Pulaski Dominates Salem For Title
Pulaski County's Nubian Peak rushed for 223 yards during Friday night's 38-0 victory against Salem in the Region IV, Division 4, championship game.
Photo by Larry Middleton
DUBLIN, VA - Pulaski County scored early and often as they dominated the Salem Spartans 38-0 in the Region IV, Division 4 championship game on a cold and blustery Friday night at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium in Dublin.
The Cougars (12-0) will now host two-time defending state champion Amherst County (11-1) either next Friday night or Saturday afternoon at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium in the Group AA, Division 4 state semifinal contest. The Lancers advance to next Saturday's semifinals by thrashing Jefferson Forest 40-10 in the Region III title game Friday night.
Pulaski County would score midway through the opening quarter when D.J. Dobbins swept wide-left to score from 6-yards out. Matt Songer's PAT gave the home team a quick 7-0 lead with 5:25 on the clock.
The Cougars would up their advantage to 14-0 with one minute left in the first quarter. This time Nubian Peak, who is heading to Virginia Tech, broke loose for a 67-yard touchdown gallop and Songer converted the PAT.
Pulaski County would once again light up its side of the scoreboard in the second quarter. Antwan Calfee would pick off a pass from Salem quarterback Hunter Sturgill at the Spartans' 18-yard line and raced in untouched for the score. Songer's PAT made it 21-0 with 7:51 left in the second quarter.
The Cougars would head into the locker room with a 24-0 advantage after Songer nailed a 35-yard field as time ran out in the first half.
Salem (9-3) was held to just 36 total yards in the first half and only one first down. On the other side, Pulaski County, led by 129 rushing yards from Peak, tallied up 226 total yards, all rushing, in the opening half.
The Cougars picked up in the second half were they had left off in the first half.
Salem's first possession of the third quarter would not go the way the Spartans needed it to go. Zane Quesenberry would intercept a Sturgill pass at the Spartans' 42-yard line. Several plays later, Dobbins would bust in from a yard out and Songer's PAT gave the Cougars a surprising 31-0 lead with 3:40 left in the quarter.
Pulaski County would add one more final score on this blustery evening. With 6:31 remaining in the fourth quarter, Peak would score his second touchdown of the night on a 66-yard scamper. Songer's PAT made it 38-0.
The Cougars, who are heading to their first state semifinal game since 2001, recorded their third shutout of the season and their second-straight in post-season play.
Salem finished the night with 89 yards of total offense and just four first downs. Daniel Dyer led the ground game with 27 yards on six carries. Quarterback Hunter Sturgill was 5-for-16 for 34 yards, including two interceptions.
Pulaski County piled up 352 yards of total offense, all on the ground. Nubian Peak led the way with 223 yards on 22 carries. D.J. Dobbins and Seth Parrish finished with 67 and 33 yards, respectively.
Salem ---- 0 0 0 0 - 0
Pulaski - 14 10 7 7 - 38
