Pike Lib dominates SMCA, 47-6
Published 12:27 am Saturday, September 27, 2014
GRADY – The Pike Liberal Arts Patriots put up more than 375 yards offense on Friday in their 47-6 defeat of the South Montgomery County Academy Raiders.
“I’m just glad our kids kept their focus and played well,” said head coach Gene Allen. “They came out to play and they did well.”
Despite losing some of their starting players to injuries, including quarterback Drew Starling, the Patriots put on an impressive offensive show, scoring five touchdowns in the first half.
“We didn’t punt the ball until just before the end of the first half,” Allen said.
The first touchdown came on a 15-yard run by Tamaris Jamison, with a two-point conversion carry by JaMichael Jones.
Jones scored the second touchdown on a 13-yard carry, and Rush Hixon ran in for the two-point conversion.
“They had some woods on one end of the field, and we were worried about losing the balls so we opted to run two-point conversions instead of kick,” Allen said. “We kicked on the other end of the field.”
Pike’s third touchdown came on a 13-yard pass from halfback Marquis Christian to John David Cox, with the two-point conversion by Jones, giving Pike a 24-0 lead in the first quarter.
“We had three different people throw passes tonight,” Allen said.
Hixon was 2-2 with 25 yards and one touchdown; Reed Jinright was 3 for 7 for 41 yards and one touchdown; and Christian was 1 for 1 for 13 yards and one touchdown.
With the Patriots lined up on their own 46-yard line, Jones took a handoff from Hixon and ran 54 yards for the next touchdown. Tucker Johnson, a senior transfer from SMCA, scored the two-point conversion.
Johnson also scored Pike’s only touchdown in the second quarter on a 6-yard run. Hixon’s kick was good, giving Pike at 39-0 lead at the half.
Pike scored with about nine minutes remaining in the third quarter on a 6-yard pass from Reed Jinright to Cox, with Christian catching the pass for the two-point conversion.
SMCA scored its only touchdown of the game in the third quarter, but failed to convert on the PAT, leaving the score at 47-6.
“We got to play some players who haven’t been able to play, and it gave us a chance to not play some folks, who were banged up and needed to rest,” Allen said.
Nine players carried the ball for a combined 299 total rushing. Jones led the team with seven carries for 111 yards and two TDs; Johnson had three carries for 16 yards with one TD; Jamison had one carry for 13 yards, with one TD; Wood Jinright had 11 carries for 53 yards; Adam Grice, three carries for 29 yards; Trent Orum, six carries for 26 yards; Christian, one carry for 19 yards; Reed Jinright, five carries for 17 yards; Johnson, three carries for 15 yards; and Hayes Lee, one carry.
Defensively, Cameron Crowe, Jarrett Jordan, Tamaris Jamison and Anthony Atwell all had four tackles; Tanner Rogers Tyler Hussey, Justin Helms, Austin Allen and Sawyer McKenzie each had three tackles; Adam Grice, Parker Eley, Patrick O’Brien, Wood Jinright, C.J. Allen and Christian Clark each had two tackles; and Hayes Lee, Kiegan Simmons, Jeremy James, Cade Calhoun, Tucker Johnson and Josh Graham each had one tackle. Calhoun also intercepted a pass.
Pike, now 5-1, will host Chambers Academy on Friday.