EAGLES SOAR INTO PLAYOFFS: Pleasant Home surges past Red Level Tigers
Published 12:05 am Saturday, October 28, 2017
- Nick Woods drags a defender into the end zone for his first score of the night. Josh Dutton/Star-News
The Pleasant Home Eagles wrapped up the final playoff spot in Class 1A, Region 2 with a 38-14 victory over the Red Level Tigers on Friday night in Pleasant Home.
Red Level got the ball to start the game, but a fumble gave the Eagles the ball with just under 10 minutes left in the opening quarter.
The Eagles moved the ball down the field behind solid runs from Rico Bovino and Brenden Douglas.
A few plays later, Nick Woods struck gold from 12 yards out for the first touchdown of the game.
Robert Scott’s extra point gave the Eagles a 7-0 lead with 8:12 left in the first quarter.
Red Level got a couple of good runs from their quarterback Cale Mancill, but the Tigers were forced to punt the ball back to the Eagles.
Douglas busted loose for 57 yards on the drive’s second play before Josh Ruth capped off the drive with an 18-yard touchdown run.
Scott’s extra point put the Eagles on top 14-0 with 5:15 left in the first quarter.
The Pleasant Home defense came up big again on the next series by forcing another punt.
Pleasant Home found the end zone a few plays later with Bovino rushing in from 16 yards out.
Red Level picked up a first down following a big run from Mancill to start the Tigers’ next drive.
Kambron Whitaker then darted for 27 yards and another Tiger first down.
The Tigers continued to drive deep into Pleasant Home territory, but the Eagle defense stepped up and forced a turnover on downs.
Scott then connected with Woods for a 70-yard touchdown to put the Eagles up 26-0 with 7:50 left before halftime.
Whitaker got a big gain to start the Tiger drive and got the offense moving down the field.
The Eagle defense stepped up again and forced a turnover on downs deep in Pleasant Home territory.
With time running out in the first half, the Eagles’ Scott launched a ball down field to Bovino who hauled it in and went 55 yards to the end zone to put Pleasant Home on top 32-0 at halftime.
The Eagles got the ball to start the third quarter and long pass from Scott to Woods set Pleasant Home up with a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line.
Douglas then pushed through the middle to put the Eagles up 38-0 with 9:06 left in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Mancill appeared to have an 85-yard touchdown, but a holding call brought the play back.
A few plays later, Mancill broke free again and this time scampered 59 yards to the end zone.
Johnnie Coxwell tacked on the extra point to make the score 38-7 with 6:43 left in the game.
After forcing a fumble from the Eagles, the Tigers used a short field to come up with another touchdown.
Mancill connected with Joel Phillips in the corner of the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown.
Coxwell’s extra point made the score 38-14 with 53 seconds remaining in the contest.
“When you don’t play physical, you get it handed to you,” Red Level head coach Kenny Skipper said. “They played a lot more physical than we did tonight. We have a lot of young guys out there that are playing out of position. We have been fighting against a lot of things, but I can promise you that we are going to right the ship. It’s like Coach Herman said, ‘You can’t sprinkle fairy dust on it and it change overnight.’ We are way better right now than we were at week one, but we still have a long way to go. We have a group of young guys that aren’t scared and they won’t quit.”
Douglas led the rushing game for the Eagles with 176 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries.
Scott completed 4-of-4 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns.
Woods finished with 115 yards receiving with one touchdown. Woods also had a rushing touchdown.
“I’m happy with outcome, but not so happy with some injuries,” Pleasant Home head coach Rick Mercer said. “I thought we executed well, and made some really nice plays. I’m really proud that we qualified for the playoffs.”