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texasjeremy
08-28-2004, 08:30 PM
Palestine tops Whitehouse 27-6

8-28-04
By Scott Tyler
H-P Sports Editor


WHITEHOUSE - Palestine's Glen Tunstall won his first game as the Wildcats' head coach as Palestine topped Whitehouse 27-6 Friday night in the opening game of the 2004 season.

"I feel good about this win," Tunstall said. "The kids played hard and even though it was hot, they stuck it out."

Showcasing its new passing attack on offense, Palestine quarterback Fred Williams threw for a touchdown, and scored on two more quarterback keepers.

"I thought Fred did a great job throwing the football," Palestine offensive coordinator Tommy Allison said. "He had great presence in the pocket and made good reads."

Williams was 12-for-21 passing for 194 yards and one touchdown.


Palestine came out throwing from the start as Williams completed his first three passes, putting Palestine into Whitehouse territory.

Later in the drive Williams converted on a fourth down when he found Lee Stubblefield for a 7-yard completion.

Three plays later, Palestine was in another fourth-down situation when Williams took the shotgun snap, had enough time to go through his progression of receivers and then stepped up in the pocket and threaded a pass over the middle of the field to Stubblefield, who caught it over the helmet of a Whitehouse defender for a 33-yard touchdown.

"Our offensive line did a great job, especially on that touchdown play," Allison said. "When the quarterback has that kind of time to stay in the pocket, you know your offensive line is doing their job."

Two possessions later, Williams connected again with Stubblefield, this time for 32 yards to give Palestine a first-and-goal at the 7-yard line.

After a 6-yard run by Cameron Jones, Williams scored on a 1-yard quarterback keeper giving Palestine a 14-0 lead in the closing seconds of the first quarter.

With his feet, Williams helped put Palestine ahead 21-0 late in the second quarter. Off the option, Williams kept the ball and scampered for 37 yards, giving the Wildcats a first-and-goal from the three. Two plays later, Williams again kept it on a quarterback sneak for the 1-yard touchdown.

Williams had 70 rushing yards in the first half.

"One improvement we have seen from Fred is his ability to run the ball," Allison said. "When he can do that, he makes our offense a whole lot better."

While the Wildcat offense scored three touchdowns in the first half, the Palestine defense held Whitehouse to only one first down and 66 total yards in the first half.

"Our defense did a great job," Tunstall said. "We are a very aggressive defense and we were able to come after them with a lot of players."

The Palestine defense held Whitehouse to negative yardage for most of the second half and had a shutout going into the final four minutes of the game when Whitehouse quarterback Spencer Smith found Mark Pendergraf down the sideline for an 86-yard score but by that time Palestine had already put the game away.

After putting the ball in the air 19 times in the first half, the Wildcats only attempted three passes in the second half as Palestine went to the running game to use some of the clock.

In the third quarter, Nigel Cooper, who took a majority of the snaps in the second half, completed a third-and-11 play to Eric Turner for 16 yards. Trevlyn Reed followed with a 14-yard run setting up Palestine inside Whitehouse's 10-yard line. Cooper finished the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run but the extra point attempt was blocked, giving the Wildcats a 27-0 lead.

Throughout the game, it was evident that it was the first game for both teams. Palestine and Whitehouse combined for 126 penalty yards and four turnovers. Three of those turnovers and 90 of those yards were against Palestine.

"We made some mistakes but they are correctable," Tunstall said. "We are going to enjoy this win for a little while and then prepare for Carthage."

Notes: Palestine threw for 210 yards. The Wildcats did not have a 200-yard passing game at all last year. ...Palestine had four different receivers catch at least two passes with Stubblefield leading the way with four catches for 76 yards. ... Gerald Singleton, who transferred to Palestine from Jacksonville, had a pair of sacks. ...Palestine will host Carthage next Friday.

texasjeremy
08-28-2004, 11:33 PM
Tylerpaper.com

PALESTINE MAKES QUICK WORK OF WHITEHOUSE

WHITEHOUSE - Palestine quarterback Fred Williams passed for 196 yards and a touchdowon and rushed for 68 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Wildcats to a 27-6 win over Whitehouse Friday night at Wildcat Field.

Whitehouse quarterback Spencer Smith finished with 133 yards passing and a touchdown in the loss.

Palestine held Whitehouse to one first down in the first half as the visitors built a 21-0 lead at halftime. Palestine led 27-0 midway through the fourth quarter when Whitehouse senior quarterback Spencer Smith and senior receiver Mark Pendergraf gave the home side reason to cheer, connecting on an 86-yard touchdown play.


New Whitehouse head coach Randy McFarlin said the first half hurt the Wildcats' chances.

"We just didn't execute much of anything in the first half," McFarlin said. "We have to go back and improve a great deal offensively because we are a lot better than that."

Whitehouse (0-1) has a short week as the Wildcats will take on Chapel Hill Thursday at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.

Palestine (1-0) rolled up 430 yards of offense in the game while holding Whitehouse to 136, most of which Whitehouse gained in the second half.

Along with Williams, Palestine defensive end Gerald Singleton was a constant in the Whitehouse backfield. Williams finished with a couple of sacks and several quarterback pressures.

"Fred had a very good game at quarterback, and as long as he can do that, we are going to be very good," said Palestine head coach Glen Tunstall. "Gerald Singleton transferred from Jacksonville last year and he was a very good player for us on defense."

Palestine took the lead on its opening drive, going 72 yards in 12 plays. The highlight of the drive occured when Whitehouse looked to have Palestine stopped. Facing a fourth-and-15 from the 33, Williams lofted a 33-yard touchdown pass to Lee Stubblefield. Cason Davis booted the extra point to give Palestine a 7-0 lead with 8:24 left in the first quarter.

Williams and Stubblefield set up Palestine's second touchdown when they hooked up for a 32-yard pass play that moved Palestine deep into Whitehouse territory at the 7. Three plays later, Williams scored the first of two rushing touchdowns on a 1-yard keeper.

Williams helped set up Palestine's third touchdown late in the half with a 37-yard run to the Whitehouse 3. Two plays later, Williams scored his second touchdown of the half, again on a 1-yard run.

Palestine added a fourth touchdown late in the third quarter after Whitehouse was stopped on fourth down. Palestine got the ball on the Whitehouse 42 and needed eight plays to cash in, capped by a 4-yard touchdown run from Nigel Cooper to give Palestine a 27-0 lead with 1:23 remaining in the third quarter.

Whitehouse had been unable to get on track against a swarming Palestine defense, but one pass play changed all that. With Whitehouse pinned deep in its own territory, Smith linked up with Pendergraf, who beat his defender and then raced down the sidelines for an 86-yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked, leaving the score 27-6 with 6:35 left in the game.

Whitehouse threatened again in the closing minutes, but was stopped on fourth down to end the game.

"I thought the defense played real well in spurts, and we are real encouraged, but it's no fun to lose a ball game and there is no way we are going to accept it," McFarlin said. "We are going to go back to the drawing board and continue to work and we are going to get better."


Palestine 14 7 6 0 - 27

Whitehouse 0 0 0 6 - 6

First Quarter

PAL - Fred Williams 33 yards pass to Lee Stubblefield (Cason Davis kick) 8:24

PAL - Williams 1-yard run (Davis kick) :02

Second Quarter

PAL - Williams 1-yard run (Davis kick) 1:07

Third Quarter

PAL - Nigel Cooper 4-yard run (kick blocked) 6:35

Fourth Quarter

WHI - Spencer Smith 86-yard pass to Mark Pendergraf (kick blocked) 6:35

PAL WHI

First downs 15 3

Rushes-yards 37-217 23-3

Passing Yards 213 133

Comp-Att-Int 12-22-1 7-17-0

Punts-avg. 2-37.5 7-29.5

Fumbles-lost 4-2 4-1

Penalties 10-90 5-30

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-Palestine, Fred Williams 12-68, 2 TD; Cameron Jones 11-89; Nigel COoper 8-45, TD; Trevlyn Reed 4-17; James Stubblefield 0-0; Devin Stephens 1-(-2). WH - Luke Shivers 7-49; Spencer Smith 11-(-44); Matt Seliga 2-(-6); Jarod Vaughn 3-4.

PASSING-Palestine, Fred Williams 11-21, 196 yards, TD; Nigel Cooper 1-1, 10 yards. WH - Spencer Smith 7-17, 133 yards, TD.

RECEIVING-Palestine, Lee Stubblefield 4-79, TD; Leon Mickens 2-55; Nigel Cooper 4-28; Eric Turner 3-55. WH- Jarod Vaughn 1-16; Luke Shivers 1(-1); Mark Pendergraf 3-103 yards; Dustin Hannon 1-8; Josh Hart 1-8.

Chris Hart
08-28-2004, 11:34 PM
Good game Palestine! I like to see that balance in the offense.:)

j_dog
08-28-2004, 11:39 PM
Congratulations on the victory! :)