County Signs: Lumberjacks axed by Blue Hose


By MONTE DUTTON

(PC photo)
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I didn’t get to watch the NFL snow game on Thursday, but I don’t think they’re actually wonderful for anyone but those watching on TV and some players.
The fans in Cleveland are more acclimated, and the snow probably had something to do with the Browns’ upset of the Steelers, who were also acclimated. Heavy snow takes away a better team’s advantage.
I didn’t watch because I began the evening playing guitar and singing at the monthly open jam at The Lumberyard in Clinton. Then I got home, made some coffee and watched Texas edge Syracuse in basketball and Georgia Tech sneak past North Carolina State in football.
I couldn’t tear myself away. It took my breath away. I didn’t figure the Browns had a chance and didn’t know it was snowing.

(Monte Dutton photo)
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Presbyterian had to work long and hard on Thursday night to subdue a band of Lumberjacks on their home floor in Nacogdoches, Texas.
Behind Jonah Pierce’s double double – 15 points, 11 rebounds, the Blue Hose overcame an eight-point halftime deficit to defeat Stephen F. Austin, 58-55, in overtime.
Kory Mincy scored 11 points, as did Carl Parrish, who grabbed six rebounds, well. Kobe Stewart added nine points and six rebounds.

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Stephen F. Austin (2-3) scored the game’s first six points. Pierce got the Blue Hose on the board converting on a tough contested layup. Pierce’s basket started a 7-0 Blue Hose run giving PC a 7-6 lead after Iverson King scored inside with 14:35 on the clock. Mincy also connected on a three during PC’s scoring run.

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The lead exchanged hands a couple of times over the next five minutes. With 9:57 on the clock, SFA took the first-half lead for good. The Lumberjacks pushed their lead to 30-19 with a minute left in the half. A three from Parrish with 57 seconds on the clock cut SFA’s halftime lead to 30-22.
Presbyterian (3-3) began the second half with an 8-0 scoring run capped off by two free throws from Stewart which tied the score at 30 with 16:14 on the clock.

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Pierce scored the other six points during Presbyterian’s run. Then, Stephen F. Austin scored seven straight points, regaining the lead. The Lumberjacks maintained the lead until Kaleb Scott made a free throw with 3:47 on the clock, tying the score at 50.
Then Pierce scored inside, pushing the Blue Hose in front. The Lumberjacks tied the score at 52 with a basket in the paint from Matt Hayman with 25 seconds on the clock. The Blue Hose had a chance to win the game in regulation but couldn’t convert.

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In the extra period, two free throws by Jaylen Peterson and a short jumper by Mincy gave the Blue Hose the lead for good. Parrish made two free throws with five seconds on the clock, sealing the win.
The win marked Presbyterian’s first in overtime since defeating The Citadel, 74-70, in double overtime on Nov. 15, 2021.
Presbyterian continues play in the Axe ‘Em Classic at Stephen F. Austin University against Youngstown State on Friday at 3:30 p.m.
Take a look at the stats here.

(Monte Dutton photo)
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An upset on Saturday would not give Presbyterian football a winning season. The best the Blue Hose can do is break even.
It’s been 10 years since PC won six games. It’s been 17 since the Blue Hose won four games in a row. PC hasn’t pitched a November shutout in 22 years.
Butler, the opposition, is ranked No. 23 in FCS. Butler is the first PFL ranked team to visit Bailey Memorial Stadium.

It’s PC’s second-ever game against its fellow Pioneer Football League member. Butler (9-2, 5-2) makes its first visit to Bailey Memorial Stadium at 1 p.m.
Out of the mix in the race for the PFL regular season championship due to an earlier defeat against Drake, Butler searches its second-ever double-digit win count.
The Bulldogs have themselves won four straight since losing consecutive games to Drake and Daytona. The latest victory was a 36-20 victory over Saint Thomas.
Butler is No. 1 in the PFLin first downs, completion percentage, fewest sacks allowed, red zone offense and defense, and fewest penalties.
Butler won last season’s first-ever game against PC, 27-17.
The Blue Hose have won their last three by a combined margin of 68.
Eighteen seniors are to be honored before the season’s final game.

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Suiting up in a Blue Hose uniform for the final time are Brooks Russ-Martin, Zach Switzer, Bradley Russ-Martin, Wyatt Hodges, Ezra King, Max Monroe, Anthony Thornton, Warner Bush, Tyleek Sealey, Quante Jennings, Sebastian Conwell, Nigel Brown, Alex Herriott, Patch Bennett, Malachi Bingham, Will Averbuck, Worth Warner and Robert Porter.
A junior, Dominic Kibby, needs just 95 yards to become PC’s record holder for career receiving yards. Keith Pearson set the standard for the FCS era with 2,304 yards from 2017-20).

Senior tailback Zach Switzer is 55 yards shy of becoming Presbyterian’s new single-season record-holder for all-purpose yards. He currently has 1,235 AP yards this fall (combined rushing, receiving, and kick returns), good enough for 2nd in the Pioneer Football League.
With a win over Stetson, Drake clinches the PFL championship outright and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship.

While there are no Raiders playing, WLBG, whether by 104.1 FM, 860 AM or wlbg.com, is broadcasting football.
The Laurens station goes on the air at 7 p.m. from Batesburg, where Laurens Academy (9-3) is playing Richard Winn (12-0) for the SCISA eight-man state championship.
The game starts at 7:30 at W.W. King Academy.
The Crusaders hope the third time is the charm against the Eagles, who defeated them decisively twice in the regular season.

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It’s the same old tune – beach music, no doubt – at Clinton’s WPCC (96.5 FM, 1410 AM, largetime.net), which will also go on the air at 7 to provide coverage of Chester (5-5) at Clinton (8-2) in the second round of the SCHSL Class 2A playoffs.
Game time for the Cyclones and Red Devils is 7:30, as well.
Chester and Clinton also played last year as fellow members of Region 4-3A. Also at Wilder Stadium, the Red Devils won that game, 14-6.
John Gardner’s girls and Dontavius Glenn’s boys are both ranked in the S.C. Basketball Coaches Association’s preseason basketball rankings.
Clinton is ranked sixth and seventh, respectively, in Class 2A.

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“And all the time she’s been waiting on him, she’s been waiting on you and me” – Tom T. Hall, “Ravishing Ruby”
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