WHAT WE SAW: Pinewood Prep 48, John Paul II 28

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a valiant effort from John Paul II without top playmaker <strong>Christian Tilton</strong>, but the Pinewood Prep Panthers' high-octane offense was too much for the Golden Warriors on Friday night.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Devonte Holloman's Panthers showcased their strong ground attack and efficient passing game on the road, rolling past John Paul II 48-28.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“We're a young team, with a lot of freshmen and sophomores playing,” Holloman said. “We're just trying to get better at the things we do and establish our identity. Just keep getting better at the little things.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sophomore <strong>Will Watson</strong> started the game at quarterback and showed excellent and crisp decision making under center with some strong vision and hustle to scramble and pick up extra yards. He was very efficient through the air, completing 5-of-10 passes for 123 total yards and two touchdowns. His first passing score came on a well-executed flip up the middle to fullback <strong>Zach Tyle</strong>r before adding another passing touchdown on a perfect throw down the left sideline to <strong>Jack Burnett</strong> on 4th-and -11. Watson has great poise in big-play moments and can deliver timely balls downfield to hit his targets. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1065555' first='Grayson' last='Salego']</strong> was rock-solid in the backfield, totaling 82 yards on 14 carries and finding the end zone twice including a big score early to help the Panthers get out to a quick 21-0 lead. He sees holes open up quickly and has some added power to fight through tacklers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“The offensive line is gelling really well and Grayson is getting better each week at his vision and finishing runs,” Holloman said.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Burnett was the most impressive skill-position player on the night, showing off his quickness and route running with a pair of catches for 83 yards and a touchdown to go with five rushes for 35 yards. <strong>Asa Windham</strong> came into the game in the second half and picked up where Watson went off with a perfect throw across the middle to <strong>Terrance Stallworth</strong> for 39 yards. A quick and agile playmaker who is starting to discover his skill in the passing game, Windham is becoming a great complement to Watson's strong work under center.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Both quarterbacks are trying to be leaders, doing it both with their arms and their legs. They're smart guys and are really getting comfortable with the offense.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pinewood's defense came up big early to get some separation on the Golden Warriors, holding John Paul II to just 83 yards of offense in the first half. Linebacker <strong>Connor White</strong> was exceptional on defense, showing great size, explosiveness, and physicality to shut down the John Paul II run game early and often. Watson provided some excellent hustle defensively to complement his skill at quarterback, and <strong>Sam Gross</strong> was an anchor in creating pressure at the line to clog up holes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br>Despite missing star quarterback <strong>Christian Tilton</strong>, the Warriors got an excellent two-way game from freshman backup<strong> Alan Wolf</strong>. It took him a couple series to settle in, but Wolf showed some excellent fight the rest of the way. He came up huge to get his team on the board in the second quarter, throwing up a perfectly placed lob to tight end <strong>Sean Phalen</strong> in the left corner of the end zone. He carried that same intensity on defense, flying to the football with an excellent brand of hustle and relentlessness. Wolf kept good control of the football throughout the game and settled in beautifully as the game went along. The Golden Warriors got a big spark offensively from <strong>Bryan Jolley</strong>, pacing the offense with 76 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He's a fighter on the field that's tough to bring down in open space and showed his electric rushing abilities to kickstart John Paul II's ground attack. <strong>James Keefer</strong> impressed at wideout with his excellent hands, using his extra effort of speed and hustle to outduel his defenders and keep drives moving with superb catches. He's an effective receiver who should be a key part of John Paul II's offense moving forward. <strong>Brandyn Horton </strong>was rewarded for his hard-nosed running with two touchdowns in the second half, including one on a 90-yard kickoff return. <strong>Sebastian Slusne </strong>anchored the defense with another terrific game, showing off his valuable strength and pursuit by consistently powering to the ball carrier and taking away space. The Golden Warriors battled and grew against a strong SCISA 3A team and should take some momentum from Friday night as they continue to delve into region play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->