SHANE SHOEMAKER – Sports Writer
The South Pittsburg Pirates began their 100th season on Friday night in a 56-0 rout of the Oliver Springs Bobcats, who traveled 141 miles for the matchup.
The Pirates wasted no time on the Bobcats, starting early and often in just the first quarter, where they scored 21 points in the opening frame and 49 points total in the first half.
The first came off a Kamden Wellington 11-yard pass to his 6-foot-4 tight-end and Auburn commit, Martavious Collins, making it 7-0.
The Pirates quickly followed that up to make it 14-0 with a 19-yard pass from Wellington to wide receiver AJ Wallace, the senior with more than half-dozen offers from college programs seeking his talents at wide receiver and defensive back.
The first quarter barrage would end with what head coach Wes Stone is calling one his best defensive units in sometime getting in on the action, when senior defensive back Cavin Gilley picked up a Bobcat fumble for a scoop and score to make it 21-0.
The second quarter was much the same, when Wellington threw for his third and final touchdown of the night when he hit senior RaCash Kelly on a 25-yard pass play to make it 28-0. Wellington would go 6-for-10 with 111 yards, hitting a total of four different receivers, with three making scores.
From that point on, it was all about the run game, starting with a JaMychal Buckner 15-yard touchdown run by the sophomore to make it 35-0, beginning the mercy rule where the clock would continuously roll.
Before the third quarter would end, senior Jamarion Farrior would score twice, once on a 38-yard run followed by an 8-yard run, with both touchdowns making it 49-0.
Freshman Ky Powell would make the last score of the night on a 33-yard touchdown run, while senior kicker Jacob Bivens went a perfect 8-for-8 on PAT’s.
The Pirates finished the night with 111 yards through the air and 318 on the ground, running a total of 40 plays for 429 yards combined. Outside of the Pirates being penalized 11 times for 110 yards, they couldn’t have had a better game to start the season.
This week, the Pirates will travel to Franklin County to face the 0-1 Rebels. It will be the start of three straight games on the road and one before South Pittsburg begins region play.
Tracy Cagle and Cindy Derosier photos
