Turnovers plague New Plymouth in 22-6 loss to Declo
By Scott Ford
Argus Observer
Saturday, November 14, 2009 11:34 PM PST
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| Scott Ford | Argus Observer
New Plymouth’s Amando Garcia (5) and a team mate console each other following the Pilgrims 22-6 loss to Declo Saturday, ending New Plymouth’s season. The Pilgrims had six turnovers in the game. |
New Plymouth—Turnovers killed the New Plymouth Pilgrims Saturday in the Idaho 2A state football semifinals against Declo.
“The turnovers killed us,” New Plymouth head coach Porter Lacey said. “That was the difference in this game.”
The Pilgrims committed six key miscues and Declo took advantage to post a 22-6 victory and a trip to the Gem State’s 2A football title contest next week against Parma.
After Declo grabbed an early 8-0 lead, the Pilgrims had an opportunity late in the first half to get on the scoreboard, when following a Pilgrim punt, the football came to rest on the four yard line of Declo, and for what ever reason, the Declo player decided to down the ball, which in fact, made it a live ball and New Plymouth jumped on the pigskin, giving them possession at the four yard line.
Following a pass interference call in the end zone on Declo, New Plymouth had first and goal at the 1-yard line.
Then things went awry.
On the next snap, Brady Harris mishandled the ball, resulting in a four-yard loss, but during the play, Harris began to bleed and had to leave the game. Lacy brought in Raymond Evan to replace Harris. The next play was a pass to the front corner of the end zone, but a Declo defender sniffed it out and picked off the pass attempt and returned the theft to the Declo 31 yard line, denying the Pilgrims a score.
New Plymouth’s defense held up and kept the turnover from hurting it as the Pilgrims forced a Hornet punt and the Pilgrims got busy. Starting on its own 37-yard line, New Plymouth needed only five plays to reach the end zone. The score came on a 34-yard catch and run from Harris to Justin Johnson. The point after was blocked, but the Pilgrims were back in the game, trailing 8-6.
Declo extended its lead on its next possession with an eight-play, 82-yard scoring drive. The touchdown came with 5:58 left in the second quarter when the Hornets went up top for a 36-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion was good and Declo led 16-6.
With time running out in the first half, the Pilgrims were poised to get into the end zone one more time. Facing a fourth and four from the Declo 16 yard line the Pilgrims rolled the dice, but it came up craps as Harris was sacked for a four yard loss, turning the ball over on downs to Declo as time ran off the clock to intermission.
Declo received the second half kick off and went to work. Starting at its own 22-yard line, the Hornets marched down the field and punched the ball into the end zone to extend its lead to 22-6 with 5:40 left in the third quarter.
Then came a rash of New Plymouth turnovers. A fumble, two interceptions and turning the ball over on downs on New Plymouth’s next four possessions sealed the victory for Declo.
“Our defense played better than I thought they could,” Lacey said. “You have to give every one of those kids on defense credit, they played with a lot of heart today.”
Senior lineman and linebacker Casey Pfeifer said the seniors on the Pilgrims team really stepped up this year and led the team.
“Our defense played great today, we kept the game close and gave us a chance to win,” Pfeifer said
