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'Battle of 104' here Friday as Indians host Auburn
The Pawnee football Indians will shoot for the program's first eight-win regular season since 1984 Friday as the Indians host
arch-rival Auburn in the annual "Battle of 104."
Pawnee went to 7-1 overall and locked up second place in the Prairie State Conference by blanking Virden 29-0 Friday. It was
the fifth shutout of the season for the Indians, tying a school record set by the 1977 team, and in the process, Pawnee eliminated
Virden from the playoffs.
The Indians have already clinched a playoff berth for the second straight year, and can improve their seeding by defeating
Auburn Friday. The Trojans enter at 6-2 overall coming off a 30-0 win over Pleasant Plains. Pawnee has not beaten Auburn since
1996 when the Indians won a 26-19 overtime decision.
Friday's shutout win was the first for Pawnee over Virden since the Indians blanked the Bulldogs 24-0 in 1953. The Indian
defense completely dominated the game, giving up just 31 total yards and two first downs. Virden actually had more penalty
yards (65) than total yards and held the ball for only 11:22 of the game. The Bulldogs gained only eight yards rushing on 33
carries and completed three of five passes for 23 yards. Of Virden's 38 offensive plays, 13 resulted in losses for a total of -76
yards.
Shaquil Hayes had four solo tackles, four assists and one interception to lead PHS and Drew Thompson had three solos and
five assists. Zach Puckett had five solo tackles and two assists, J.D. Vandenberg had three solo tackles and three assists, Sean
Koen had one solo tackle and five assists and Tre Angeli had one solo and three assists.
Angeli had one sack and shared another with Hayes. Hayes and Vandenberg both had 2 1/2 tackles for losses, Koen had two,
Puckett had 1 1/2 and Thompson had one. Koen had a pass breakup and Vandenberg had a forced fumble.
Pawnee wound up with 245 total yards, 192 rushing and 53 passing, and had 16 first downs. The Indians, who lost one fumble
and were penalized five times for 46 yards, converted eight of 14 3rd downs and were two of three on 4th down conversions.
Virden was one for 11 on 3rd downs and one for four on 4th downs.
Thompson completed three of five passes for 53 yards, two for touchdowns to Vandenberg while Stanley Desart had one catch
for seven yards. The ground game was spread out among five runners, with Cody Reynolds gaining 46 yards on 11 carries,
followed by Dillon Pearce (43 yards on 15 carries), Jonathan Schrage (40 yards on nine carries), Desart (34 yards on eight
carries) and Thompson (29 yards on seven carries).
Pearce had 26 yards on three punt returns and Desart had a 20 yard kickoff return. Schrage averaged 36 yards on two punts.
After a scoreless first quarter, Pawnee took the lead with 11:25 left in the 2nd frame on Desart's 11 yard touchdown run. Desart
ran for the two-point conversion for the 8-0 lead. The Indians increased the advantage to 14-0 on Thompson's one yard run with
1:58 remaining in the half.
Thompson and Vandenberg hooked up on a 20 yard touchdown pass early in the 4th frame and Desart's two-point conversion
made it 22-0. The same pair teamed up for a 26 yard touchdown pass with 4:01 remaining in the 4th quarter and Hayes kicked
the PAT for the 29-0 final.
The Pawnee football Indians will shoot for the program's first eight-win regular season since 1984 Friday as the Indians host
arch-rival Auburn in the annual "Battle of 104."
Pawnee went to 7-1 overall and locked up second place in the Prairie State Conference by blanking Virden 29-0 Friday. It was
the fifth shutout of the season for the Indians, tying a school record set by the 1977 team, and in the process, Pawnee eliminated
Virden from the playoffs.
The Indians have already clinched a playoff berth for the second straight year, and can improve their seeding by defeating
Auburn Friday. The Trojans enter at 6-2 overall coming off a 30-0 win over Pleasant Plains. Pawnee has not beaten Auburn since
1996 when the Indians won a 26-19 overtime decision.
Friday's shutout win was the first for Pawnee over Virden since the Indians blanked the Bulldogs 24-0 in 1953. The Indian
defense completely dominated the game, giving up just 31 total yards and two first downs. Virden actually had more penalty
yards (65) than total yards and held the ball for only 11:22 of the game. The Bulldogs gained only eight yards rushing on 33
carries and completed three of five passes for 23 yards. Of Virden's 38 offensive plays, 13 resulted in losses for a total of -76
yards.
Shaquil Hayes had four solo tackles, four assists and one interception to lead PHS and Drew Thompson had three solos and
five assists. Zach Puckett had five solo tackles and two assists, J.D. Vandenberg had three solo tackles and three assists, Sean
Koen had one solo tackle and five assists and Tre Angeli had one solo and three assists.
Angeli had one sack and shared another with Hayes. Hayes and Vandenberg both had 2 1/2 tackles for losses, Koen had two,
Puckett had 1 1/2 and Thompson had one. Koen had a pass breakup and Vandenberg had a forced fumble.
Pawnee wound up with 245 total yards, 192 rushing and 53 passing, and had 16 first downs. The Indians, who lost one fumble
and were penalized five times for 46 yards, converted eight of 14 3rd downs and were two of three on 4th down conversions.
Virden was one for 11 on 3rd downs and one for four on 4th downs.
Thompson completed three of five passes for 53 yards, two for touchdowns to Vandenberg while Stanley Desart had one catch
for seven yards. The ground game was spread out among five runners, with Cody Reynolds gaining 46 yards on 11 carries,
followed by Dillon Pearce (43 yards on 15 carries), Jonathan Schrage (40 yards on nine carries), Desart (34 yards on eight
carries) and Thompson (29 yards on seven carries).
Pearce had 26 yards on three punt returns and Desart had a 20 yard kickoff return. Schrage averaged 36 yards on two punts.
After a scoreless first quarter, Pawnee took the lead with 11:25 left in the 2nd frame on Desart's 11 yard touchdown run. Desart
ran for the two-point conversion for the 8-0 lead. The Indians increased the advantage to 14-0 on Thompson's one yard run with
1:58 remaining in the half.
Thompson and Vandenberg hooked up on a 20 yard touchdown pass early in the 4th frame and Desart's two-point conversion
made it 22-0. The same pair teamed up for a 26 yard touchdown pass with 4:01 remaining in the 4th quarter and Hayes kicked
the PAT for the 29-0 final.
Issue Date: Oct. 22, 2009
