Linden defense shines in 19-7 jamboree win

Linden High School’s defense gave up a lone touchdown to the state’s fourth-ranked team Friday night in a 19-7 jamboree win over the Pickens County Tornadoes.

“I was real pleased with the way we came out and played with intensity,” said Linden head coach Andro Williams. “These were two pretty decent teams playing each other, so this was a win-win for both teams. It’s good to scrimmage that caliber team before the season starts so we can see where we are.”

The scrimmage was live in every phase except the kicking game. Both teams’ junior varsity squads played the first quarter, with the varsity battling it out in the final three periods. Linden, ranked No. 3 in the Class A pre-season poll – one spot ahead of Pickens County – jumped to an early 6-0 lead when Devontae Knox scored on an eight-yard run early in the contest. His touchdown was set up by a Bruce McIntosh fumble recovery of a bad shotgun snap at the Pickens 23 on game’s first series.

The extra point attempt was wide left.

When the varsity squads took over in the second, the Patriot offense continued a drive begun by the JV, and pushed the score to 13-0 on a one-yard Prentiss McCuiston plunge over right tackle. This time, Dewayne Charleston Jr. booted the extra point to give Linden a 13-0 halftime lead.

After Pickens cut the lead to 13-7 in the third quarter, both teams settled into a defensive struggle. In fact, it was the Patriot defense that put the night’s final points on the board. Demarcus Gilmore recovered another bad shotgun snap in the end zone with six minutes to play, providing the final margin of victory.

Pickens refused to quit, however, and drove inside the Linden 10 as time wound down. But the Patriot defense stopped the Tornadoes on four straight plays inside the 10 to preserve the 12-point margin.

“I was very pleased with the defense,” Williams said. “We played great defense there at the end. We had a span there in the third quarter and early in the fourth when we lost some of our intensity. We’ve got to keep our intensity throughout the game. But we played hard most of the game. If we can eliminate our mental mistakes, we’ll be fine.”

Linden opens the regular season Friday night, hosting Leroy.