SCHOOL HISTORY
Hawks advance to state semifinals for first time
PARIS, Texas—Pleasant Grove did something unprecedented in school history.
For the first time, the Hawks earned the Region II-4A championship with a 55-14 rout over Melissa in a Class 4A, Division II state quarterfinal game at Wildcat Stadium.
“This win is awesome, and it’s a great feeling,” Pleasant Grove head coach Josh Gibson said. “I am proud of our kids and our community. This is a special group, and it’s a coach’s dream to coach a team like this one.
“We had a heckuva defensive effort and to hold them down like we did was unbelievable. To get almost 400 yards of offense in the first half was remarkable.”
The Hawks (14-0) will face Graham in the Class 4A, Division II state semifinals Thursday at 7 p.m. at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
Senior full back TJ Cole rushed for 4 touchdowns as he amassed 139 yards on just 19 carries. Senior tailback Chauncey Martin rushed for 110 yards on just 11 totes and a score.
Carson Cox, who scored once, caught four passes for 101 yards from sophomore quarterback Ben Harmon, who threw for 127 yards on 6-of-8 passing.
After taking a 34-point halftime lead, Pleasant Grove’s Golden Curtain defense forced a 3-and-out to start the third quarter.
Later, Tate Whittington caught a 5-yard pass from Brendon Lewis for Melissa to make it 41-14.
Unfazed, the Hawks drove 44 yards on a short field, and Josh Roberts scored on a 13-yard run to give Pleasant Grove a 48-14 lead.
An incomplete pass on fourth down gave the possession back to the Hawks early in the fourth quarter.
Pleasant Grove drove down the field to the Cardinals’ 31-yard line. On a fourthand-four, Harmon threw a 31-yard TD
pass to Cox.
The score would be the final dagger into the heart of Melissa’s squad as the Hawks were up 55-14 with 6:54 left to play.
Martin broke to his right, broke a slew of tackles and raced to the end zone on a 34-yard score for the Hawks in the first quarter. PG was up 7-0.
On Melissa’s first possession of the game, the Hawks’ Xavier Benson tipped a pass on a Cardinal second down.
Melissa drove down to the Hawk 18-yard line, but the Golden Curtain defense blanketed the receivers and put pressure on the quarterback on fourth down. Lewis through an incomplete pass, and the Cardinals turned it over on downs.
Pleasant Grove marched down the field, highlighted by a 31-yard pass to Carson Cox from Ben Harmon. The drive was capped when Cole ran it in from a yard out to make it 14-0.
The Hawks’ Golden Curtain defense forced a punt on Melissa’s next possession.
Cox caught a 25-yard pass from Ben Harmon during PG’s next drive that went down to the 9-yard line. Cole spun and broke two tackles as he scored from 9-yards out to put PG up 20-0.
Once again, the Golden Curtain defense forced a 3-and-out, and Melissa had to punt.
Xavier Benson caught a 19-yard pass from Ben Harmon, and Bruce Garrett broke off a 19-yard run during the Hawks’ drive.
Cole capped the drive with a 16-yard touchdown run, and Pleasant Grove was in command, 27-0.
Like in previous drives, the Hawk’s solid defense forced a 3-and-out, and the Cardinals punted.
Cole twisted and spun his way to the Melissa 4-yard line after a gain of 44 yards.
The Cardinals were penalized for an unsportsman-like conduct, and Martin swept to the left size and entered the end zone untouched on a 2-yarder.
Melissa drove down the field, and the drive was highlighted by a 33-yard pass from Lewis to Tate Whittington. Lewis ran it in from 14-yards out on a fourth down to put the Cardinals on the board, 34-7.
With 3:27 left until halftime, the Hawks put together a 9-play drive that took 2:53 off the clock. Cole found the end zone for the fourth time, from 8-yards out, to give PG a commanding 41-7 halftime lead. The Hawks outgained Melissa in the first half, 362-136 yards.