Pepperell drives on to a big win in Class AA football
When Pepperell found out it was playing the Spencer Owls in the first round of the Class AA playoffs, it knew it wasn’t playing the average No. 4 seed. But that made the Dragons only more determined to defend their home turf.
The Dragons ran for 316 yards on the ground, defended the Owls’ spread offense attack and added four field goals in a 46-14 win in Lindale on Friday night. It was their fifth win this season by 30 points or more.
“They are a good football team, we just outplayed them tonight and outcoached them,” Pepperell coach Rick Hurst said. “Hats off to my staff, they did a great job tonight, just a great job preparing our guys for tonight’s game.”
Pepperell bullied Spencer on the ground, attacking the perimeter with Trevor Thomas running for 81 yards while Hunter Chastain had 44 yards and a touchdown.
But no one compared to Tae Hammond, recording 184 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries.
Spencer quarterback Khalil Thomas went 13-for-19 for 170 yards, and the ground game captured 116 yards on 32 carries.
The Owls had their moments, but it didn’t last long Pepperell spent all night preventing the big play.
The road team’s best drive of the night came in the third quarter, when it went 72 yards on nine plays to close the deficit to 23-14.
The Owls recovered a fumble only a few plays later, suddenly back in the game.
But that’s when the Dragons did what they’ve done all year long, owning the final 20 minutes and going on a 23-0 run to end the game.
“I just think it goes back to our conditioning,” Hurst said. “It goes back to what we do in the summer in the weight room. It is all about making sure they are conditioned in the summer so when these games come, they can handle it.”
The first half saw a 61- yard touchdown run from Hammond on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Thomas, but the leading scorer was Pepperell kicker Ramiro Alanis. He made two field goals in the first quarter to give the Dragons an early 6-0 lead.
Spencer’s touchdown pass tied the game at six, but Hammond put the home team back up with his big run only a few plays later. Alanis, who would finish the night 4- for- 4, would make a 31-yarder to put Pepperell up 16-6.
“Whenever coach goes out there and says field goal, I go out there and do my best,” Alanis said.
After both teams scored a touchdown to begin the second half, the Dragons began their 23-0 finish with an interception from Braden Adams. Chastain would later score on fourth and goal, taking the direct snap from a yard out to go up 29-14.
The Dragons took out any hope for a come- back early in the fourth with Hammond’s 81-yard touchdown run to lead 39-14. The junior swept around the corner and then made Spencer’s secondary look silly downfield.
“I can’t do anything without my team,” Hammond said. “They make good blocks for me on the perimeter, we preached that all weekend then we did it. They just created seams for me, and I saw them and took off.”
Pepperell added one more touchdown on a 29-yard throw to T.J. Watkins, while Spencer committed two more turnovers in the fourth quarter.
In the second round, the Dragons host Dodge County, a team that upset Thomasville 17-7 on Friday night.