Pebblebrook kept giving Harrison short fields, and Xavier Hill kept making the Falcons pay for it.
Harrison’s senior quarterback rushed for 172 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 80 yards and a score to lead the Hoyas to a 31-19 victory over Pebblebrook in the teams’ Region 3-6A opener Friday night in Kennesaw.
“He’s dynamic and explosive, and when he gets an opportunity to make a play, he generally makes it,” Harrison head coach Luqman Salam said. “When you’ve got people like that on your team, it makes you a whole lot better football coach.”
Salam is in his first year with the Hoyas after spending three seasons at Osborne, where he got the Cardinals into the state playoffs last season for the first time in school history.
Harrison’s average starting field position for the night was at its own 46-yard line, but three possessions that started in Pebblebrook territory led to 17 of the Hoyas’ points and proved to be the difference.
Harrison (3-1, 1-0) deflected Pebblebrook’s punt on the opening possession of the game and took over at the Falcons’ 32. Seven plays later, Hill scrambled and went 19 yards down the right sideline for a 7-0 lead.
After the teams traded touchdowns - a 1-yard run by Pebblebrook quarterback Jayden Adams and a 60-yard run by Hill - Harrison’s Oscar McAdoo recovered a fumble at the Pebblebrook 19, leading to a 31-yard field goal by Simon Zeidan for a 17-7 lead.
The Hoyas proved opportunistic again after taking a 24-13 lead midway through the third quarter on a 60-yard run by Hill. Harrison held Pebblebrook on its next possession, and the Falcons’ punt hit near midfield and bounced backwards for a net of 10 yards. Hill struck on the next play, hitting Matthew Traster down the right sideline for a 44-yard touchdown and a 31-13 lead.
“We had some timely turnovers and were able to turn them over a little bit, but kudos to them,” Salam said. “They did an excellent job, had a great game plan tonight, and fought very hard.”
Pebblebrook (2-2, 0-1) finished with a 306-291 advantage in total offense. Adams, who had a good night of his own, accounted for much of that yardage, passing for 153 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 70 yards and a score.
Adams’ 25-yard touchdown pass to Demetric Johnson with 5:23 remaining in the game got the Falcons within 31-19, and Pebblebrook recovered the ensuing onside kick but never got closer to scoring than the Harrison 30.
Harrison will play at home against Campbell on Friday before taking the next week off for fall break. After that comes a matchup at region favorite McEachern on Oct. 4.
“We’re a little banged up in spots,” Salam said. “We’re getting an opportunity to play some young guys in some key positions, to give them some experience, and that’s going to pay dividends down the line. We’re a little banged up, but we’re getting there, getting a little closer and closer. We’re still not quite where we want to be, but we’re getting there.”
Pebblebrook will be at home against Hillgrove next weekend.
Pebblebrook - 7-6-0-6 - 19
Harrison - 7-10-14-0 - 31
First quarter
H - Xavier Hill 19 run (Simon Zeidan kick), 7:02
P - Jayden Adams 1 run (Antonio Martin kick), 0:11
Second quarter
H - Hill 60 run (Zeidan kick), 6:05
H - Ziedan 31 field goal, 3:19
P - Preston Wooten 35 pass from Adams (kick blocked), 0:08
Third quarter
H - Hill 36 run (Zeidan kick), 5:22
H - Matthew Traster 44 pass from Hill (Zeidan kick), 1:21
Fourth quarter
P - Demetric Johnson 25 pass from Adams (run failed), 5:23
