Heath earns first football win at Sand Rock

Sand Rock’s Colton Cash, right, makes a move on a Pisgah defender for a 30-yard gain after catching a short pass Friday night. Photo courtesy of Jason Bowen, The Jackson County Sentinel.

Staff Reports

SAND ROCK – Sand Rock sophomore quarterback Ace Ashley threw for 233 yards and two touchdowns in leading the Wildcats to a 25-3 victory over visiting Pisgah in Alan Heath’s debut as head football coach Friday night.

“There’s no words to describe it,” Heath said. “These kids have worked their tails off. I told them before we went out tonight since November, when we started working with them, I said this is what we’ve been working for, but it doesn’t guarantee you anything until you put in the work tonight. They put in the work tonight. They played their tails off. There was no give up or quit in them.”

But it was Pisgah (0-1) that got on the scoreboard first.

After a scoreless first quarter, John Burke connected on a 36-yard field goal with 10:01 left in the first half to give the Eagles a 3-0 edge.

Ashley then sparked Sand Rock (1-0) with his 60-yard touchdown toss to Olin Pruitt on the Wildcats’ ensuing possession. Bryan East’s extra point was no good, keeping the score at 6-3.

Jacob Cornejo scored the Wildcats’ next touchdown on a 15-yard run with 5:24 left in the second quarter. The try for two failed, but Sand Rock had extended its lead to 12-3.

Sand Rock managed to score once more before the first half ended on Ashley’s 1-yard touchdown run. The try for two was no good once again, keeping the score at 18-3.

Ashley connected with Cornejo on a 62-yard touchdown pass with 10:57 remaining in the third quarter for the game’s final touchdown. East added the extra point.

Ashley hit on 7-of-12 of his pass attempts, with his top targets being Colton Cash, Pruitt and Cornejo. Cash caught two passes for 90 yards and also had an interception on defense. Both Pruitt and Cornejo had a pair of catches for 68 yards and a touchdown apiece.

Ethan Clanton led the Wildcat defense with 8 ½ tackles. Tru Graham added an interception.

Parker Law led Pisgah with 10 carries for 72 yards. He was also 7-of-17 passing for 49 yards with two interceptions.

Sand Rock hosts Westbrook Christian on Friday.

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