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Tiger Cubs rout Bulldogs 34-21 in opener
MONROVIA -- Senior Alec Pettit rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries and senior Tyler Scott passed for 119 yards and two touchdowns to Seth Brown to lead Greencastle to a 34-21 season-opening victory over Monrovia in a West Central Conference game Friday at Gordon Hadley Field.
The 191-pound Pettit found the holes opened up by the Tiger Cubs' (1-0, 1-0 WCC) offensive line and broke tackles to turn short gains into long runs. Scott, a 5-foot-10, 150-pound senior, showed poise in evading Monrovia's pressure and found Scott and Brandon Gierke with accurate throws.
Greencastle had only one turnover, a first-half interception by Scott. Monrovia had five, including three fumbles in the second half. Scott completed 13-of-22 for 119 yards.
The Tiger Cubs' defense did its job, too. They limited Monrovia's ground game to 48 yards and gave up 99 yards passing, 63 on one play.
"Pettit is a hard runner and our offensive line did a good job," Greencastle coach Josh Buis said. "Our defense made Monrovia earn every yard it got. We got into the lead in the second half and Alec Pettit took the game over."
Brown caught six passes for 43 yards and Gierke had four receptions for 84 yards. Brown also threw a 44-yard completion to Gierke on one of the game's biggest plays.
With the score tied 7-7 in the second quarter. Greencastle faced a third-and-16 at the 50-yard line.
The 6-foot-3, 143-pound Brown came from wide receiver to take the ball running from left to right and pulled up to launch a deep pass to Gierke down the middle of the field. It went for 44 yards and a first down at the Monrovia 6. Pettit ran for a touchdown on the next play.
"Dave Stephens is in his second year as our offensive coordinator and I'd hate to play against that guy," Buis said. "He called that play at the right time."
Monrovia struck back on the next play for a 63-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Logan Hale to Trevor Hale. It tied the game, 14-14, at halftime.
Greencastle scored 20 straight points to take a 34-14 lead with 9:13 remaining.
Greencastle tackle Tanner Wood recovered a Monrovia fumble on the first possession of the second half at the Bulldogs' 38.
Three straight runs by Pettit followed by three penalties against the Bulldogs moved the ball to the 7. Pettit ran six yards to the 1 and Scott plunged into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with 8:15 left in the third period.
The Tiger Cubs drove 49 yards on four plays to take a 27-14 lead with 10:54 left in the fourth period.
Scott opened the march by hooking up with Gierke for a 9-yard gain. Pettit followed with a 33-yard dash to the 7, then followed with a 5-yard run and a 2-yard touchdown run.
Greencastle sacked Hale for a 10-yard loss and recovered a fumble at the Monrovia 10. On second down, Brown caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Scott.
"Our defense has done a good job the last three years creating turnovers and we did a good job of that tonight," Buis said.
Greencastle hosts West Vigo on Friday at 7 p.m. Last year Greencastle beat West Vigo 44-0. The Vikings lost to Evansville Harrison 28-22 on Friday.
At Monrovia Greencastle | 7 7 7 | 13 -- 34 Monrovia | 0 14 0 | 7 -- 21 |
1st quarter
9:54-- GC: Brown 9 pass from Scott (Weinschenk kick), 7-0
2nd quarter
9:42 -- Mon: L. Hale 3 run (Stader kick), 7-7
6:32 -- GC: Pettit 6 run (Weinschenk kick), 14-7
6:16 -- Mon: Ellis 63 pass from L. Hale (Stader kick), 14-14
3rd quarter
8:15 -- GC: Scott 1 run (Weinschenk kick), 21-7
4th quarter
10:54 -- GC: Pettit 2 run (kick failed) 27-7
9:13 -- GC: Brown 10 pass from Scott (Weinschenk kick), 34-7
7:25 -- Mon: Welty 1 run (Stader kick), 34-14
Individual statistics
Rushing: Monrovia--Rhea 12-56, Ellis 18-37, Welty 9-20, L. Hale 7-(-15); Greencastle--Petit 21-151, Scott 8-37, Coble 2-1.
Passing: Monrovia--L. Hale 5-12-1 99; Greencastle--Scott 13-22-1 119, Brown 1-1-0 44.
Receiving: Monrovia--Ellis 4-88, Taylor 1-11; Greencastle--Brown 6-43, Gierke 4-84, Cook 4-36,.