Published: October 24, 2009 09:49 am      

Palestine takes control of District 20-3A

By PAUL STONE

H-P Associate Editor

BROWNSBORO _ The Palestine Wildcats stepped into the Bear's Den Friday night.

By the time they departed, the Wildcats sat alone at the top of the District 20-3A standings, handing Brownsboro its first loss of the season in the process.

After trading touchdowns throughout the opening half, Palestine pulled away from Brownsboro in the second half en route to a 42-26 victory in a matchup of co-district leaders.

Senior quarterback Olin Terry once again sparked the Wildcats' offense, accounting for more than 300 yards total offense and scoring all three of Palestine's second-half touchdowns on runs of 6, 32 and 4 yards.

Terry, who ran for 107 yards, also connected on 11-of-15 passes for 197 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown strike to Eric Robertson and a 75-yard gainer to Kenneth Green which set up the Wildcats’ first touchdown of the game.

Bruising tailback Terrance Simon, meanwhile, stepped off 124 yards on 20 carries, carrying eight times in a nine-play sequence during the fourth quarter to help ice the game for the Wildcats.

Palestine improved to 5-3 on the season and a perfect 3-0 in district play. The Wildcats travel to Athens next week. Brownsboro,meanwhile, suffered its first loss of the season, dropping to marks of 6-1 and 2-1 respectively.

Palestine, which never trailed, led, 21-18, at the half after the district foes traded touchdowns in the first half.

The Wildcats, however, blocked Tyler Rogers’ PAT following Brownsboro’s first touchdown and the Bears later unsuccessfully went for two points — both on passes — following their other two first-half TDs to account for the three-point differential at the break.

Palestine, which won the coin toss but deferred until the second half, wasted little time in extending its advantage, covering 48 yards in four plays on the opening drive of the second half.

On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, Simon bursted through the middle for 41 yards to the Bear 7.

Three plays later on third-and-goal from the Bear 6, Terry followed a wall of Wildcat blockers around left end and ran into the end zone virtually untouched as Palestine extended its lead to double digits, 28-18, with 10:00 still remaining in the third quarter.

After getting one first down, Brownsboro was forced to punt on the game's ensuing possession as Palestine started from its own 29 on its second drive after halftime.

Behind the running of Terry and a pair of Terry-to-E.J. Spurlock connections, the Wildcats quickly advanced the ball into Brownsboro territory.

After a Terry-to-Spurlock 8-yard hookup, Terry faked an inside handoff and then scooted 32 yards around right end for his second of three touchdown runs with 6:00 left in the third quarter.

Travis Atkinson, who was perfect on extra points hitting six-of-six, was true on the PAT as the Wildcats had upped their lead to 17 points, 35-18.

Brownsboro, however, immediately made things interesting again as sophomore Keuntis Thompson sprinted around right end for a 47-yard touchdown run on the Bears’ first play from scrimmage following the Palestine touchdown.

Ryan Owens hit Charfus Mayfield with the two-point conversion pass and Brownsboro was back within single digits, 35-26, with 5:43 still to go in the third.

Things got even shakier for Palestine less than one minute later when the Wildcats’ Robertson, fighting for yardage after a reception, fumbled and Brownsboro’s Zach Bailey recovered at the Palestine 33.

Three plays later, a Green interception was negated by a defensive holding penalty against the Wildcats, giving the Bears a first-and-10 at the Palestine 21.

Hindered by an offense pass interference penalty, Brownsboro moved backwards and faced a fourth-and-24 from the Wildcat 35.

With three minutes to go in the third, Brownsboro opted to go for it and Wildcat defensive end Kyle Cargill stormed through to drop Owens for his second sack of the game.

Taking over on downs, Palestine then put the game out of reach, marching 55 yards in nine plays, with Olin Spurlock capping off the scoring drive with a 4-yard TD run with 9:49 remaining.





First Downs P 22 B 20

Rushing 40/242 & 36/206

Passing 11-15-0 & 10-29-0

Passing Yards 197 & 104

Total 437 & 310

Fumbles 1/1 & 1/0

Punts 2-28,5 & 3-29.0

Penalties 6-75 & 7-55





Palestine 7 1414 7 _ 42

Brownsboro 6 12 8 0 _ 26

P _ DeCory Chivers 8 run (Travis Atkinson kick)

B _ Jon Jon Thompson 6 pass from Ryan Owens (kick blocked)

P _ Eric Robertson 49 pass from Olin Terry (Atkinson kick)

B _ Cameron Warren 17 run (pass failed)

P _ Terrance Simon 3 run (Atkinson kick)

B _ Tyler Rogers 28 pass from Owens (pass failed)

P _ Terry 6 run (Atkinson kick)

P _ Terry 32 run (Atkinson kick)

B _ Keuntis Thompson 47 run (Charfus Mayfield pass from Owens)

P _ Terry 4 run (Atkinson kick)

RUSHING

P: Terrance Simon, 20-124; Olin Terry, 17-107; DeCory Chivers, 3-11; B: Cameron Warren, 12-70; Keuntis Thompson, 4-65; Zach Bailey, 8-52; Jon Jon Thompson, 5-29; Ryan Owens, 6-(-2); Matthew Simpson, 1-(-8).

PASSING

P: Olin Terry, 11-15-0 for 197 yards; B: Zach Bailey, 6-20-0 for 57 yards; Ryan Owens, 4-9-0 for 47 yards.

RECEIVING

P: E.J. Spurlock, 5-45; Kenneth Green, 2-87; Eric Robertson, 2-57; Sam Wren, 1-9; Terrance Simon, 1-(-1); B: Tyler Rogers, 4-48; Keuntis Thompson, 2-21; Cody Strickland, 2-18; Ryan Cawthon, 1-11; Jon Jon Thompson, 1-6.