South Pittsburg could've used a reset button in its high school football game Friday night at Boyd-Buchanan.
Facing the top-ranked Buccaneers, the last thing the Pirates needed was to be trailing by two touchdowns at the end of the first quarter. But that was their fate and the Bucs went on for a 28-12 victory.
Each team's first possession ended up with a punt. But the Pirates' second possession ended up with linebacker Jake Harden intercepting a pass at South Pittsburg's 26 and returning it to the 11. Three plays later, Boyd-Buchanan quarterback Cooper Hodge scored on a 7-yard keeper.
The Pirates were limited to three plays on their next possession, and Jeremy Borders returned the ensuing punt 61 yards for a touchdown. Michael Mincey's conversion run with 4:22 to go in the first quarter made it 14-0.
"Looking back, that was probably the difference in the ballgame," South Pittsburg coach Vic Grider said of his team's slow start. "We gave them a short field for their first one. Then we flat out didn't cover a punt. We stressed all week about that, because we knew they were really good there."
Boyd-Buchanan coach Grant Reynolds acknowledged his team's quick start was pivotal, but he also praised the Pirates (6-3) for not folding after one quarter.
"When you play South Pittsburg, you know you're going to get their best effort," Reynolds said. "Those kids fought us tooth and nail."
Boyd-Buchanan (9-0) used the read option often throughout the game. With the Pirates making a concerted effort to limit the damage by the Bucs' running backs, Hodge carried 16 times for 136 yards and three touchdowns. All seven of his pass completions were in the first half.
The Pirates were led by Chase Blevins with 95 yards on 16 carries but also threw the ball more than 20 times. Boyd-Buchanan free safety Kohl Henke intercepted a pass at the Bucs' 10 with two minutes to play, and that in essence sealed it.
"I'm proud of our kids," Grider said. "They kept fighting all night. (The Bucs are) number one for a reason. We've only got two seniors and we gave ourselves a chance with a lot of young football players out there."
For the second consecutive game the Bucs played without tight end and defensive lineman Jack Keebler, a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga commitment who had surgery on his hand. Reynolds said his availability is week to week at this point.
"I think they've got all the pieces, especially when they get Keebler back," said Grider, who has coached three state-championship teams. "They've got some big, physical kids; some older offensive linemen. I'll be shocked if they're not right there at the end with a chance to win it."
Said Reynolds: "I like the way our kids our playing. They've kept their heads about them all year and haven't lost their focus. We've just got to have that mentality that championship teams have. When we get on top of somebody, we've got to put them away."
Contact Kelley Smiddie at sports@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/KelleySmiddie.