PREVIEW: Pleasant Grove Looks to Keep Rolling Against Celina

CLASS 4A DIVISION II
REGION II SEMIFINAL

Pleasant Grove Hawks (12-0)

vs.

Celina Bobcats (9-3)

7 p.m. Friday

Gerald Prim Stadium, Sulphur Springs

Coaches

• Pleasant Grove: Josh Gibson
• Bobcats: Brennan Bader

Last week

• Pleasant Grove: def. Aubrey, 56-28 
• Celina: def. Jasper, 35-27

Next week

• Winner faces either Melissa or Gilmer, regional championship

Playmakers

Pleasant Grove

• ATH Xavier Benson, Sr., 6-3, 200 (13 catches, 340 yards, 5 TDs; 88 tackles, 7 for loss, 3 sacks, 4 QB pressures, 1 forced fumble, 2 recoveries, 1INT, 3 PBUs, 1 blocked kick; committed to Texas Tech)
• RB TJ Cole, Sr., 6-0, 200 (170 carries, 1,319 yards, 18 TDs; 14 catches, 267 yards, 3 TDs)
• RB Bruce Garrett, Soph., 5-10, 178 (74 carries, 722 yards, 7 TDs; 3 catches, 38 yards, 0 TDs)
• LB Caleb Porchia, Sr., 6-0, 210 (152 tackles, 12 for loss, 5 QB pressures, 4 forced fumble, 1 INT, 1 PBU)
• RB/DB Chauncey Martin, Sr., 6-0, 192 (72 carries, 767 yards, 10 TDs; 59 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 INTs, 3 PBUs, 2 fumble recoveries)
• DB Caleb Hemphill, Jr. (83 tackles, 6 for loss, 6 sacks, 4 QB pressures, 1 forced fumble, 1 PBU)
• QB Ben Harmon, Soph., 6-1, 170 (62-of-99, 1,489 yards, 23 TDs, 6 INTs; 50 carries, 153 yards, 3 TDs)
• WR Carson Cox, Sr., 6-3, 185 (21 catches, 626 yards, 10 TDs)

Celina

• QB Noah Ross, Jr., 5-10, 170 (59-of-124, 891 yards, 10 TDs, 7 INTs; 141 carries, 699 yards, 12 TDs)
• RB Logan Point, So., 5-10, 181 (111 carries, 706 yards, 12 TDs)
• RB Ismael Ortiz (115 carries, 673 yards, 5 TDs; 9 catches, 110 yards, 2 TDs)
• WR Major Martin, Sr., 6-1, 170 (25 catches, 394 yards, 6 TDs)
• WR Jimmy Allan, Sr. (14 catches, 212 yards, 2 TDs)

Just the facts

• Pleasant Grove achieved 514 yards of offense this past week against Aubrey on only 27 plays (19 yards per play).
• The Hawks are averaging 43.4 points per game and giving up only 16.5 (margin of victory of 26.9).
• Pleasant Grove quarterback Ben Harmon is averaging 24 yards per completion and Carson Cox is averaging 29.8 yards per catch.
• Celina is averaging 35.5 points per game and giving up 21.
• The Bobcats have won four in a row.
• Noah Ross leads the Bobcats with a combined 1,500 yards rushing and passing and 22 total touchdowns.

Key matchup: Pleasant Grove's running game against the Celina rushing attack. The Hawks have dominated opposing defenses all season out of the Wing-T formation. The Hawks are averaging 301.9 yards per game on the ground and more than seven yards per carry.

TJ Cole has been the frontrunner, putting together 1,319 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. However, he isn't alone. Bruce Garrett and Chauncey Martin combine for more than 1,400 more yards and 17 touchdowns in the backfield.

There has yet to be a team with the players to stop this rushing attack. Celina will have to be the first, or this game could get out of hand quickly.

Don't be surprised if: Pleasant Grove throws for plenty, too. The Hawks are simply an offensive machine. Quarterback Ben Harmon is throwing for 24 yards per completion. He simply doesn't  need to throw often with the success the running game has had.

He has 1,489 yards on just 62 completions this season. Carson Cox, his leading receiver, is averaging 29.8 yards per catch and has 10 touchdowns on only 21 receptions. This is one of the most efficient offenses in the state and the Hawks have a real chance to advance to the title game and win it.

Harmon and Pleasant Grove have been doing this all season, and there is no reason that should change this week.