Amherst Stops Pulaski In Defensive Battle
Amherst County quarterback Anthony Rose looks for the open receiver during Saturday's Group AA, Division 4 state semifinal game against Pulaski County. Rose scored both of the Lancer's touchdowns in a 13-7 win.
Photo by David Gravely
DUBLIN, VA - In what came down to a defensive battle, Amherst County managed to pull out a hard-fought 13-7 win over previously unbeaten Pulaski County in the Group AA, Division 4 state semifinals played Saturday afternoon at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium in Dublin.
The Lancers (12-1) will now face Broad Run (13-0) in the Group AA state championship game at Liberty University in Lynchburg on Saturday, Dec. 6. Game time is scheduled for 4:45 p.m.
Pulaski County (12-1) would light up the scoreboard first on a 7-yard touchdown run by senior fullback E.J. Dobbins. Junior Matt Songer converted the PAT to give the Cougars a 7-0 lead with 1:30 left in the first quarter.
Amherst County, the two-time defending state champion, would tie the game with 5:25 remaining in the second quarter when sophomore quarterback Anthony Rose called his owned number and busted in from 3-yards out for the touchdown. Dawson's PAT knotted the score.
The Lancers had several chances to put the game away in the second half. Their best opportunity came on the opening kickoff of the second half when Mario Vaughn took the kickoff and galloped 73 yards to the Cougar 21-yard line. However, the drive ended several plays later when the Pulaski County defense stopped Amherst at the 1-yard line.
Amherst would finally take the lead for good with 53 ticks left in the game when Rose scored his second touchdown of the day, this one from a yard-out. The two-point conversion failed, thus making it 13-7.
Pulaski County would have one last chance to tie or win the game. However, the Cougars fumbled the ball with 42 seconds remaining in the game and Amherst would run out the clock to advance to its third-straight state championship game and its first under first-year head coach Cecil Phillips.
Amherst tallied 221 yards of total offense, with 115 of those yards coming on the ground. Anthony Rose led the rushing attack with 44 yards on 16 carries, including two touchdowns. Mario Vaughn carried the ball nine times for 35 yards. Rose also completed 4-of-6 passes for 106 yards and was intercepted once.
Pulaski County posted 175 yards of total offense, with 155 yards coming on the ground. Nubian Peak led the way with 89 yards on 16 carries and E.J. Dobbins ran for 45 yards on 12 carries, including one touchdown. Quarterback Luke Watson was 2-for-7 for 20 yards and was intercepted once.
These two teams will meet again next year, as they will begin a two-year, home-and-home series in October 2009.
Amherst County - 0 7 0 6 - 13
Pulaski County --- 7 0 0 0 - 7
