Pillow Academy was down early in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs to Silliman Institute at Bill Davis Field on Friday night, but the Mustangs stormed back to win 31-28 — keeping their championship aspirations alive.
“This win had nothing to do with X’s and O’s, it was just players making plays,” Pillow head coach Jim Crowder said of his team’s performance on Friday night. “I’m just proud of those boys, because it took heart to win that game.”
Pillow (6-5 overall) struck first in the game on a 79-yard touchdown run by Hayes Bennett on the Mustangs’ opening drive. Pillow tried to fake a PAT, but it didn’t pan out and the Mustangs went up 6-0.
It didn’t take long for the Wildcats to respond as Silliman got into a groove and put up two rushing touchdowns in the span of seven minutes, and tacked on another in the middle of the second quarter — but the Mustangs wouldn’t go away.
Down 21-6, Pillow had the ball on the Wildcats’ 19-yard line with two seconds left in the first half, and quarterback Drew Lamb dialed up a shot to receiver John Heston Powers for a crucial passing touchdown.
“John was wanting the ball,” said Lamb looking back at his late second quarter touchdown pass. “So, I gave him a chance to go up and get it, and he made a great play on it.”
Running back Dayne Sanford took the handoff on the next play and bulldozed in for two, and the Mustangs only trailed 21-14 at the half.
The Mustangs came out of the half on fire, scoring two touchdowns in the third quarter, and a field goal that was set up by a Wildcat muffed punt. Silliman was able to tack on seven points in the third, but was held scoreless in the fourth, and with a little over a minute left in the game, Sanford got a crucial fourth down conversion to keep the clock running — sealing the game.
“I knew I was about to get the ball. I just needed four yards, so I just gave it all I got,” Sanford said of his clutch fourth-down conversion late in the fourth quarter.
Lamb finished going 6-of-15 for 126 yards with two touchdowns.
Powers was the leading receiver as he picked up 88 yards on four catches for two touchdowns.
Sanford’s performance was big time for Pillow. The senior was the leading rusher as he ran for 152 yards on 23 attempts with one touchdown and one 2-point conversion. Sanford also chipped in 38 yards receiving.
Bennett was the second leading rusher with 106 yards on six tries.
Defensively, Sanford and Brock Makamson led the Mustangs with four solo tackles, and Sanford also recorded a sack. Hayden Pillow also contributed a sack.
Drake Alderman was the leading tackler with nine total stops (three solos).
Throughout Friday’ game, Sanford added his name to a few more categories in the Pillow Academy record books. He set records for most career rushing touchdowns (32), most rushing yards in a season (1,458), and most rushing yards in a career (2,287).
“I can’t thank my offensive lineman enough,” Sanford said of his record setting career. “They’re the ones doing it.”
-Contact Jared Conerly at 662-581-7237 or jconerly@gwcommonwealth.com
