Pillow Academy simply gift-wrapped this win for Lee Academy.
The Mustangs turned the ball over nine times in an agonizing 13-10 loss to the Colts Friday night at PA’s Bill Davis Field.
“I’ve never coached a game or been a part of a game with this many turnovers. We work on these plays every day in practice, but it didn’t look like it tonight,” Pillow coach Michael Fair said. “It goes back to having a very young team that doesn’t yet know how to win. But we’re close.”
Lee coach Ricky Weiss didn’t mince words after the game.
“Pillow whipped our tails. We didn’t deserve to win this one,” he said.
The Mustangs ran for 230 yards and finished with 332 total yards — compared to 187 for the Colts, who improve to 3-0.
“Defensively, it was by far our best effort of the season,” Fair said. “Our defensive coaches did a great job, and we were sitting on everything they were doing. Our kids played hard, and we had fewer missed tackles tonight.
“Offensively, we moved the ball all over the field but just had way too many turnovers, a couple of crucial penalties and some other mistakes.”
It was the second straight loss to a Class AA team for the AAA Mustangs, who are now 1-2 heading into this week’s game at Madison-Ridgeland Academy. MRA is 2-1 after losing 26-0 to Taylorsville, a Class 2A public school, Friday.
Pillow had four turnovers in the first half but led 3-0, thanks to a 27-yard field goal by junior Steve Pannell with four minutes to play in the second quarter.
Senior quarterback Maury Sykes aided the scoring drive with a 21-yard run and two completions — one for 11 yards to Pannell and one for 10 to Patrick Thompson.
Two of those turnovers halted potential scoring drives for the Mustangs as the Colts recovered fumbles at their own 33- and 7-yard lines.
The fourth turnover in the first half came deep in PA territory, the 16-yard line, but the Mustang defense held tough. Senior lineman Conner Sewell stuffed a running play on first down and then junior defensive back Raines Cook picked off a pass in the end zone.
PA only allowed 87 total yards in the opening half and held the Colts to three downs and a punt on four of their eight possessions.
Lee went up 7-3 with 9:42 left in the game on a 2-yard run. The 49-yard scoring drive was set up by a short punt and a personal foul penalty by Pillow.
Pillow’s seventh turnover of the game, a fumble recovered by the Colts at the PA 36, set Lee up with a chance to extend its four-point lead. But the Mustang defense stuffed Lee on a fourth-and-1 play from the Mustangs’ 27.
The Mustangs then turned the ball over on their next two possessions with interceptions, the second being returned 45 yards for a touchdown. The PAT kick was blocked, and Lee led 13-3 with 1:24 to play.
Pillow came right back with a 5-play, 49-yard TD drive where junior quarterback Cooper Dunn completed three passes to Pannell, including a 5-yarder for the score with 53 seconds left.
Pillow tried an onsides kick, but Lee sealed the game with a recovery.
“I saw a lot of fight from our guys tonight, and that’s going to pay off down the road for us,” Fair said.
Junior Bay Bennett led PA in rushing with 124 yards on 26 carries, while Sykes added 92 yards on 20 attempts and had 47 yards passing and one interception. Sykes also had four catches for 26 yards.
Dunn completed 11 of 20 passes for 97 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Pannell led in receiving with five grabs for 64 yards.
Bennett led the PA defense with 13 tackles, including eight solo stops.
Sophomore end Sam Henry Farmer and Sewell were next with nine each, including seven solos.
nContact Bill Burrus at 581-7237 or bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com. Follow on Twitter:@Bill_Burrus.
