Greenfield moving on from loss

By KEVIN WEAKS
Press Sports
Don Pitt is not going to let one step back take away from three steps forward.
While his Greenfield team entered Friday night’s game with Union City sporting an 0-3 record and a 14-game losing streak, the evidence was clear that the new head coach was turning the program around.
A 56-6 loss to the state’s No. 6-ranked Class 1A team has a way of erasing that hard work, though.
Pitt insists that won’t happen.
“We’re going to put that one behind us and get ready to go out and compete and win some football games in the next few weeks,” Pitt said. “We’re looking forward to practice and getting ready for Bruceton.”
The Yellowjackets (0-4 overall, 0-2 District 14A) will get its next chance to stop a losing streak that began in the final week of the 2010 regular season this Friday by hosting a Bruceton team that is currently 1-4 and coming off a 17-7 loss to Dresden.
“We’re not going to let this be a negative for our football team,” Pitt said. “We’re not going to slide backward, but instead start getting ready for a good team in Bruceton.”
Other than toughness shown against a hard-hitting Golden Tornado team and a couple of plays for the postseason highlight reel, there wasn’t much good for Greenfield in the loss.
After the Twisters put up 35 points in the first quarter, Greenfield used special teams to set up its only score of the game.
Zach Grebe, who averaged 32.6 yards on five punts, laid a 46-yard boot down on the Tornadoes’ own one-yard line.
Trying to run its way out of the shadow of its end zone with fullback Keylon Hyde, UC fumbled away possession at the 24.
The ’Jackets needed just three plays to convert Union City’s only turnover into points.
Jeffrey Johnson and Austin Pence covered 11 and six yards, respectively, and then Johnson beat the Twisters’ defense to the pylon at 9:28 of the second frame.
The Yellowjackets finished with just 90 total yards, but 62 came in the final minutes as 5-7 freshman quarterback John David Ricketts, taking over for an injured Johnson, connected with Drake Roberts for 13 yards and then found Miles Cavitt over the middle for a 49-yard catch-and-run play.
“John David’s a playmaker,” Pitt said. “He was working with men in his face, but he always makes something happen, so that’s bright for our future.”
Union City was just on a different level, though.
In a game that saw a running clock start late in the second quarter and the fourth period shortened to eight minutes, UC substituted early and often yet still managed to pile up 418 yards — all on the ground — while scoring on eight of their 10 offensive possessions.
Only a fumble and the halftime break could stop the Twisters’ offensive unit. UC’s offense snapped the ball 40 times, including 39 rushing plays.
Union City also had three touchdowns called back on penalties, two on the same drive.
Keylon Hyde led the way with 211 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries, while Ricky Henry also scored three times. Seven different players carried the ball, four getting scores, and UC was not stopped behind the line of scrimmage all night.
“That’s a good football team,” Pitt acknowledged. “That’s just a bigger school that we have to face. You never know what’s going to happen, but that is a powerful football team.”
Pitt will be looking to the return of several players from injuries, noting his line should get stronger very soon
“We’re banged up pretty good and have been since Lake County,” the coach said. “We have three offensive linemen who could be back Monday. We had three in there who normally are not in the line-up, but they fought hard for four quarters. Now, we’re looking forward to getting some of these players back. That’s going to help us a lot.”
Union City (4-1, 2-0) travels to Dresden this week. Published in The WCP 9.18.12

Print