Moore, Defense Carry Pelion To A Decisive Win

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>COLUMBIA |</strong> The look and feel of this Pelion team seems different from just watching them during warmups. The Panthers are coming off a two-win season and have already matched that total in the first two weeks of the season after a 40-10 dismantling of Columbia Friday night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820308' first='Alan' last='Moore']</strong> threw five touchdown passes, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820313' first='Daniel' last='Adkins']</strong> caught three of those and a group that included <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1819791' first='Taylor' last='Jackson']</strong> (pictured) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822818' first='Hunter' last='Rawl']</strong> on defense set the tone for the second week in a row.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“It's a totally different culture for one,” Jackson said of the difference between last year and this year. “Two, the coaches and everybody has come together as a team and is devoted to getting better every day. We're grinding and without the grind, we can't get anywhere.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defense has been the tone-setter in the first two weeks of the Cory Helms regime at Pelion. Last week, they pitched a shutout, and this week didn't give up any points – the Capitals scores came on an 85-yard pick-6 by <strong>Tyquan Sanders</strong> and an intentional safety late in the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Helms believes that the defensive mentality has made all the difference in the world.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“Our defense has been phenomenal,” he said. “They've been dominant for the majority of preseason. They set the tone for everything we want to do.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You could say that was the case again Friday. Moore, the Panthers junior quarterback, had a lot to say about it as well. Pelion took a 7-0 lead with 5:46 remaining in the first quarter when Moore found Adkins in the flat and he split two defenders en route to a 42-yard score.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rawl then increased the lead when he caught an ill-advised pass in the flat and went 80 yards down the Panthers sideline just before the first quarter ended.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“That was my first pick-6 ever and my first touchdown ever, in a game at least,” Rawl said. “I saw the quarterback look over in the flats and I knew I had a guy right there. He sort of threw it right at me and I caught it and ran for the hills.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1820312' first='Jayden' last='Fields']</strong> later added an interception that was returned for a score but called back due to a penalty. Pelion (2-0) held the Capitals to 233 yards of total offense. They also recovered three fumbles to go along with the two interceptions. Two of the turnovers came when Columbia (1-1) was in the red zone.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pelion also forced the Capitals to turn it over on downs four times. Others who helped spearhead that defensive effort included defensive back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1822821' first='Tyshawn' last='Caldwell']</strong> linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1618829' first='Brady' last='Cottingham']</strong> (who doubles as an H-back on offense) and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818886' first='Nehemiah' last='Green']</strong>, a defensive lineman. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Moore's TD passes covered 42, 26 and eight yards to Adkins and he connected with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1708197' first='Jai' last='Chuniesingh'] </strong>on scores of 72 and 25 yards. Moore finished 14-of-25 for 223 yards. Chuniesingh, who missed last season due to a knee injury, has 228 yards receiving in two weeks after his five-reception, 125-yard night. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1818894' first='Tre' last='Jackson']</strong> did the heavy lifting in the running game with 114 yards rushing on 13 carries. Jackson had 110 of those yards in the first half.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>“They've worked so hard since we've started and I've told them from the beginning you don't do everything that we've done to go out and get complacent,” Helms said. “This is a fun bunch to coach. They play extremely hard and we have some things to clean up and we will but the way that they play is fun to coach.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Columbia Player Notes</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was tough sledding for the Capitals, who were coming off an overtime win last week. But the future does seem bright with freshman defensive back <strong>Ricardo Williams</strong> and freshman receiver/safety <strong>Nycari Kinard</strong> making plays. Kinard had one catch for 31 yards and Williams, despite being just 5-foot-7, 135 pounds more than once, came in strong to make bone-jarring tackles. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Myles McDuffie</strong> added an interception and plays a very physical brand of football. He comes down quick and usually makes plays at or near the line of scrimmage. <strong>Randy Murphy</strong> plays on the interior of the defensive line as well as offensive line and he did some good things on both sides of the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rondrecus Peterson</strong> and <strong>Leray Thomas</strong> combined for 119 yards rushing. They were tough yards and many of them came after contact. If the Capitals can get those two going, they will become better offensively as the passing game struggled.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->