A matchup between two of last season’s title game participants was everything it was billed and more with haymakers from each team landing on the other with utmost precision.
The Class 6A second-ranked Oxford Yellow Jackets rallied from 13 points down in the first half and chewed clock in the second half to capture a 29-28 win over the Class 5A second-ranked Pleasant Grove Spartans at Spartan Stadium tonight in Pleasant Grove.
Oxford (1-1) held the Spartans to a three-and-out on the opening possession of the game and got the scoring started with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Trey Higgins to Warren Britt.
Not to be outdone, Charlotte commit Zyquez Perryman and Kentucky commit Christian Lewis hooked up for three straight touchdowns – 29, 81, and 21 yards – to take a 20-7 lead with 2:10 left in the first half.
Following a long kickoff return, Oxford answered with a 3-play drive that was capped with a 5-ard touchdown run by Higgins. The Yellow Jackets made good on the 2-point conversion and cut the lead to 20-15 entering the break.
Oxford went to the ground in the second half and ground out an 11-play drive to take a 22-20 lead with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Higgins to Keeshon Siaosi. The Yellow Jackets added to their lead in the fourth quarter with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Higgins to Rodricus Elston but Pleasant Grove was able to pull within a single point on a 2-yard touchdown run from Demarcus Lacey.
The Spartans (0-1) were unable to regain possession as Oxford held the ball for the final 6:05 of the contest.
Star of the game: Higgins. The senior quarterback finished 16-of-27 for 204 yards and three touchdowns and an interception while rushing for 30 yards and a score on 13 carries.
Play of the Game: Lewis’ 81-yard touchdown pass that saw the senior run a routine slant pattern before outrunning the entire Oxford defense. Lewis scored all three of his touchdowns on consecutive receptions.
Key sequence: Trailing by a single point, Pleasant Grove allowed Oxford to convert two three-and-longs on the final drive of the game.
Stat sheet: Oxford – Siaosi led the Yellow Jackets with 56 yards on 13 carries with a 4-yard touchdown reception. Elston had only 18 rushing yards but caught two passes for 50 yards and a score. Britt had five catches for 83 yards and a score while Tennessee commit Roc Taylor was held to 34 yards on five receptions. Pleasant Grove – Perryman had an impressive performance in the loss and finished 18-of-24 for 272 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 24 yards on five carries. Lewis had an eye-opening nine catches for 188 yards and three scores while Jamaryon Furlow had four receptions for 44 yards. Lacey led the Spartans in rushing with 41 yards and a touchdown.
By the numbers: 13, the number of catches combined between Roc Taylor and Christian Lewis. …3, the number of touchdown passes thrown by each quarterback. …2, the number of turnovers in the game.
Coachspeak: “I’m proud of them. Pleasant Grove has got a great football team and I think they were better than us tonight. I really do. We had some guys step up and make some plays at the end of the game. I can’t say enough about Elston, he made some huge plays for us.” -- Oxford’s Keith Etheredge
“We got some grit and we got some fight. Definitely got to clean up some stuff. To say I’m anything less than proud of my guys and how they fought and kept scratching against one of the toughest teams in 6A and us being the smallest team in 5A. I’m excited about the season but we got some stuff to clean up.” -- Pleasant Grove’s Darrell LeBeaux
He said it: “We got to be more disciplined throughout the game. With the opponent we had, it hurt us. They changed the pace on us a little bit to not let us get our calls in on the field. We got a lot of new teammates but they stepped up tonight.” -- Lewis
What’s next? Oxford hosts Scottsboro while Pleasant Grove welcomes Cordova.