Blue Devils roll

Sports

September 8, 2012

Blue Devils roll

By David A. Farrell, Item Staff Writer The Picayune Item Picayune Item Sat Sep 08, 2012, 04:53 PM CDT

CARRIERE — Pearl River Central’s Blue Devils on Friday night at Hendrix Stadium literally exploded on the Grace King Fighting Irish of Metairie, La., 53-7. The Blue Devils scored in the first seven seconds of the start of the game, and by the end of the first stanza, it was 30-0, Blue Devils.

The win put the Devils at 2-0 so far for this season, and they are ranked No. 5 in the state.

The Blue Devils explosive offense is averaging 47 points a game in its first two outings and the defense has given up only 14 points.

The Devil defense here Friday throttled the Irish, keeping them bottled up all night in their own territory. The Devil defense was responsible for 25 of the Devil’s 53 points.

But head coach Eric Collins said, after the game, that the two-week layoff, caused by Hurricane Isaac, has impacted the team some.

“We were sloppy on special teams, and we are going to have to work on that. While I am happy overall, the layoff did hurt us in some areas. No doubt about it.”

Collins said it hurts to miss a game because a good team improves with every contest.

On the first offensive play of the ball game, from the Irish 20, a snap flew over the head of Irish QB Liam Schonekas and was booted into the endzone where Devil linebacker Greg Shearburn pounced on the loose ball. Jevon Detto’s kick for the PAT was good. Detto hit every PAT.

By the end of the first quarter it was 30-0 and by the half-time break it was 46-zip, Blue Devils.

The game was the first of the year for Grace King, according to first-year head coach Alan Boyd.

Friday’s game was only the second of the season for PRC. On Aug. 17, the Devils beat Hancock 41-7 in an opener at The Kiln, then had an open date, and then Isaac caused the cancellation of a scheduled game with Perry Central on Aug. 31.

For the second score, Devil defensive lineman Ryan Polizzi pounced on an Irish fumble on the Irish 48, and five plays later QB Dylan Spiers found FB Steven Kubicki in the end zone, making it 14-0 with 7:56 left in the first quarter.

Kubicki, a 205-lb. senior fullback, paced the Blue Devils with 94 yards rushing on six carries and scoring three TDs, one on a pass from Spiers, and another on a 55-yard dash up the middle.

A minute later Devil tight end Lane Fazende pounced on a loose ball in the end zone after the Devils blocked an Irish punt that rolled into the end zone. 21-zip, Blue Devils.

Next, Kubicki got his second TD on a 55-yard jaunt up the middle, making it 28-0 with 3:37 left in first period action.

Another high hike sent the ball over Schonekas’ head again; this time he got control of the ball, but Devil Justin Jones nailed him in the end zone for the first of two safeties on the night.

It was 30-0 by the end of the first period. The game then was essentially over.

PRC tacked on 16 points in the second stanza, and seven in the third period to round out its 53 points.

The scores came on a six-yard run by Kubicki, his third of the night; a 25-yard run by Kyle Jordan after nabbing a bobbled ball; a two-point safety; and a 55-yard dash up the middle by freshman Dalton Padgett.

Grace King got its lone score at five minutes into the fourth period on a 76-yard pass-play from Andrew Rosiere to wing back Joel Herrera, who pulled the pass in at the 50 and outran the Blue Devils to the end zone. Furrell Mack’s kick for the PAT was good, and that rounded out the scoring.

The Blue Devils host another Louisiana team next week, Sept. 14, here, Thomas Jefferson, from the West Bank, before meeting Picayune at home in Hendrix stadium on Sept. 21. The Picayune-Blue Devil game will be a district clash and counts.

The Devil offense rushed for 309 yards on 24 carries, and Spiers was three of eight for 62 yards in the air and one TD. Leading rushes for the Devils, besides Kubicki, were Desmond Michel 2 for 61 yards and Padgett 4 for 69 yards.

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