11-12-2017, 06:08 AM
PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- A hot start led to the University of Pikeville football team holding on for a 20-17 win over Bluefield (Va.) on senior day at the Hambley Athletic Complex. Allan Holland Jr., in his fourth season as head coach, becomes the program's all-time wins leader with 20.
A class of 17 played its last game in Pikeville as well, but the memories of the result should last for a lifetime. The Rams (6-5. 4-2 MSC Appalachian) had their chance at a game-winning drive with 2:23 to play, but picked up just one first down after starting at their own 36.
Following pass breakups by Montayo Hood and Zach Bowens and Bradley Cleveland coming up with a big tackle on third down, Bluefield was staring at a 4th and 3 from the UPIKE 34 that it had to convert. A pass play was called, but Cason Whitt had little time to throw with Emmett Kersey charging ahead. He somehow avoided the sack, but the hurried pass was dropped by Johnnie Myers, and Myers had some daylight in front of him.
Sani Warren, one of the 17 seniors, got to take his final collegiate snaps in victory formation as the Bears (5-6, 3-3 MSC Appalachian) grabbed their best win of the season in front of a large and loud crowd.
Warren finishes 11 of 17 for 115 yards with a touchdown and interception, while Xondre Willis gained 76 yards on the ground, making him just the sixth back in program history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Arites Clark caught five passes for 60 yards and Braxton Whitmore snagged four for 40.
Kersey finished with 10 tackles and Cleveland and Brandon Gibson chipped in with nine each.
Whitt completed just 12-of-29 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown and Rashad Butler ended up with 133 rushing yards on 22 carries.
UPIKE was outgained 311-238 in total offense and ran 18 less plays, but controlled possession for seven more minutes and got a big boost from Camron Parsley's two forced fumbles that were recovered by the Bears.
The first quarter couldn't have gone better for UPIKE, starting with a 10-play opening drive that ended with senior Austin Pray making his first touchdown catch since last November after an injury limited him to three games as a senior. It was a 6-yard slant in the end zone that put UPIKE up 7-0.
On its ensuing drive, Bluefield's Malik Brown fumbled and the ball rolled 16 yards to the 50 where Taeron Brown scooped it up for a 50-yard touchdown return. The extra point missed, but the Bears had a 13-0 lead at the 7:58 mark of the quarter.
However, UPIKE wouldn't find the end zone again in the half as the Rams completed their comeback with a 15-yard touchdown catch by Rashad Butler and quarterback keeper by Whitt from a yard out in the second quarter to take a 14-13 lead into halftime.
The final 30 minutes were a defensive battle as UPIKE's only score came on Tony White III's keeper with 1:44 left in the third quarter. He leaped over the pile at the goal line and got the Bears back in front 20-14.
It looked like disaster had struck when Warren was picked off at the Bears' 15 with 12:46 to play, but the defense was up to the challenge. Bluefield did earn a first down at the 5, but Gibson made two stops at the line of scrimmage and Whitt had a pass to Charles Black dropped, forcing Bluefield to settle with a 22-yard field goal.
UPIKE was forced to punt on its next two drives, but the Rams couldn't take advantage, instead watching the drop by Myers with a minute left to stand as its final play in the road, divisional loss.
http://upikebears.com/news/2017/11/11/fo...field.aspx
A class of 17 played its last game in Pikeville as well, but the memories of the result should last for a lifetime. The Rams (6-5. 4-2 MSC Appalachian) had their chance at a game-winning drive with 2:23 to play, but picked up just one first down after starting at their own 36.
Following pass breakups by Montayo Hood and Zach Bowens and Bradley Cleveland coming up with a big tackle on third down, Bluefield was staring at a 4th and 3 from the UPIKE 34 that it had to convert. A pass play was called, but Cason Whitt had little time to throw with Emmett Kersey charging ahead. He somehow avoided the sack, but the hurried pass was dropped by Johnnie Myers, and Myers had some daylight in front of him.
Sani Warren, one of the 17 seniors, got to take his final collegiate snaps in victory formation as the Bears (5-6, 3-3 MSC Appalachian) grabbed their best win of the season in front of a large and loud crowd.
Warren finishes 11 of 17 for 115 yards with a touchdown and interception, while Xondre Willis gained 76 yards on the ground, making him just the sixth back in program history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Arites Clark caught five passes for 60 yards and Braxton Whitmore snagged four for 40.
Kersey finished with 10 tackles and Cleveland and Brandon Gibson chipped in with nine each.
Whitt completed just 12-of-29 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown and Rashad Butler ended up with 133 rushing yards on 22 carries.
UPIKE was outgained 311-238 in total offense and ran 18 less plays, but controlled possession for seven more minutes and got a big boost from Camron Parsley's two forced fumbles that were recovered by the Bears.
The first quarter couldn't have gone better for UPIKE, starting with a 10-play opening drive that ended with senior Austin Pray making his first touchdown catch since last November after an injury limited him to three games as a senior. It was a 6-yard slant in the end zone that put UPIKE up 7-0.
On its ensuing drive, Bluefield's Malik Brown fumbled and the ball rolled 16 yards to the 50 where Taeron Brown scooped it up for a 50-yard touchdown return. The extra point missed, but the Bears had a 13-0 lead at the 7:58 mark of the quarter.
However, UPIKE wouldn't find the end zone again in the half as the Rams completed their comeback with a 15-yard touchdown catch by Rashad Butler and quarterback keeper by Whitt from a yard out in the second quarter to take a 14-13 lead into halftime.
The final 30 minutes were a defensive battle as UPIKE's only score came on Tony White III's keeper with 1:44 left in the third quarter. He leaped over the pile at the goal line and got the Bears back in front 20-14.
It looked like disaster had struck when Warren was picked off at the Bears' 15 with 12:46 to play, but the defense was up to the challenge. Bluefield did earn a first down at the 5, but Gibson made two stops at the line of scrimmage and Whitt had a pass to Charles Black dropped, forcing Bluefield to settle with a 22-yard field goal.
UPIKE was forced to punt on its next two drives, but the Rams couldn't take advantage, instead watching the drop by Myers with a minute left to stand as its final play in the road, divisional loss.
http://upikebears.com/news/2017/11/11/fo...field.aspx