Daniel Routs Pickens Behind Grass's Five TDs

PICKENS | Five touchdowns to five different receivers.   That was the kind of night it was for Daniel quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1094520' first='Jace' last='Grass'] (pictured above) and the Daniel offense as he went 16-of-23 for 273 yards, knocking Pickens from the ranks of the unbeaten with an impressive 49-21 win on Friday night.   “Having about six guys you can throw the ball to is a whole difference maker, especially in 3A so that's why I think we have a chance (to win the state championship) this year and we're definitely going to go win it. And having the type of o-line we have is great,” Grass said.   Daniel's opening series got off to a bit of a shaky start with penalties — a holding penalty on the Lions and a pass interference on Pickens. But on 2nd-and-27, [player_tooltip player_id='1608532' first='Kingsten' last='Bibb'] found a seam and he was gone for a 32-yard run to give the Lions a 7-0 lead with 7:32 to play in the first quarter.   Pickens quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1581467' first='Brooks' last='Dow'] would get the Blue Flame's drive started with a quarterback draw for a first down near the 4:45 mark but the drive fizzled out as they were forced to punt at the Daniel 44.   Grass connected with [player_tooltip player_id='1819116' first='Jack' last='Willis'] on a first down catch near the sideline to start the Lions's next drive. Daimien Curry would get a huge run down to the Pickens 3-yard line before punching it in the end zone from 3 yards out to increase the Lions lead to 14-0 with 2:37 to play in the opening quarter.   Dow connected with [player_tooltip player_id='1821136' first='Harrison' last='Clark'] on a 3rd down throw down to the Daniel 40 near the final minute of the first quarter to get the Blue Flame in scoring position. [player_tooltip player_id='1818895' first='Jack' last='Christmas'] would make a big hit on a screen pass to force a Pickens punt at the 11:42 mark in the second quarter.   The Lions wouldn't take long to respond as Grass connected with [player_tooltip player_id='1467841' first='Trey' last='Wimbley'] on a big completion to the sideline at the Pickens 43. Bibb was open out of the backfield a few plays later for a 23-yard score to make it 21-0 with 10:56 to play before the half.   Penalties would hurt Daniel on the next drive as an unsportsmanlike penalty and a personal foul would move the ball to the Daniel 34 for Pickens with 9:50 to play before the half. The defense would bow up though as [player_tooltip player_id='1476834' first='Teigen' last='Pounds'] was involved on a second down tackle. [player_tooltip player_id='1878635' first='Carson' last='McDaniel'] did an excellent job staying in stride on a deep ball on third down.   The Blue Flame tried to go for it on 4th-and-16, but an illegal shift ended the Pickens threat, and they were forced to punt. The Lions offense would take advantage as Grass connected with Willis on a deep ball to the Pickens 20, but the drive stalled. Daniel missed the field goal with 5:24 to play before the half.   A few Dow quarterback runs would get them going, but the key play was a pass completion to [player_tooltip player_id='1823739' first='Ashton' last='Woody'] before [player_tooltip player_id='2242215' first='Isaac' last='Arnold'] made a diving grab for a 38-yard touchdown reception to get the Blue Flame back in the game at 21-7 with 1:07 to play before the half.   The Lions executed the two-minute offense well to end the half. Grass scrambled near the sideline near the end of the first half and a late hit penalty would move the ball to midfield. Add in a Bibb run to the Pickens 22 with 14 seconds left and it looked like they were in position to score. Grass connected with Curry on a 5-yard touchdown out of the backfield to make it 28-7 as the teams went to the locker room.   Daniel's defense would come out of the second half locker room and make a statement. [player_tooltip player_id='1823487' first='Jackson' last='Ownbey'] stuffed back-to-back quarterback keepers from Dow on third and fourth down to get the ball back to their offense. Two plays later, Grass found Wimbley for a 22-yard    touchdown pass, his fourth of the night, to extend the lead to 35-7 with 9:04 to play in the third.   “Trey's a matchup that we always have to exploit. I don't think there's anybody in the state that can guard him. Anytime we can get the ball in his hands, I think he should score which was kind of the message at halftime. Let's get the ball back in his hands – we did it right out the gate and he went and scored. Jace does a good job of distributing it all over the place and keeping everybody on their toes and we had a lot of guys make a lot of plays tonight. Just proud of them because they're doing what they do in practice,” Daniel head coach [player_tooltip player_id='1821779' first='Chris' last='Stone'] said.    After a Pickens punt, Chris Chancellor had a nice return to the Pickens 44 before Owen Houston reeled in a 36-yard catch and run to increase the margin to 42-7 midway through the third.   The fourth quarter saw Dow find the end zone before [player_tooltip player_id='1821137' first='Bryson' last='White'] recovered a Daniel fumble on the ensuing kickoff. The Blue Flame would close the scoring with 7:53 to play in the contest with a 12-yard pass from Dow to Woody.    Grass's final score of the night would come on a 31-yard strike to [player_tooltip player_id='1817616' first='Nashaun' last='Jones'] with 3:31 to play in the game.   UNSUNG PLAYER OF THE GAME    Maddox lined up at safety for the Lions' defense, but he was more than ready to come down into the box and help out in run support as we saw multiple times throughout the night. He is a hard hitter and takes good angles to the ball and he has good play recognition and that comes from good film study and knowing what the opponent likes to do.    Maddox on his preparation “You've just got to read the offense. It's whatever you get, man. You've got to prepare throughout the week and go do what you do on Friday.”

PICKENS | Five touchdowns to five different receivers.

That was the kind of night it was for Daniel quarterback Jace Grass Jace Grass 6'0" | 180 lbs | QB Daniel | 2028 State SC (pictured above) and the Daniel offense as he went 16-of-23 for 273 yards, knocking Pickens from the ranks of the unbeaten with an impressive 49-21 win on Friday night.

“Having about six guys you can throw the ball to is a whole difference maker, especially in 3A so that's why I think we have a chance (to win the state championship) this year and we're definitely going to go win it. And having the type of o-line we have is great,” Grass said.

Daniel's opening series got off to a bit of a shaky start with penalties — a holding penalty on the Lions and a pass interference on Pickens. But on 2nd-and-27, Kingsten Bibb Kingsten Bibb 5'9" | 161 lbs | RB Daniel | 2029 State SC found a seam and he was gone for a 32-yard run to give the Lions a 7-0 lead with 7:32 to play in the first quarter.

Pickens quarterback Brooks Dow Brooks Dow 6'5" | 200 lbs | QB Pickens | 2027 State SC would get the Blue Flame's drive started with a quarterback draw for a first down near the 4:45 mark but the drive fizzled out as they were forced to punt at the Daniel 44.

Grass connected with Jack Willis Jack Willis 5'11" Daniel | 2028 SC on a first down catch near the sideline to start the Lions's next drive. Daimien Curry would get a huge run down to the Pickens 3-yard line before punching it in the end zone from 3 yards out to increase the Lions lead to 14-0 with 2:37 to play in the opening quarter.

Dow connected with Harrison Clark Harrison Clark 6'0" Pickens | 2027 SC on a 3rd down throw down to the Daniel 40 near the final minute of the first quarter to get the Blue Flame in scoring position. Jack Christmas Jack Christmas 5'11" Daniel | 2027 SC would make a big hit on a screen pass to force a Pickens punt at the 11:42 mark in the second quarter.

The Lions wouldn't take long to respond as Grass connected with Trey Wimbley Trey Wimbley 6'0" | 165 lbs | WR Daniel | 2027 State SC on a big completion to the sideline at the Pickens 43. Bibb was open out of the backfield a few plays later for a 23-yard score to make it 21-0 with 10:56 to play before the half.

Penalties would hurt Daniel on the next drive as an unsportsmanlike penalty and a personal foul would move the ball to the Daniel 34 for Pickens with 9:50 to play before the half. The defense would bow up though as Teigen Pounds Teigen Pounds 6'1" | 205 lbs | LB Daniel | 2028 State SC was involved on a second down tackle. Carson McDaniel Carson McDaniel 5'10" | 150 lbs | DB/WR Daniel | 2029 State SC did an excellent job staying in stride on a deep ball on third down.

The Blue Flame tried to go for it on 4th-and-16, but an illegal shift ended the Pickens threat, and they were forced to punt. The Lions offense would take advantage as Grass connected with Willis on a deep ball to the Pickens 20, but the drive stalled. Daniel missed the field goal with 5:24 to play before the half.

A few Dow quarterback runs would get them going, but the key play was a pass completion to Ashton Woody Ashton Woody 6'1" Pickens | 2027 SC before Isaac Arnold Isaac Arnold DB Pickens | 2028 SC made a diving grab for a 38-yard touchdown reception to get the Blue Flame back in the game at 21-7 with 1:07 to play before the half.

The Lions executed the two-minute offense well to end the half. Grass scrambled near the sideline near the end of the first half and a late hit penalty would move the ball to midfield. Add in a Bibb run to the Pickens 22 with 14 seconds left and it looked like they were in position to score. Grass connected with Curry on a 5-yard touchdown out of the backfield to make it 28-7 as the teams went to the locker room.

Daniel's defense would come out of the second half locker room and make a statement. Jackson Ownbey Jackson Ownbey 6'4" | 220 lbs | DL Daniel | 2027 SC stuffed back-to-back quarterback keepers from Dow on third and fourth down to get the ball back to their offense. Two plays later, Grass found Wimbley for a 22-yard

touchdown pass, his fourth of the night, to extend the lead to 35-7 with 9:04 to play in the third.

“Trey's a matchup that we always have to exploit. I don't think there's anybody in the state that can guard him. Anytime we can get the ball in his hands, I think he should score which was kind of the message at halftime. Let's get the ball back in his hands – we did it right out the gate and he went and scored. Jace does a good job of distributing it all over the place and keeping everybody on their toes and we had a lot of guys make a lot of plays tonight. Just proud of them because they're doing what they do in practice,” Daniel head coach Chris Stone Chris Stone McBee | 2027 SC said.

After a Pickens punt, Chris Chancellor had a nice return to the Pickens 44 before Owen Houston reeled in a 36-yard catch and run to increase the margin to 42-7 midway through the third.

The fourth quarter saw Dow find the end zone before Bryson White Bryson White 5'9" Pickens | 2028 SC recovered a Daniel fumble on the ensuing kickoff. The Blue Flame would close the scoring with 7:53 to play in the contest with a 12-yard pass from Dow to Woody.

Grass's final score of the night would come on a 31-yard strike to Nashaun Jones Nashaun Jones 5'9" | WR Westside | 2027 SC with 3:31 to play in the game.