukees had touchdown runs of 3, 55, 47, 28, 43, 2 and 13 yards.

“We haven’t had those for the last couple of weeks,” Bigley said. “We spent a lot of time this week working on our downfield blocking.”

The Saukees ran the ball seemingly at will, racking up 456 yards on 45 carries by seven players. A total of 311 yards came in the first half by three players.

“We played very well tonight, other than a couple of special teams mistakes,” Bigley said.

One of those was a 70-yard kickoff return by the Tigers’ Christopher Yost. Although he was caught just short of the goal line, Tigers quarterback Cole Carlock completed an 11 yard pass to Yost three plays later to reach the end zone.

Beardstown (1-4) scored its other touchdown midway through the second quarter by blocking a Saukee punt and recovering it in the end zone.

At that point, the Tigers had turned a 24-0 game into a 24-14 game. That got Pittsfield’s attention.

“We refocused a little bit after the Tiger touchdowns,” Bigley said.

After regrouping, the Saukees put the game away as the half was coming to a close. In the mother of all two-minute drills, the Saukees scored not once, but four times in the last minute and 55 seconds.

The Saukee defense forced a safety with a minute and a half left when Beardstown’s punter stepped on the end line. Then, on Pittsfield’s first play after the free kick, Johnson ran the ball 43 yards for his second touchdown.

After holding the Tigers in the next series, the Saukees quickly moved the ball downfield on two passes and scored on a two-yard quarterback keeper with 1 second left in the half.

When the second half started, Pittsfield was first to get the ball and scored the final touchdown of the game three plays later to begin the running clock.

Pittsfield travels to Camp Point Central next week for its third of five West Prairie Trail Southwest Conference games. Beardstown will play in its second homecoming game in as many weeks when it hosts PORTA in the Tigers’ homecoming game.