It has to go down as the single best performance by a high school football player that I have ever called on the radio. Hidden Valley running back David Williams carved through the Pulaski County defense this past Friday night for 366 yards and four touchdowns en route to the Titans 35-14 victory over the Cougars. And even though everyone in the ballpark, and there were not that many, knew that Williams was going to carry the football, there was no stopping the senior sensation. Williams is now over 2000 yards with still two games to play and although he tallied over forty carries for the second consecutive game, Williams never seemed to get fatigued. The same could not be said for the Cougars defenders trying to tackle the region’s top rusher.

Pulaski County (2-6,0-3) played a very strong defensive first half, even though Williams got his yardage, holding Hidden Valley (6-2,3-0) to just seven points as the teams were tied at halftime. And even after Luke Watson connected with Tyler Matusevich on a 47-yard touchdown pass to give the Cougars the lead at 14-7 to start the third quarter, you knew that Williams would have much to say about the final outcome. For the second consecutive week at Bogle Field, Pulaski County could not prevent their opponent from reeling off 28 successive points, led by the human juggernaut Williams. So now the Cougars return home for senior night strapped with a five game losing streak and still winless in the rugged River Ridge District.

There are still two games remaining for Pulaski County, which also represents two more opportunities to try to win a football game. It is clear that the defense has struggled against strong running teams and it is also clear that the inconsistency of the offense has not aided the cause on most nights. Head coach Jack Turner and his staff will get this team ready for Blacksburg this week, with the knowledge that the extended playoff format has left the Cougars with a shot at the post season. And while it is never ideal to take a sub .500 record into the playoffs, the VHSL format is used in every other region as well, so the goal is a reality.

Some of the positives from the Hidden Valley game that I took away were that the effort continues to be very strong from the players. Kids are listening to their coaches and there appears to be an effort to play for one another, which is sometimes tough during a month long losing streak. The offensive line did a nice job in the first half but Hidden Valley stiffened in the second session and the Cougars could not find much room to roam. But when the other team controls the clock, as Hidden Valley was able to do behind Williams running, it is difficult to find offensive rhythm.

This week offers the final opportunity for the group of seniors to play on the field at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium. Blacksburg represents another team that is trying to secure the sixth and final slot in the Region 4 Division 4 playoffs, so even though this game matches two (2-6) teams, there will be a playoff feel to the contest. But what matters once again is that the Cougars find some way to end this losing streak and to send the seniors off with a positive memory that they can take with them the rest of their lives.