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PITTSBURG —
Pittsburg head coach Tom Nickelson talked about controlling the line of scrimmage being a key to winning the season-opener Friday night against Labette County.
In the first half alone, Pittsburg gained 264 rushing yards and 355 yards of total offense. Meanwhile, Labette County only managed 12 yards rushing and 53 total yards as Pittsburg built a 35-0 halftime lead en route to a 49-15 win at Hutchinson Field. Mission accomplished.
“Our offensive and defensive lines really played outstanding,” Nickelson said. “The offensive line opened up major holes for all of our backs and our quarterback, and gave us time when we needed to throw. They did a very nice job and they won’t get a whole lot of recognition for it except for from the coaches and probably their parents. But the running backs and the coaches, we know who won this game for us, the big boys upfront.”
Pittsburg ball carriers rumbled for big yards from the very first play from scrimmage — a 37-yard first-down run by sophomore Alex Barnes — behind starting linemen Chris Huyett, Dakota Taylor, Zach Stewart, Drake Markley and Kyle Untereker, as well as tight ends Todd Keller and Jonathan Wolgamott, and anybody else in a Pittsburg jersey.
Barnes gained 162 yards and scored three touchdowns (28, 66, 7) on eight carries. Five of his eight carries went for either a first down or a touchdown. He averaged 20.3 yards per carry and did not have a second-half carry.
Anthony McNeely gained 46 yards and one TD on four carries, Nick Vacca 39 yards on two carries, starting quarterback Spencer Bernhardt 28 yards and two TDs on six carries and sophomore Ryan McNeely came off the bench in the second half for 35 yards and one TD on five carries. Both second-half touchdowns for Pittsburg were scored by McNeelys.
Late in the second quarter, Labette County sustained its longest drive, facing a 4th-and-2 inside Pittsburg territory. Barnes missed an interception but his breakup of backup quarterback Chandler Carson’s pass derailed the drive and Pittsburg took over at its own 34-yard line.
On the next play, No. 34 broke free for a 66-yard touchdown run and Pittsburg led 28-0 with 121 ticks remaining in the first half.
This scoring play snapped what had been a sloppy second quarter for both teams — filled with turnovers and penalties, evident of the first game.
“It’s big,” Nickelson said of the fourth-down stop and subsequent score. “We needed to play a little more consistent and we will. We’ll get better. We’ve got several mistakes to correct with turnovers and penalties and our defense was out of position a couple times and missed assignments. But it’s Week 1 and all you can ask for is the kids’ best effort. They did the best they could and we’ll take that from them every time.”
Pittsburg would later gain its 35-0 halftime lead on a 10-second scoring drive — only two plays, a 33-yard pass from Bernhardt to Zack Woods and a 7-yard Barnes TD run. Within three minutes of the second half, Pittsburg led 49-0.
Pittsburg (1-0) won its Southeast Kansas League opener and faces Independence next week on the road.
Pittsburg head coach Tom Nickelson talked about controlling the line of scrimmage being a key to winning the season-opener Friday night against Labette County.
In the first half alone, Pittsburg gained 264 rushing yards and 355 yards of total offense. Meanwhile, Labette County only managed 12 yards rushing and 53 total yards as Pittsburg built a 35-0 halftime lead en route to a 49-15 win at Hutchinson Field. Mission accomplished.
“Our offensive and defensive lines really played outstanding,” Nickelson said. “The offensive line opened up major holes for all of our backs and our quarterback, and gave us time when we needed to throw. They did a very nice job and they won’t get a whole lot of recognition for it except for from the coaches and probably their parents. But the running backs and the coaches, we know who won this game for us, the big boys upfront.”
Pittsburg ball carriers rumbled for big yards from the very first play from scrimmage — a 37-yard first-down run by sophomore Alex Barnes — behind starting linemen Chris Huyett, Dakota Taylor, Zach Stewart, Drake Markley and Kyle Untereker, as well as tight ends Todd Keller and Jonathan Wolgamott, and anybody else in a Pittsburg jersey.
Barnes gained 162 yards and scored three touchdowns (28, 66, 7) on eight carries. Five of his eight carries went for either a first down or a touchdown. He averaged 20.3 yards per carry and did not have a second-half carry.
Anthony McNeely gained 46 yards and one TD on four carries, Nick Vacca 39 yards on two carries, starting quarterback Spencer Bernhardt 28 yards and two TDs on six carries and sophomore Ryan McNeely came off the bench in the second half for 35 yards and one TD on five carries. Both second-half touchdowns for Pittsburg were scored by McNeelys.
Late in the second quarter, Labette County sustained its longest drive, facing a 4th-and-2 inside Pittsburg territory. Barnes missed an interception but his breakup of backup quarterback Chandler Carson’s pass derailed the drive and Pittsburg took over at its own 34-yard line.
On the next play, No. 34 broke free for a 66-yard touchdown run and Pittsburg led 28-0 with 121 ticks remaining in the first half.
This scoring play snapped what had been a sloppy second quarter for both teams — filled with turnovers and penalties, evident of the first game.
“It’s big,” Nickelson said of the fourth-down stop and subsequent score. “We needed to play a little more consistent and we will. We’ll get better. We’ve got several mistakes to correct with turnovers and penalties and our defense was out of position a couple times and missed assignments. But it’s Week 1 and all you can ask for is the kids’ best effort. They did the best they could and we’ll take that from them every time.”
Pittsburg would later gain its 35-0 halftime lead on a 10-second scoring drive — only two plays, a 33-yard pass from Bernhardt to Zack Woods and a 7-yard Barnes TD run. Within three minutes of the second half, Pittsburg led 49-0.
Pittsburg (1-0) won its Southeast Kansas League opener and faces Independence next week on the road.
