Cougar JV's Fall To Salem
By David Gravely

The Pulaski County Cougar junior varsity football team finished out their season on Thursday, and in a great game between two solid teams it came down to the wire as the Spartans took home the 33-26 win.

Pulaski received the opening kickoff, and surprised Salem with a long pass attempt on the first play of the game. Cougar quarterback Jesse Draper put the ball on target, but the Pulaski receiver couldn't hold on. After a Cougar punt, the Spartans went to their ground game, and with 7:11 left in the first quarter were able to put the first points on the board with a 9 yard touchdown run. The PAT put Salem ahead 7-0.

Pulaski took the kickoff, and on the first play running back Brandon Jones rambled 57 yards before being run down, giving the Cougars the ball at the Salem 3 yard line. After a bad snap caused Pulaski to lose a yard, Draper kept the ball on a quarterback keeper and went in for the score. A block in the back penalty against the Cougars took the score off the board, leaving the Cougars with third and goal from the 17 yard line. Draper took the snap, rolled out to his right, and with two Spartan defenders closing in he launched the ball to Jones for the 17 yard score. The Shane Chrisley PAT tied the score at 7-7 with 5:24 remaining.

Chrisley kicked the ball out of the endzone, giving Salem the ball at the 20. The Spartans capped off their 80 yard drive with an 11 yard pass with 1:33 left in the first quarter, and the PAT put Salem back in the lead 14-0. After the two teams exchanged punts on the next few drives, Pulaski was able to move the ball down to the Salem 5 yard line before a dropped pass in the endzone ended the Cougars efforts to tie the score. Salem's Isaah Harris put on a speed and footwork display to move the Spartans downfield, and with 57.6 seconds left he broke free for 45 yards to put Salem ahead 20-7 after the missed PAT. The Cougars would not go down easily, however, and on their first play of the drive Brandon Jones broke free down the visitors side of the field, cut back, and then sprinted for the endzone for a 58 yard score. The Chrisley PAT brought the score to 20-14 in favor of the Spartans.

After both teams punted on their first drives of the second half, Salem was able to add to their score with a 44 yard scoring run with 17.9 seconds left in the third quarter. The PAT was good, putting the scoreboard at 27-14 Salem. Pulaski would not lay down though, and after Draper hit a 54 yard pass to Jones, he connected with Justin Ball on a 23 yard touchdown pass with 8:06 remaining. Chrisleys PAT moved the Cougars closer, and as the Spartans began to move the ball on their next drive until a hard hit sent the ball to the ground where Malik Eaves recovered for the Cougars at the Salem 48 yard line. Another 19 yard pass to Mattox from Draper helped open up the ground game, and then another pass from Draper to Ball put Pulaski back in the endzone on an 11 yard score. The Chrisley PAT was wide, putting the score at 27-26 in favor of the Spartans with 5:21 left on the clock.

Salem was able to burn the clock running the ball, and with 2:25 left in the game the Spartan running back broke free up the middle to go 56 yards for the score. The blocked PAT left the score at 33-26 Salem. Pulaski had one final chance to tie the game, but the Spartan defense held, giving Salem the 33-26 final score.

Draper finished the game completing 7 of 16 passes for 159 yards, with three touchdown passes. Other standouts for the younger Cougars included linebacker J.D. Sutphin, running back Brandon Jones, running back and defensive back Jake Tabor, and linebacker Heath White, and running back Quincy Rollins. The Cougar junior varsity finished up their season with a 4-6 record, winning three of their last four games.