Big Special Teams Plays Lift Pleasant Grove to 26-14 Bi-District Win Over Rusk

GLADEWATER -- Pleasant Grove scored 19 points from big special teams plays en route to a 26-14 win over Rusk on Friday in a Class 4A Division II bi-district game at Jack V. Murphy-Bear Stadium.

Ryan Pickelman returned a block punt for a touchdown, Xavier Benson returned a fumble 101 yards for a score and Matt Day kicked two field goals to lift the Hawks to the victory.

Pleasant Grove's only offensive touchdown came on a 78-yard pass from T.J. Cole to Carson Cox, which gave the Hawks a 20-15 lead going into the final period.

Benson's fumble return put the game away in the fourth quarter.

Jake Hugghins was Rusk's bright spot on offense, completing 16 of 25 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns. His first was a 49-yarder to Joseph Francis to cut Pleasant Grove's lead to 10-7 early into the second quarter, and the second was to Adrian Morris for 26 yards to get the score within 20-14 midway through the third quarter.

Day's field goals were from 41 and 50 yards in the win.

Cole only had to complete two passes to get the win for Pleasant Grove, while the Hawks rushed for 175 yards on the night.