SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. – Six times, all in the regular season, South Pittsburg had big enough leads at halftime that the mercy rule was in effect at the start of the second half. After Friday’s TSSAA Class 1A state semifinal, it’s up to seven.
One game away from advancing to a state final, winning isn’t supposed to come as easily as the Pirates’ 54-6 victory over Coalfield at South Pittsburg’s Beene Stadium.
South Pittsburg (11-2) will play Jo Byrns next Friday at Tennessee Tech University at 1 p.m. EST. It marks the Pirates’ third appearance in a state-championship game in the last four years.
“That’s the goal every year,” South Pittsburg coach Vic Grider said. “That’s the only option. I’m proud the kids answered the call.”
The Pirates had possession five times in the first half, and each ended with a touchdown. With Michael Allen’s 35-yard interception return for a score, the result after 24 minutes was a 41-0 lead.
“I thought it was important early that we get a couple of quick ones on them,” Grider said. “We’re young, but they’re even younger than us. We kind of wanted to plant that seed of doubt in their heads. You can end up getting back on your heels. I’m proud of the kids for executing the game plan, especially the first three or four possessions.”
Senior Raquis Hale paced the first-half onslought with 15 carries for 201 yards, including three touchdown runs from inside the 10. He finished with 293 on 16 carries, one a 92-yard TD run on South Pittsburg’s first play of the third quarter.
“I’m proud of the offensive line,” Hale said. “They always help me. I tell them if they get me a hole, I’ll get the yards we need.”
South Pittsburg also mixed in the pass with quarterback Travis Millard going 6-for-9 in the opening half for 84 yards. One completion was a quick flip outside to wide receiver Antonio Chubb, who slipped an attempted tackle by the Coalfield cornerback and outran the other defenders for a 58-yard touchdown.
Millard covered 33 yards for a score with his first carry, which came on the second play of the second quarter and made it 20-0. The Pirates totaled 320 yards of offense by the break.
In the meantime, South Pittsburg’s defense limited Coalfield (10-3) to 25 yards on 14 carries and 68 through the air on 8-of-18 passing. Grider credited coordinator Danny Wilson’s defensive scheme.
“Their quarterback is about as accurate as we’ve seen all year,” Grider said of the Yellow Jackets’ Cody Hill. “We stopped them a few plays in the red zone. We really clamped down when they got in there.”
Freshman Jijuan Lankford had the Pirates’ final score on an 82-yard run in the fourth quarter. Hale said Lankford is “going to be big in the future.”
“We’ve got a chance at redemption,” Hale said, referring to being state runners-up last year. “The seniors are 49-6 now, and 49 is tied with some other seniors for the best record at the school. Now we want to make history.”