Pickens Academy Squanders First Half Lead in 14-12 Loss to Marengo Academy

By Brian Hamilton, Sports Correspondent

Pickens Academy got off to a good start Friday night in their Class A Region 2 matchup, taking a 12-0 first half lead on Marengo Academy. However, the Longhorns would make adjustments in the second half to win 14-12. The loss drops the Pirates to 2-2 in the region and this week’s contest against Southern Academy will determine which team earns the third seed in the upcoming playoffs.

“I think they wanted it more than we did,” Pickens Academy head coach Wade Goodman said. “Marengo Academy expects to make the playoffs and advance in the playoffs and I don’t know that we necessarily do.”

The Pirates took a 6-0 first quarter lead when William Parker found Austin Goodman for a 44-yard touchdown pass. Braden Davidson then followed that up with a five-yard touchdown catch from Parker early in the second quarter to put Pickens Academy ahead 12-0.

“They were whipping us up front the whole time, we just were able to hit them on a couple throws because we usually don’t throw the ball,” Goodman said. “They only had one safety back so we hit some passes. We thought we’d be able to hit some passes in the second half but they went two safeties back and it shut the passing game down.”