Greenland routs Elkins to qualify for postseason
Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2008
GREENLAND - Greenland avoided a four th straight conference loss while running headlong into a playoff spot on Thursday night against Elkins. The Pirates defeated the Elks in a 47-13 rout.
Elkins (5-5, 3-4 ) started with all the momentum as Steven Whitney returned the opening kickoff 82 yards to give the Elks the early lead. The momentum didn’t last long as Greenland (7-3, 4-3 ) scored 41 unanswered points to take a commanding lead late in the third quarter.
“ It was a big start to the game and Steven did a great job on the return, ” Elkins coach Aaron Clark said. “ They get the ball and go down and score so the momentum we got was pretty much lost after their first drive. ”
Jeremy Huber tied the game for Greenland with a 17-yard touchdown run on the Pirates’ first possession. The drive took eight plays and Huber touched the ball on six of those, gaining 57 yards and the touchdown.
Greenland scored early and often in the second quarter as the Pirates rattled off four touchdowns for a 34-7 lead heading into the locker room.
“ We came out with some intensity and made plays like we did starting the year, ” Greenland coach Tracy Sutton said. “ It was nice to get back in the thick of things tonight and put some points on the board and relax a little bit. ”
Jose Ventura put the Pirates up for good early in the second quarter with his first touchdown of the game. It came just five plays after Salvador Rojas intercepted an Elks pass and ran it back to midfield.
Quarterback Craig Thornton put the Pirates up by two scores just three minutes later on a 2-yard run. Two plays later Ventura was back in the end zone but this time it was on the defensive side of the ball. He intercepted a pass at the Elkins 10-yard line and went in untouched to put the Pirates up 28-7.
On the ensuing possession Elkins gave up its third pick of the game. Salvador Rojas made his second interception of the night to give Greenland one more chance to score before the end of the half.
Ventura took it in from 21 yards out for his third score of the game and a 27-point halftime lead.
“ We made some big plays when we had to make big plays tonight, ” Sutton said. “ We played very hard on defense tonight and I am proud of the kids. ”
Ventura was not done on the night as he would score his fourth touchdown of the game just three minutes into the third quarter. The touchdown was a 16-yard run, capping just a three play drive from the Elkins 29.
Elkins scored one more touchdown before the end of the third quarter when Weston Curry took the ball in from the 2-yard line.
Tyler Simpson set the final score for Greenland with his only catch of the night. His 38-yard reception from Thornton gave the Pirates a 47-13 win.
With Hoxie’s win over Harrisburg on Thursday, the Pirates will have to travel to Northeast Arkansas next week to take on the Hornets of Harrisburg in the first round of the playoffs.
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