Shykeem Pitts Runs Ridge Community Over George Jenkins to Berth In 7A Playoffs, 36-0
Sat. October 27, 2012 at 1:00 a.m. | By Mike Cobb
By MIKE COBB
LEDGER CORRESPONDENT
LAKELAND | Playing the entire game at quarterback on offense, Shykeem Pitts led Ridge Community into the playoffs Friday night. Next week, he and the Bolts will take a shot at the district championship.
Pitts scored on touchdown runs of 60, 11 and 21 yards, and Trayvon Howard ran 95 yards for a score as the Bolts beat George Jenkins 36-6 to secure a spot in the Class 7A playoffs.
The win also clinches a playoff berth for Lakeland, which was off Friday night, and sets up a showdown next Friday night at Ridge Community between the Bolts and Lakeland for the Class 7A, District 5 championship.
"We look forward to the challenge," Ridge coach Richard Tate said. "Lakeland's a great team and we'll see what happens next Friday."
Pitts, who saw time at running back and wide receiver earlier in the year, spent the entire night at quarterback.
"He's dangerous back there," Tate said. "We felt like he (Pitts) gives us a little extra spark (at QB)."
He did that from the start Friday night, setting the tone when he went 60 yards for a touchdown on the game's fourth play.
"The first touchdown run gave us a lot of momentum and it pumped everybody up," Pitts said
Jenkins coach Eric Gallon agreed.
"We never really got our groove, never got stable, never got settled," said Gallon, who's Eagles fell to 3-6. "We got in a rut and we didn't know how to get out of it. That was the biggest issue and it started with that one play."
Leading 10-0 at the half, Pitts added touchdown runs of 11 and 21 yards in the second half, and Howard's 95-yarder in the fourth quarter sealed the win.
Ridge Community 7 3 7 19 — 36
George Jenkins 0 0 0 6 — 6
First Quarter
RC — Shykeem Pitts 60 run (Daniel Delgado kick), 10:22
Second Quarter
RC — Delgado 31 field goal, 9:50
Third Quarter
RC — Pitts 11 run (Delgado kick), 8:40
Fourth Quarter
RC — Pitts 21 run (kick failed), 10:04
RC — Trayvon Howard 95 run (Delgado kick), 6:57
RC — Ja Da' Rian Johnson 10 run (kick failed), 4:18
GJ — Quenshawn Miller 74 run (kick blocked), 0:56
RC | GJ
First Downs 10 11
Rushes/yards 35-264 37-153
Passing yards 19 66
Passing 1-1-0 8-17-1
Total offense 283 219
Fumbles/Lost 1-1 2-2
Punts/avg 3-41.7 6-41.8
Penalties/yds 5-49 7-75
Records 7-2 3-6
Individual Statistics
Rushing: RC — Trayvon Howard 15-153; GJ — Trent Rains 21-71.
Passing: RC — Shykeem Pitts 1-1-0, 19 yards; Jaylen Odum 8-17-1, 66 yards.
Receiving: RC — Tyrell Smith 1-19; GJ — Quenshawn Miller 4-24.
