GREENLAND -- The Pioneers fought hard to save the ship when they visitied Pirate territory in Greenland on Friday night but couldn't quite get it done against an undefeated Greenland team, losing to the Pirates, 49-32.
The Pirates (3-0) kicked off the game aggressively, going for an on-side kick to open the game against Gentry (2-1), and they got it.
"That was something we knew we wanted to do," said Greenland coach Lee Larkan. "Actually, it never worked in practice all week. Tonight was probably the first time we even got the ball to go 10 yards."
The risky call paid off nearly immediately. Pirates quarterback Cole Self hit Alex Sisemore for a 37-yard gain to give Greenland a first-and-goal just a few seconds into the game, and Sisemore scored on first down with a 7-yard run up the middle.
Self led the Pirates with 202 passing yards on 12 for 16 passing, including two touchdowns, and 98 rushing yards with another pair of scores. Sisemore was Greenland's workhorse, rushing for 121 yards on 25 carries and three touchdowns.
The Pirates were on a roll in the first quarter. They forced Gentry into a three-and-out on its first drive, and Greenland drove down the field and scored again in 10 plays on the ensuing drive.
Bryan Harris caught the next kickoff for the Pioneers, but he fumbled the return and Pirate Rhodes Hayes fell on the ball on the Gentry 35-yard line to set up Greenland again. This time, Greenland pushed themselves back with a bad shotgun snap and a holding penalty, but on fourth-and-21 from the 46, Self found Rhodes behind the defense and the duo connected for Greenland's third straight touchdown in less than eight minutes of action.
It appeared the Pirates were well on their way to blowing out the Pioneers, but Gentry wasn't about to lay down.
The Pioneers hit two big plays for touchdowns on their next pair of drives. Quarterback Jon Faulkenberry threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Jake Faulkenberry at the end of the first quarter, and running back CJ Taylor ran straight up the middle for a 60-yard run early in the second quarter.
All of a sudden, the score was 21-14.
"We knew they were going to come back," said Larkan. "They have too many good athletes and they run a good scheme."
Faulkenberry threw for 151 passing yards and ran for 115 more.
Gentry forced Greenland into a three-and-out on its ensuing drive, but committed a personal foul on the punt and the Pirates kept possession. It proved to be a costly penalty. Greenland was struggling to move the ball and was in a third-and-12 situation, but Self threw up a jump ball near the goal line and Greenland receiver Chance Glander jumped over his defender and pulled the ball down for the score and made the halftime lead 28-14.
Gentry scored again on its first possession of the third quarter to cut the lead to a single possession, and had the Pirates in another third-and-long predicament, but Self found Glander once again to set up a fourth down attempt, and Self ran around the left side and raced 33 yards down the sideline for what proved to be the game-winning score.
How They Scored
Gentry ..............7 7 6 12 -- 32
Greenland ......... 21 7 7 14 -- 49
First Quarter
Green -- Sizemore 7 run (De-Faria kick), 11:40 Green -- Sizemore 10 run (De-Faria kick), 6:33 Green -- Rhodes 47 pass from Self (De-Faria kick), 4:21 Gentry -- Jake Faulkenberry 35 pass from Jon Jake Faulkenberry (Matthews kick), 1:11
Second Quarter
Gentry -- Taylor 60 run (Matthews kick), 10:29 Greenland -- Self 48 pass to Glander (De-Faria kick), 7:35
Third Quarter
Gentry -- Jake Faulkenberry 29 pass from Jon Faulkenberry (Kick failed), 4:24 Green -- Self 33 run (De-Faria kick), 1:36
Fourth Quarter
Gentry -- Jon Faulkenberry 60 run (run failed), 11:49 Greenland -- Sizemore 7 run (De-Faria kick), 7:18 Gentry -- Jon Faulkenberry 18 pass to Cripps (run failed), 5:41 Green -- Self 1 run (De-Faria kick), 2:35
GREENLAND 49, GENTRY 32
Sports on 09/23/2015