Pelahatchie uses big plays to overcome Tornadoes
The Philadelphia Tornadoes saw their 2021 season end as they dropped a 39-35 decision to Pelahatchie in the second round of the Class 2A football playoffs.
The game was stopped in the third quarter after a transformer blew and the Pelahatchie field went dark Friday night. The teams returned Saturday afternoon to complete the game.
The Tornadoes close out their season at 5-7. Pelahatchie, now 7-5, will play at Kemper County in the third round of the playoffs.
Pelahatchie took advantage of several big plays to win the game. That started on the first play as the Chiefs ran 55 yards for a touchdown. The kick was good and Pelahatchie went up 7-0.
The Tornadoes took the kickoff and drove 67 yards in nine plays for a touchdown. Chancellor Greer scored on a 10-yard run. The extra-point try was no good and the Tornadoes trailed 7-6.
Pelahatchie took the ensuing kickoff and put it in the end zone four plays later on a 24-yard run. However, the extra point was no good and the Chiefs led 13-6 with 6:40 remaining in the first quarter.
The Tornadoes came back with a score of their own as Greer scored on a 13-yard run. Greer scored on the 2-point conversion try and the Tornadoes led 14-13.
Pelahatchie took the ensuing kickoff and scored two plays later on a 53-yard run. The extra point failed and the Chiefs led 19-14 as the first quarter ended. Neither team scored in the second quarter and that’s how it stood at the half.
On their first possession of the second half, the Chiefs scored on a 49-yard TD pass. The 2-point conversion was good and Pelahatchie went up 27-14.
The Tornadoes took the ensuing kickoff and drove 69 yards in eight plays for a touchdown. The Tornadoes scored on a 7-yard pass from Marcus Beamon to Dee Burnside. The extra point try failed and the Chiefs led 27-20
The Tornadoes kicked off. The lights went out and both teams went home until 1 p.m. the next day.
When the game resumed, Quay Ragsdale ran 54 yards for a Pelahatchie score. However, the extra point failed and the Chiefs led 33-20.
The Tornadoes took the kick and answered with another touchdown of their own. Beamon connected with Darius Grady on a 20-yard TD pass play. Adrian Luke kicked the extra point and the Chiefs led 33-27.
Later in the quarter, Pelahatchie returned a punt for a touchdown. However, the extra point try failed and the Chiefs went up 39-27 with 9:38 left in the game.
The Tornadoes took the kickoff and drove down to the Pelahatchie 1-yard line. Beamon dove over the top for a touchdown. He added the 2-point conversion and the Tornadoes trailed by 4 points, 39-35, with 7:10 left in the game. That would be the final score. The Tornadoes had one last series and could not convert. Pelahatchie lined up in the victory formation and that was the ballgame.
“We gave up too many big plays,” Coach David Frey said. “They never had a drive on us. They hit big plays and scored. We got a turnover in the fourth quarter, and we didn’t do anything with it.
“We knew we were young this year. But we are bringing back a lot next year, and all of these young kids will have a year of experience under their belt. No one expected much this season, and we made it to the second round of the playoffs. We should be pretty good next year.”