[By Anthony Hawthorne, Special to ETSN.fm]

LONGVIEW -- Just a week after carrying the load on the ground, Sulphur Springs quarterback Larry Pryor showed he could do it through the air as well.

Behind the arm of Pryor and a defense that forced three turnovers, the Sulphur Springs Wildcats spoiled the Homecoming festivities at Pirate Stadium with a 47-27 victory over Pine Tree on Friday night.

Pryor, the reigning ETSN.fm/Dairy Queen Offensive Player of the Week after a 232-yard rushing performance, took to the air in gashing the Pirates' defense. He completed 17 of 21 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns.

Dillon Carpenter finished with six catches for 102 yards and a touchdown, while Ben Brooks added 97 yards on nine catches and a score.

Sulphur Springs quarterback Larry Pryor scrambles for a big gain during the Wildcats' 47-27 win over Pine Tree on Friday night in Longview. (Mark Martin, ETSN.fm)
Sulphur Springs quarterback Larry Pryor scrambles for a big gain during the Wildcats' 47-27 win over Pine Tree on Friday night in Longview. (Mark Martin, ETSN.fm)
loading...

Pryor, the Texas A&M commit, carried the ball just six times, letting sophomore Jaylon Hawkins do the work on the ground. Hawkins finished with 161 yards on 20 carries and three touchdowns, leading Sulphur Springs (5-3, 4-1 in District 15-5A) to its fourth consecutive win.

The win sets up a huge home game next week, as the Wildcats will host district-leading Longview (6-2, 5-0), a 63-6 winner over Mount Pleasant on Friday night.

Pryor did the majority of his damage through the air in the first half as the Wildcats built a comfortable lead.

Pine Tree made things close briefly in the second half.

The Pirates took their second possession of the third quarter, following a Pryor incompletion on fourth down, and scored quickly. Daniel Bonamy hit Mason Hays over the middle where the QB-turned-wideout leaped over two defenders for the grab and raced to the end zone for a 53-yard score, cutting the lead to 33-21.

Sulphur Springs looked like it had responded, with runs of 21 and 7 yards from Hawkins putting the Wildcats inside the Pine Tree red zone. Three plays later, Hawkins appeared to be in for the score but the ball popped out at the 1-yard line and the Pirates recovered in the end zone for a touchback.

With a bit of momentum, the Pirates looked to cut it to a one-score game, however after an 18-yard run from Quay Ward and a penalty, Tanner Ramirez picked off a Bonamy pass on an out-route. The return gave the Wildcats the ball at the Pine Tree 12-yard line.

Pine Tree's Quay Ward breaks loose for a touchdown during the Pirates' 47-27 loss to Sulphur Springs on Friday night in Longview. (Mark Martin, ETSN.fm)
Pine Tree's Quay Ward breaks loose for a touchdown during the Pirates' 47-27 loss to Sulphur Springs on Friday night in Longview. (Mark Martin, ETSN.fm)
loading...

It took Sulphur Springs just two plays from there, as a 9-yard run from Pryor set up Hawkins for his second TD of the night, a 3-yard scamper to give the Wildcats a 40-21 lead.

Sulphur Springs forced an incompletion on the Pirates' next possession, and following a missed field goal, an offsides penalty on Pine Tree gave the Wildcats a first-and-goal, where Hawkins found the end zone for the third time, sealing the win for the Wildcats.

Sulphur Springs controlled the first half, doing so with limited time of possession.

After the Wildcats' defense forced Pine Tree into an opening three-and-out, Pryor went to work. Following an incompletion, he found Carpenter on a third-and-8 for a short pass that the senior turned into a 61-yard jaunt to the end zone, giving the Wildcats a quick 7-0 lead.

Pine Tree (1-7, 1-4) moved the ball a bit more effectively on their its next possession, picking up two first downs before being forced to punt.

The duo of Pryor and Hawkins did most of the heavy lifting on the next possession, another short four-play drive.

Sulphur Springs' Dillon Carpenter catches a short pass during the Wildcats' 47-27 win over Pine Tree on Friday night in Longview. (Mark Martin, ETSN.fm)
Sulphur Springs' Dillon Carpenter catches a short pass during the Wildcats' 47-27 win over Pine Tree on Friday night in Longview. (Mark Martin, ETSN.fm)
loading...

A 16-yard run from Hawkins, followed by a 56-yard deep ball to CJ Stephens put the Wildcats at the Pirates' 17-yard line. Hawkins got it to the 4 on the next play, then tacked it in from there, giving Sulphur Springs a 13-0 lead early.

The Pirates got on the board on their next possession. A 10-yard run from Quay Ward got them started, and consecutive passes from Bonamy to Shaffer Russell for 1 and 10 yards put them at their own 47-yard line. Ward darted from that point 53 yards for the score, outrunning the Wildcats' defense down the sideline, cutting the lead to 13-7.

The Wildcats' next drive ended in a punt after a 63-yard score from Pryor to Carpenter was negated by penalty, giving the Pirates a chance to take the lead.

A Cain Cody sack forced a third-and-long, when the Pirates' pass fell incomplete forcing a punt. The ensuing punt was muffed and recovered by Trey Tolleson, giving Pine Tree the ball at the Wildcats' 34-yard line.

The Sulphur Springs defense stepped up, with Bubba Hall intercepting Bonamy in the end zone on the next play, and returning it 37 yards.

Sulphur Springs' quick-strike offense took it from there, as it needed just three plays to find the end zone with Pryor hitting Ben Brooks for 9 yards and then a 33-yard TD, pushing the Wildcats' lead to 19-7.

Pine Tree's Mason Hays makes a leaping catch over two Sulphur Springs defenders during their game Friday night in Longview. (Mark Martin, ETSN.fm)
Pine Tree's Mason Hays makes a leaping catch over two Sulphur Springs defenders during their game Friday night in Longview. (Mark Martin, ETSN.fm)
loading...

Sulphur Springs' Melroy Givens picked up a Mason Hays fumble on the ensuing possession, and he took it 14 yards in for the score to put Sulphur Springs up 26-7.

The Pirates hung around, putting together their best drive of the half on the next possession, one that spanned nearly five minutes and covered 74 yards. Passes of 9 and 16 yards from Bonamy to Russell moved them across midfield.

Ward took over at that point. Consecutive runs of 3, 12 and 24 yards set Pine Tree up for a first-and-goal. A penalty moved the Pirates back, but a 16-yard pass to Hays set up Bonamy for a 12-yard TD run, which cut the Wildcats' lead to 26-14.

The Wildcats put together a drive just before the half with Pryor connecting with Brooks on passes of 22 and 4 yards to the Pirates' 39-yard line. Runs of 18 by Hawkins and 4 from Tyler Rosamond put the ball at the Pirates' 11-yard line. Pryor had his first two carries of the night on the next two plays, for 5 yards followed by a 6-yard score, closing the half with Sulphur Springs leading 33-14. 

Ward led the way for the Pirates, rushing for 175 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. Hays finished with 88 yards on seven catches and a score.

The Pirates return to action next week as they travel to rival Hallsville. The Wildcats will play host to Longview. 

Sulphur Springs' Bubba Hall pulls down an interception during the Wildcats' 47-27 win over Pine Tree on Friday night in Longview. (Mark Martin, ETSN.fm)
Sulphur Springs' Bubba Hall pulls down an interception during the Wildcats' 47-27 win over Pine Tree on Friday night in Longview. (Mark Martin, ETSN.fm)
loading...

Sulphur Springs 47 Pine Tree 27

At Pirate Stadium, Longview

Sulphur Springs         13    20     7     7    --    47
Pine Tree                     7      7     7     6    --    27

First Quarter
SS – Dillon Carpenter 61 pass from Larry Pryor (Tanner Ramirez kick) 10:07
SS – Jaylon Hawkins 4 run(Kick failed) 5:34
PT – Quay Ward 53 run (Michael Irvin kick) 4:06
Second Quarter
SS – Ben Brooks 33 pass from Pryor (2-PT failed) 10:45
SS – Melroy Givens 14 fumble return (Julio Robles kick) 8:55
PT – Daniel Bonamy 12 run (Irvin kick) 3:58
SS – Pryor 6 run (Ramirez kick) :24
Third Quarter
PT – Mason Hays 53 pass from Bonomy (Irvin kick) 6:30
SS – Hawkins 3 run (Robles kick) 1:39
Fourth Quarter
SS – Hawkins 9 run (Robles kick) 4:31
PT – Ward 8 run (Kick failed) 1:46

                                              SS                    PT
First Downs                             18                    15
Total Yards                            549                  383
Rushes-Yards                   41-279            33-187
Pass Yards                            270                  196
Comp-Att-Int                   17-21-0           17-29-2
Penalties-Yards                     7-70                8-65
Fumbles-Lost                          1-1                  1-1
Punts-Avg.                         2-33.0             3-31.0

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Sulphur Springs, Jaylon Hawkins 20-161, Scott Galarza 6-23, Tyler Rosamond 8-48, Larry Pryor 6-53, Drew McCullough 1-(-6). Pine Tree, Quay Ward 25-175, Daniel Bonamy 6-5, Mason Hays 2-7.
PASSING--Sulphur Springs, Pryor 17-21-0--270. Pine Tree, Bonamy 17-29-2--196.
RECEIVING--Sulphur Springs, Dillon Carpenter 6-102, CJ Stephens 4-71, Ben Brooks 7-97. Pine Tree, Hays 7-88, Ward 1-0, Shaffer Russell 7-67, Quay Henderson 1-0, Bushe Morgan 1-41.

More From East Texas Sports Network