Defense lifts Pirates to victory over the Bulldogs 

 By Jackson Boyd
pittgazette@etcnonline.com

        The defense would prove to be the highlight of the game Friday night at Pirate Stadium as the Pittsburg Pirates took on the Jefferson Bulldogs in the first matchup of the season. The Pirates took game one with a 7-6 victory over the eighth-ranked class 2A Bulldogs.
The Pirates defense came up with three turnovers, including a fumble recovery with less than two minutes left in the game that clinched the win. Both teams found the end zone in the second quarter where the Pirates had an enormous 50-yard offensive scoring play from junior running back Ted Burns.
The Pirates controlled the first quarter of the game behind sophomore quarterback Mitch Manley. Manley completed five passes in the opening drive which took seven and a half minutes off the clock. Manley’s biggest completion in the drive was a 14-yarder to Burns for a first down at the Pirates’ 42-yard line.
The Pirates drove down the field during their first possession only to come up short on a fourth-and-five trip up from Andy Dube on the Bulldogs’ 14 yardline.
The Pirates shut down the offense of the Bulldogs during Friday night’s game by only allowing seven first downs.
Coach Robert Manley said he was proud of the effort from his players during their first game of the year.
“I am very proud of our kids,” said coach Manley. “The defense played very well against the talent that the Bulldogs have.”
In the second quarter the Pirates recovered one of five fumbles from the Bulldogs that would lead to a Pirate touchdown.
Facing a second-and-15 after a penalty, Manley connected with Burns who left the Bulldogs behind as he headed into the end zone untouched.
The PAT from junior Saul Fraga was good, giving the Pirates what proved later to be the game-winning point for a 7-0 lead with 7:08 before the half.
On the next offensive drive, the Pirates seemed to be headed for another scoring opportunity. A 39-yard completion from Manley to Dube gave the Pirates a first down at the Bulldog 11. However, the next play from the Pirates resulted in a 100-yard dash by Dostin Mosley.
Manley passed the ball into the end zone for a receiver only to see Jefferson’s Mosley pick off the pass and run 100 yards for the score. The ever important PAT, however, was blocked by the defense and the Pirates maintained the lead, 7-6, with just over a minute left in the first half.
“We made a lot of young mistakes,” said coach Manley. “Offensively we have to finish our drives and mental mistakes will be our main focus this week.”
The Pirate defense would continue to show their strength in the second half when the Bulldogs were faced with a fourth-and-one on the Pirates’ 5 yard line. The power behind the defense kept the Bulldogs out of the end zone and kept the Pirates ahead in the second half.
Late in the fourth quarter, even though the drive didn’t result in points, a 15-play drive effectively ran time off the clock and left Jefferson with just one possession in the game.
On their own 13 yardline, the Bulldogs moved inside the Pirates’ 40 yardline in their last possession of the game.
Facing a third down from the 37 yardline, the Bulldogs saw their chance of winning the game snapped away with a turnover as the Pirates recovered a fumble with just over a minute remaining to close up the win.
The Pirates had 17 first downs in the opening game, 213 passing yards, and 134 rushing yards. Jefferson would have 46 passing yards, 77 rushing yards, and would go 6 for 10 on passing attempts.
Quarterback Manley would complete 14 out of 23 passing attempts and one touchdown pass.
Penalties would be a setback for the Pirates with nine for a loss of 80 yards.
District 16-3AAA started the year in close games Friday night also. Pleasant Grove sneaked past Longview Pine Tree 14-13, Liberty-Eylau defeated Paris North Lamar 35-28, New Boston took the win over DeKalb 41-13, Atlanta fell to Daingerfield 29-6, and Mount Vernon was open for week one.
The Pirates travel to Winnsboro Friday night to take on the Red Raiders for the first time since 2005. The last matchup between these two teams was a close one at Winnsboro as the Raiders beat the Pirates 34 to 33.
“Winnsboro has a great football team,” said coach Manley. “They have a very tough group of kids.”
The Raiders run a form of the wishbone on offense and run it well, according to coach Manley. Winnsboro beat the defending State champions from Farmersville last weekend 20-6.
The Pittsburg Pirates versus the Winnsboro Red Raiders is set to kick off at 7:30.