State 4-A playoffs: Next, Mount Tabor at Watauga, Friday, 7:30 p.m.

Pioneers capitalize on Rams' mistakes in victory
By Steve Behr

sports@wataugademocrat.com

It took only a matter of seconds for Watauga to score enough points to beat Purnell Swett.

The Pioneers scored touchdowns on back-to-back plays and made a three-touchdown lead stick in a 25-14 victory over Swett in the third round of the state 4-A playoffs at Jack Groce Stadium Friday.

The Pioneers (11-3) take on Mount Tabor in the Western Regional finals this Friday at Jack Groce Stadium.

The winner earns a berth in the 4-A state finals, which are in Winston-Salem the following week.

It is the second straight season that Watauga has reached this stage of the playoffs. Last year, the Pioneers fell 21-0 to West Charlotte.

“This time, we want to go to the (champion)’ship,” running back/safety Eric Breitenstein said. “It doesn't mean anything if we don’t get to the ’ship, so that’s what we’re going to try and do.”

Last year against West Charlotte, Breitenstein went down to a knee injury and was lost for the remainder of the game. That certainly was not the case last Friday as the Shrine Bowl player gained 184 yards on 23 carries and scored touchdown runs of 16 and 5 yards.

But Breitenstein made his biggest play on defense, when he stole the football away from a Rams running back and raced 39 yards for a touchdown.

It gave the Pioneers a 19-8 lead, but the Pioneers were not finished. On the ensuing kickoff, Devan Corum forced a fumble and Trey Dunnigan returned it 14 yards for another touchdown.

Savva Kostis made the extra point and the Pioneers held a 25-8 lead.

“It was a huge momentum swing,” Pioneers coach Adrian Snow said. “It was unbelievable for us. I was proud of our kids staying in it and then it happened and it was just great.”

Swett head coach Mark Heil had a feeling that the sudden change of events would make a big difference on the Rams.

“In a matter of a minute, the whole game changed,” he said. “We’re not a good catch-up team. We’re more of a ball-control kind of (team). You have to give them credit. That’s how you win.”

Breitenstein got the Pioneers on the scoreboard with a 16-yard touchdown run, which capped a game-opening 68-yard drive.

Swett, which buried A.C. Reynolds with long scoring drives, did the same to the Pioneers with a 17-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 19-yard pass from quarterback Patrick McCartney to Justin Bullard.

It was just the second pass on the drive, which ate up 7:53 of the first-quarter clock.

Swett had a similar drive in the third quarter, but with a much different result. The Rams took the ball to start the second half and gobbled up 9:59 off the clock.

However, the Rams got no points out of the drive. In fact, they only reached the Pioneers’ 47-yard line before being forced to punt after churning out 45 yards on 16 time-consuming plays.

“That’s their M.O. That’s what they do,” Snow said. “They like to hold the ball and be methodical and take care and do some good things. I was proud of our kids for bowing their backs when they needed to and getting them off the field.”

“Then we go out there on offense and get a three-and-out and it’s like ‘Golly, Pete’ and give it back again, but what can you do?” Snow added.

Watauga was forced to punt on its next drive and Swett responded with a five-play, 70 yard drive capped by a 31-yard McCartney pass to Rosszell Pittman. The score pulled the Rams to within 25-14 and giving them a needed boost.

Swett continued its momentum by recovering an onside kick, but the Rams’ drive stalled and they were forced to punt. Marlin Locklear led the Rams in rushing with 106 yards on 25 carries, but did not reach the end zone.

Overall, the Rams outgained the Pioneers 240-238 in total offense.

“They were coming back there,” cornerback/receiver Cam Steury said. “They made their run, but we had to step it up and our linemen did and our secondary did and we did the job.”

Swett had one final chance to get closer when it recovered a fumble at its 40-yard line, but that drive stalled at the Pioneers’ 49-yard line. Breitenstein carried the ball the final five plays for 31 yards to run out the clock.

“Breitenstein is just a great, great football player,” Heil said. “He’s the best football player we’ve faced all year, by far.”

Watauga 25, Purnell Swett 14
Purnell Swett 8 0 0 6 — 14
Watauga 6 19 0 0 — 25
Scoring summary
First quarter
W—Breitenstein 16 run (Kick blocked)
PS—Bullard 19 pass from McCartney (Pittman run)
Second quarter
W—Breitenstein 5 run (Run failed)
W—Breitenstein 39 fumble return (Kostis kick)
W—Dunnigan 14 fumble recovery (Kick blocked)
Fourth quarter
Pittman 31 pass from McCartney (Run failed)

Purnell Swett Watauga
First downs 16 15
Rushes-yards 40-128 31-221
Passing yards 112 17
Passes 9-18-0 2-5-0
Total plays-yards 58-240 36-238
Return yards 0 53
Punts-avg. 3-31.7 2-30.5
Penalties-yards 13-95 6-56
Fumbles-lost 4-2 1-1
Individuals
Rushing: Swett—Locklear 25-106, Lyon 5-13, McCartney 9-6, Steen 1-3; Watauga—Breitenstein 23-184, Chiarolanzio 7-42, Martin 1-(-5).
Passing: Swett—McCartney 9-17-0 112, Pittman 0-1-0 0; Chiarolanzio 2-3-0 17, Beason 0-1-0 0.
Receiving: Swett—Pittman 3-48, Cole 3-22, Bullard 2-32, Fairley1-10; Watauga—Steury 1-9, McMenamin 1-8.