CLARKSDALE - After a sluggish first quarter, Pillow Academy found a different gear and pulled away from Lee Academy.
The Mustangs held a slim 7-6 lead in the second quarter but outscored Lee 40-6 the rest of the way for a convincing 47-12 victory here Friday night in a key North AAA conference matchup.
Pillow improves to 3-1 overall, 1-1 in the North AAA Division II standings. Washington is in first place at 2-0 after Friday's 31-24 double-overtime win over Magnolia Heights, which is 0-1 in the league now.
Pillow hosts Magnolia Heights this week. The loser will be on the outside looking in at the North AAA Division II race, while the winner stays on heels of the Generals.
"We came out flat. We didn't start with the intensity that I would like," PA coach Michael Fair said. "We've to to play better in all three phases this week against a tough Magnolia Heights team."
Senior quarterback Will Andrews rushed for a team-high 81 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries and completed 9-of-14 passes for 186 yards and a TD.
Andrews got Pillow on the board first with a 3-yard scoring pass to senior tight end Reed Cook. Hunter McNeer's PAT kick made it 7-0.
The touchdown was set up by an interception from sophomore linebacker Myers Falls, who hauled in a tipped ball caused by fellow linebacker Luke Kimmel.
After Lee made it 7-6 early in the second quarter, senior tailback Tyler Fondren had touchdown runs for 1 and 9 yards to put PA up 20-6.
Andrews closed out the first-half scoring with a 5-yard TD jaunt. McNeer's PAT kick made it a 21-point game at the half.
Fondren opened the second-half scoring with a 4-yard TD run. Then in the fourth, Andrews found the end zone from 15 yards out to make it 40-6.
After Lee cut it to 40-12, PA backup running back Cody Beam closed out the scoring with a 7-yard touchdown run.
Fondren finished with 59 yards and three TDs on 13 carries. He also had two catches for 56 yards.
Brandon Curry rushed for 39 yards on five carries, and Kimmel chipped in with 33 yards on two attempts.
Pillow had 252 yards rushing on 36 carries for a total of 455 yards.
McNeer had a team-high four catches for 110 yards.
Pillow is now 14-5 against the Colts in the last 19 meetings between the two rivals and has won the last four by a combined score of 156-41.
