By Johnny Sanders, Sports Editor
GARDENDALE – The Pinson Valley Indians are experiencing growing pains under new head coach James Thompson, but the future is certainly bright on Highway 75. Friday night was another step in the process as Thompson’s Indians took to the road for a second week in a row. This time, the boys would head across town to Gardendale where they would lose to a very good Rockets team by a score of 42-16.
The Rockets would come out swinging as they would put a touchdown on the board at the 9:00 mark of the first quarter, taking a 7-0 lead over Pinson.
The Indians would get a good kickoff return that set the offense up at their own 45-yard line. From there, Pinson’s Jamison Green would find Christian Thomas from 30 yards out to make it 7-6 Rockets (the PAT was missed) with approximately eight minutes to go in the opening quarter.
Gardendale would answer at the 5:00 mark on a 72-yard run from Deacon Dyer that would make it 14-6 Rockets.
Pinson would be unable to do anything with the ball and they would punt it back to Gardendale, who would line up to punt. Pinson’s Kamari Todd would block the Gardendale punt and get the ball at their own 20-yard line. The Indians would be able to do nothing with it.
The first quarter would end with Gardendale ahead of Pinson 14-6.
Gardendale’s Josh Malone would get an interception with about seven minutes to go in the second, which sat the Rockets up at the Pinson 15. Urijah Casey would finish things off with a three-yard touchdown run to put Gardendale up 21-6.
Still in the second quarter, Green would find Thomas for an eight-yard touchdown pass and catch to narrow the gap to 21-13 after the successful PAT.
Pinson would add a field goal in the third to make it 21-16, but Gardendale would go on a tear in the second half, to make the final 42-16.
Jamison Green would finish 21 of 40 for 247 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions.
Christian Thomas had 5 catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns, followed by Marcus Thomas with seven catches for 85 yards. Ja’Marcus Thomas had 11 total tackles, seven unassisted, followed by Sidney Woods who also had 11 tackles with nine being solo.
“Another tough road loss,” said coach James Thompson. “We have to be better. It starts with me. Kids played hard and we had more than a few questionable calls, which is normal on the road. Hats off to Gardendale. We just have to learn and get better.”
Pinson gets their first home game, their only one in the first half of the season, as they host region foe Huffman on Friday night. It will be Thompson’s first home game as Pinson’s coach.
