Richardson Pearce downs Lions, 54-14
November 1, 2008

By DAVID CLAYBOURN
Herald-Banner Staff

GREENVILLE -- Richardson Pearce’s passing game was as good as advertised as the Mustangs claimed a 54-14 victory over the Greenville Lions on Friday night.

Mustang quarterback Caleb Lewis went 16-of-23 passing for 346 yards and five touchdowns.

Pearce’s passing more than offset the one-two running punch of Greenville tailback Dakieston Williams (19-135, 1 TD) and quarterback Alton Dennis (14-118, 1 TD). The Mustangs scored touchdowns on their first eight possessions to build a 54-14 lead with 7:35 left in the third period.

“They’re good,” said Lions coach Jim Phillips. “We’re still trying to figure where we’re at (on pass coverage), either a zone or a man coverage. We’re still trying to figure out what we can do. But the kids played hard.”

Both teams substituted liberally in the second half as the Mustangs improved their season record to 4-5 and District 10-4A mark to 3-3.

Greenville dropped to 2-7 and 1-5.

J.J. Pearce took all six of its possessions in for touchdowns in the first half to roll up 348 yards and build a 40-14 halftime lead.

Lewis was 14-of-21 passing for the half for 248 yards and three touchdowns.

Pearce drove 78 yards in three plays, 70 yards in 10 plays, 34 yards in eight plays, 44 yards in four plays, 10 yards in three plays and 57 yards in nine plays.

Josh Gold ran 48 yards to cap Pearce's first drive.

Lewis also passed for touchdowns of 15 yards to Gold, 32 yards to Blake Jumonville and 13 yards to Jake Allen.

Madison Kvapil also capped one Mustang drive with a 1-yard touchdown run and Gold topped off another with a 3-yard scoring scamper.

Greenville drove 99 yards for its first touchdown after a Lion kick returner downed the ball on the Greenville 1-yard line. The 12-play drive mixed the running and throwing of Dennis with the running of Williams. Dennis dashed for gains of 16 and 11 yards and fired completions of 19 and 16 yards to wide receiver Dijuon Sheppard. Williams finished off the drive with a 20-yard burst for his eighth touchdown run of the season.

Dennis, who rushed for 130 yards on 11 carries in the first half, scored the Lions' other touchdown on an 80-yard scamper. The officials initially signaled a blocking-below-the-waist penalty that would have negated Dennis's eighth touchdown run of the season. But Phillips won an argument with the referee, demonstrating to him how the block was legal and after a discussion among the officials the penalty was waved off and the touchdown stood. Ryan Rumph booted his second successful extra point.

Pearce scored on its first two plays from scrimmage in the second half, throws of 55 and 43 yards by Lewis to Gold and Jumonville.

The Mustangs wound up with 460 yards of total offense, while the Lions finished with 344.