triswykes
09-07-2007, 10:20 PM
Oscar Smith pounds Hickory, 41-0
By TRIS WYKES | twykes@HRvarsity.com
CHESAPEAKE -- The banner on the front of the home grandstand, one of several supporting the Oscar Smith High Tigers, featured a cartoon cat and the words ``Looking For A Challenge’’. But the hosts didn’t find one Friday, routing Southeastern District rival Hickory, 41-0.
A Hickory upset last season snapped Oscar Smith’s 32-game regular season winning streak, but this time Tigers’ quarterback Phillip Sims threw for 208 yards and three touchdowns. The Tigers led 7-0 after a minute, 14-0 midway through the first quarter and 20-0 a minute into the second quarter.
``We came out and dominated tonight,’’ said receiver Jamal Wilson, whose lone reception went for 55 yards but would have been a touchdown if not for a block-in-the-back penalty just before he crossed the goal line.
``We just played our hardest, like we do every week, and this game was over in the first quarter.’’
Hickory began well when Daniel Wright returned the opening kickoff 17 yards. But the Hawks’ first play was a run that lost a yard and their second was a Trey Tillman pass that was intercepted by Tim Smith and returned 40 yards for a touchdown. A Ryan Trotman extra point gave the hosts a 7-0 lead after 1:05 had elapsed.
Hickory’s Jemehl Williams returned the next kickoff 27 yards but the first play following it was a 1-yard run and the second was an Aaron Gosnell fumble recovered by the Tigers’ Daryl Waters.
Four plays later, facing fourth-and-eight from the Hickory 39-yard line, Oscar Smith struck again. Sims hit Smith on a slant from the right side and the fleet receiver zipped past Wright and scored. Another Trotman extra point made it 14-0 five minutes into the game.
After an exchange of punts, Hickory turned the ball over on downs at the Oscar Smith 20-yard line and was helpless to stop the Tigers from another quick strike. This time it was an 80-yard touchdown pass from Sims to Todd Harrelson, who ran a post from the right side three plays after his team regained possession. A poor snap foiled the extra point attempt but Oscar Smith led 20-0 less than a minute into the second quarter.
Hickory went four-and-out on its next possession, handing the ball back to the hosts at the Hawks’ 48-yard line. Three plays later, running back Perry Jones caught a Sims pass in the right flat and absolutely steamrolled cornerback Williams at the goal line for an apparent 9-yard touchdown.
That score was nullified by an Evan Hailes holding penalty, but Sims answered by hitting Smith for an 11-yard gain and then Harrelson with a 2-yard touchdown pass. Tight end Daniel Vaughn caught a Sims conversion pass to give Oscar Smith a 28-0 lead six minutes before halftime.
``We wanted to run the ball more tonight but if they’re going to come out and play man-to-man defense like they did with one safety, well anyone who does that, we’re going to throw against them,’’ said Oscar Smith coach Richard Morgan. ``I’d be crazy not to throw to three all-state receivers in that situation and that’s what we did tonight.’’
Sims had a clear shot at hitting Harrelson for another touchdown on the Tigers’ next possession but overthrew the open receiver down the middle of the field. Vaughn cranked off a 50-yard punt and Hickory, desperate to do anything offensively, took over on its own 6-yard line.
Six plays later, the Hawks were at least moving, although they’d only reached their 30-yard stripe, where they faced fourth-and-six and punted. Smith returned the boot 65 yards for a touchdown, followed by another Trotman extra point. The 35-0 lead seconds before halftime activated the district’s mercy rule and resulted in the third and fourth quarters being played with a running clock.
Oscar Smith took the second half kickoff and appeared to have scored a 67-yard touchdown three plays later when Sims hit Wilson for a 67-yard touchdown. Instead, Smith was called for a block in the back just before his teammate crossed the goal line. It resulted in a Tigers first down at the Hickory 12-yard line and after an 11-yard catch by Harrelson, Jones closed the scoring with a two-yard run.
``We had some penalties that brought back some scores and that’s frustrating but the kids didn’t hang their heads,’’ said Morgan, whose team has won or shared the last three district titles and reached the region finals each of those seasons. ``We just came back a play or two later and scored a longer touchdown.
``We lost to this team last year and that wasn’t going to happen tonight. That loss really upset our team and the guys were extra-motivated tonight.’’
Oscar Smith, 2-0 and 1-0 in district play, visits Indian River (1-1, 1-1) next week. Hickory (1-1, 1-1) hosts Eastern District foe Norview (0-2).
Oscar Smith 41, Hickory 0
Hickory 0 0 0 0_0
Oscar Smith 14 21 6 0_41
OS – Smith 40 interception return (Trotman kick)
OS – Smith 39 pass from Sims (Trotman kick)
OS – Harrelson 80 pass from Sims (kick failed)
OS – Harrelson 9 pass from Sims (Vaugh pass from Sims)
OS – Smith 65 punt return (Trotman kick)
OS – Jones 2 run (kick failed)
Hickory – Oscar Smith
First downs: 4 – 4
Rushes – yards: 26/55 – 16/81
Passing yards: 12 – 208
Comp-Att-Int: 1-7-1 –- 6-10-0
Penalties – yards: 2/15 – 6/62
Fumbles – lost: 1/1 – 0/0
Punts – avg: 5/37 – 3/32
Individual statistics: H_Hubbard, 6-29 rushing; Johnson, 7-23 rushing; Tillery, 7-5 rushing. OS_Andrews, 10-64, 1 TD rushing; Harrelson, 3-99, 2 TD receiving; Smith, 2-54, 1 TD receiving.
By TRIS WYKES | twykes@HRvarsity.com
CHESAPEAKE -- The banner on the front of the home grandstand, one of several supporting the Oscar Smith High Tigers, featured a cartoon cat and the words ``Looking For A Challenge’’. But the hosts didn’t find one Friday, routing Southeastern District rival Hickory, 41-0.
A Hickory upset last season snapped Oscar Smith’s 32-game regular season winning streak, but this time Tigers’ quarterback Phillip Sims threw for 208 yards and three touchdowns. The Tigers led 7-0 after a minute, 14-0 midway through the first quarter and 20-0 a minute into the second quarter.
``We came out and dominated tonight,’’ said receiver Jamal Wilson, whose lone reception went for 55 yards but would have been a touchdown if not for a block-in-the-back penalty just before he crossed the goal line.
``We just played our hardest, like we do every week, and this game was over in the first quarter.’’
Hickory began well when Daniel Wright returned the opening kickoff 17 yards. But the Hawks’ first play was a run that lost a yard and their second was a Trey Tillman pass that was intercepted by Tim Smith and returned 40 yards for a touchdown. A Ryan Trotman extra point gave the hosts a 7-0 lead after 1:05 had elapsed.
Hickory’s Jemehl Williams returned the next kickoff 27 yards but the first play following it was a 1-yard run and the second was an Aaron Gosnell fumble recovered by the Tigers’ Daryl Waters.
Four plays later, facing fourth-and-eight from the Hickory 39-yard line, Oscar Smith struck again. Sims hit Smith on a slant from the right side and the fleet receiver zipped past Wright and scored. Another Trotman extra point made it 14-0 five minutes into the game.
After an exchange of punts, Hickory turned the ball over on downs at the Oscar Smith 20-yard line and was helpless to stop the Tigers from another quick strike. This time it was an 80-yard touchdown pass from Sims to Todd Harrelson, who ran a post from the right side three plays after his team regained possession. A poor snap foiled the extra point attempt but Oscar Smith led 20-0 less than a minute into the second quarter.
Hickory went four-and-out on its next possession, handing the ball back to the hosts at the Hawks’ 48-yard line. Three plays later, running back Perry Jones caught a Sims pass in the right flat and absolutely steamrolled cornerback Williams at the goal line for an apparent 9-yard touchdown.
That score was nullified by an Evan Hailes holding penalty, but Sims answered by hitting Smith for an 11-yard gain and then Harrelson with a 2-yard touchdown pass. Tight end Daniel Vaughn caught a Sims conversion pass to give Oscar Smith a 28-0 lead six minutes before halftime.
``We wanted to run the ball more tonight but if they’re going to come out and play man-to-man defense like they did with one safety, well anyone who does that, we’re going to throw against them,’’ said Oscar Smith coach Richard Morgan. ``I’d be crazy not to throw to three all-state receivers in that situation and that’s what we did tonight.’’
Sims had a clear shot at hitting Harrelson for another touchdown on the Tigers’ next possession but overthrew the open receiver down the middle of the field. Vaughn cranked off a 50-yard punt and Hickory, desperate to do anything offensively, took over on its own 6-yard line.
Six plays later, the Hawks were at least moving, although they’d only reached their 30-yard stripe, where they faced fourth-and-six and punted. Smith returned the boot 65 yards for a touchdown, followed by another Trotman extra point. The 35-0 lead seconds before halftime activated the district’s mercy rule and resulted in the third and fourth quarters being played with a running clock.
Oscar Smith took the second half kickoff and appeared to have scored a 67-yard touchdown three plays later when Sims hit Wilson for a 67-yard touchdown. Instead, Smith was called for a block in the back just before his teammate crossed the goal line. It resulted in a Tigers first down at the Hickory 12-yard line and after an 11-yard catch by Harrelson, Jones closed the scoring with a two-yard run.
``We had some penalties that brought back some scores and that’s frustrating but the kids didn’t hang their heads,’’ said Morgan, whose team has won or shared the last three district titles and reached the region finals each of those seasons. ``We just came back a play or two later and scored a longer touchdown.
``We lost to this team last year and that wasn’t going to happen tonight. That loss really upset our team and the guys were extra-motivated tonight.’’
Oscar Smith, 2-0 and 1-0 in district play, visits Indian River (1-1, 1-1) next week. Hickory (1-1, 1-1) hosts Eastern District foe Norview (0-2).
Oscar Smith 41, Hickory 0
Hickory 0 0 0 0_0
Oscar Smith 14 21 6 0_41
OS – Smith 40 interception return (Trotman kick)
OS – Smith 39 pass from Sims (Trotman kick)
OS – Harrelson 80 pass from Sims (kick failed)
OS – Harrelson 9 pass from Sims (Vaugh pass from Sims)
OS – Smith 65 punt return (Trotman kick)
OS – Jones 2 run (kick failed)
Hickory – Oscar Smith
First downs: 4 – 4
Rushes – yards: 26/55 – 16/81
Passing yards: 12 – 208
Comp-Att-Int: 1-7-1 –- 6-10-0
Penalties – yards: 2/15 – 6/62
Fumbles – lost: 1/1 – 0/0
Punts – avg: 5/37 – 3/32
Individual statistics: H_Hubbard, 6-29 rushing; Johnson, 7-23 rushing; Tillery, 7-5 rushing. OS_Andrews, 10-64, 1 TD rushing; Harrelson, 3-99, 2 TD receiving; Smith, 2-54, 1 TD receiving.