DJ Freeman, Gabe Nelson propel Pine Tree past Hallsville

Published 1:22 am Saturday, September 29, 2018

HALLSVILLE — DJ Freeman and Gabe Nelson accounted for 361 of their team’s 400 rushing yards and five touchdowns as the Pine Tree Pirates opened District 9-5A DII play with a convincing 55-35 win over the previously undefeated Hallsville Bobcats on Friday night at Bobcat Stadium.

Freeman torched the Hallsville defense for 184 yards and three touchdowns on runs of 4, 30 and 50 yards. He also completed 6 of 10 passes for 127 yards and 1 TD. Nelson, meanwhile, rolled up 177 yards on 19 touches and found the end zone twice on totes of 9 and 24 yards.

The Bobcats, not to be outdone in defeat, put three runners over the century mark as Semaj Boyd led a 414-yard rushing output with 144 yards on 15 carries. Tristan Driggers, who scored three times on runs of 20, 6 and 60 yards, finished with 135 yards on just 10 carries. Tre Fulton, who had TD jaunts of 48 and 10 yards, wound up with 121 yards on 12 touches.

The Pirates (3-1, 1-0) mustered just two second half field goals from the right toe of Jose Vazquez, who split the uprights on kicks of 37 and 43 yards. Thanks to a comfortable 35-point halftime lead, however, Pine Tree was never really in any danger of losing its advantage. Hallsville (3-1, 0-1) fought a good fight in the second half outscoring the opposition 21-6.

The Pirates, which scored on six of their eight first half possessions with an additional defensive score, took a commanding 49-14 lead to the break.

Freeman did the most damage as he found the pay window three times with runs of 4, 30 and 50 yards. The sophomore signal-caller capped Pine Tree’s first drive of the evening with a four-yard scat around right end with 10:44 to play in the opening frame.

After Nelson got seven yards on a first down run, Freeman pegged Keshon Williams on a slant, resulting in a 53-yard pitch-and-catch. Freeman’s second score came after he cut back across the grain and skipped in from 30 yards out at 6:40. This came after Hallsville’s Driggers took a jet sweep 20 yards to the house and tied the game 7-7 with 7:56 to play in the first quarter.

A personal foul penalty on the Bobcats allowed the Pirates to pooch the ensuing kickoff and Nikema Williams caught the ball on a perfect bounce for Pine Tree. Nelson, who had a pair of first half tallies of his own, lumbered nine yards up the middle at 4:00 for a 21-7 lead. Hallsville, which was clipped for 95 yards in first half penalties, got flagged on a PI when Freeman and JJ Sparkman attempted a connection in the end zone.

Things went from bad to worse for the Bobcats on the first snap of period two. Boyd attempted a pass out in the flats and Pirate DB Davon Coleman caught the ball in stride and blazed a 58-yard trail to the end zone and a 28-7 advantage.

After trading fumbles, the Pirates grew their lead to 35-7 when Freeman made a shoulder shrug and darted 50 yards down the sideline with 5:56 showing in the half. Hallsville got a 48-yard TD trot from Tre Fulton on the ensuing drive. The Bobcats got a key third down convert from Boyd to keep the drive alive.

Freeman, who finished the half with 160 yards on nine carries, bolted 34 yards on first down following Fulton’s score. Nelson went wide and stretch to reach the pylon for a 24-yard scoring dash at 3:19 of the half and a 42-14 lead.

Pine Tree came up with its third turnover of the half when Courtney Stitmon hijacked an underthrown Boyd pass and brought it back 25 yards. Sylvandan Stewart moved the chains with a 16-yard carry before Freeman and Sparkman paired up on a 19-yard TD strike with less than 30 seconds before intermission.

The Pirates finished the first half with 381 yards offense and 16 first downs, while the Bobcats went to the break with 250 yards total offense and 11 chain movers.

Pine Tree returns home Friday to host Mount Pleasant, while Hallsville (3-1, 0-1) travels a few miles down Highway 80 to meet Marshall.