No. 3 Pirates crush Eagles

SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. -- Before sending his team onto the field for its first playoff game, South Pittsburg football coach Vic Grider gave a simple speech.

"Send a message to the rest of the state how serious we are about winning us another state championship," Grider said.

The third-ranked Pirates responded by making sure the statement resonated, rolling to a 50-0 victory over Eagleville.

"I was very pleased with the way our seniors approached this game," Grider said. "They made sure we got prepared during the bye week, and they really got after them on both sides of the ball.

"We wanted to make sure everybody knows we're in this thing to win it. Nothing less."

South Pittsburg's offense was balanced with 259 yards on the ground and 222 passing. The defense was just as impressive and the Pirates (9-2) outgained the Eagles 481-75.

The Pirates rolled up 355 yards in the first half, led by quarterback Terrell Robinson, who had thrown for more than 200 yards by halftime. For the game, the Mr. Football finalist completed seven of eight passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 87 yards and two TDs.

"We came out and let them know that we weren't overlooking them," Robinson said. "We're playing with a lot of confidence right now."

South Pittsburg scored on eight of its nine possessions, the first six scores coming in fewer than five plays. That included the first made field goal since 1999, a 25-yarder by Jacob Howard in the third quarter.

Junior running back Raquis Hale rushed for 103 yards and two TDs in the first half, averaging 13 yards per carry.

Eagleville averaged only 1.8 yards per play, and the Pirates invoked the mercy rule for the sixth time in their last nine playoff games.

"We're a pretty tough team to do business with on defense," Grider said. "If we're clicking on both sides like we were tonight, and playing with that type intensity, we're going to be pretty scary."