No. 2 Pirates improve to 3-0 with victory at Mounds

LEA LESSLEY SPORTS WRITER

Gore running back Gunner Dozier rushed for 200 yards and five touchdowns Friday night at Mounds as the Class A No. 2 Pirates improved to 3-0 for the season with the 55-21 victory over the Golden Eagles (1-1).

“I thought we played pretty good going on the road again,” Gore head coach Brandon Tyler said. “I thought we came out in the first half and were up 35-7 at halftime and offensively I thought we did a lot of good things.

“Defensively we still have to get a lot of things corrected. We‚re still making too many busts, too many alignment issues and not tackling very well. We‚ve got to get that cleaned up before we get into district play. We‚ve got one more week and then we‚re off and then start district play. So we‚ve got two weeks to get ready and we‚ve got to get some things cleaned up.”

Gore registered three touchdowns in the opening period and led 21-0 following Christian O‚Connor‚s three extra-point kicks. Dozier ran for a 1-yard TD with 9:54 remaining before quarterback Noah Cooper rushed for an 8-yard touchdown. With three seconds left Dozier crossed the goal line after a 3-yard run.

Dozier found the end zone after a 6-yard run with 7:18 to go in the second stanza and at the 1:16 mark Cooper completed a 48-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ben Kirkpatrick. After O‚Connor‚s second PAT of the quarter Mounds got on the board when quarterback Mason Coddington tossed a 52-yard TD pass and the Pirates led 35-7 at the half.

Almost two minutes into the third period Dozier raced 53 yards for a six-pointer and with 8:28 left in the second running back Jackson Duke scrambled 34 yards for a TD before O‚Connor‚s seventh point-after attempt sailed through the uprights.

Coddington ran for a 70-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Nine seconds into the final frame Dozier rushed for a 4-yard touchdown to end the Pirates‚ scoring.

Mounds recorded its final TD later in the period on a 50-yard touchdown pass.

Cooper (11 carries for 135 yards and a TD) and Duke (7 for 60 and a TD) followed Dozier in the rushing department for the Pirates.

Through the air Cooper completed 5-of-9 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown and Duke was 1-of-2 for three yards. Gore‚s receivers were Journey Shells (2 catches for 54 yards), Kirkpatrick (1 for 48 and a TD), Blue Steward (2 for 24) and Liam Edwards (1 for 3).

Gore‚s leading tacklers were Wyatt Marrel (8 total tackles), Gabe Dozier, Steward and Bladin McCartney (7 each), Dayne Perryman (6), Garrett Douthit and Duke (5 apiece) and Alex Hallum, Edwards, Cooper and Ayden Cox (4 each).

“Overall we played well. I know Gunner had 200 yards (rushing) and five touchdowns and I think Noah ran for 130-something and a score and threw for another 120-something and a score so offensively we‚re playing pretty well right now,” Tyler said. “We‚ve just got to get some things cleaned up on the defensive side of the ball.”

The Pirates journey to Savanna Friday night for their final non-district game and Mounds hosts Kellyville.

Gore running back Gunner Dozier looks for an opening during a high school home game against Keys earlier this season. Dozier and his teammates journey to Savanna Friday night for their final non-district game of the season.