Blue Flame Sports Network
Pickens looks for a repeat in playoff rematch with Walhalla
Less than two weeks ago, Pickens put Walhalla in a three-touchdown hole before the first quarter was over. Now they meet again, this time with a season on the line.
No. 7 Pickens hosts No. 10 Walhalla on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m. The winner heads to No. 2 Daniel the following week.
The Blue Flame's 49–14 win at Walhalla gives Pickens plenty to build on. A 21–0 first-quarter lead grew to 35–0 by halftime, leaving the Razorbacks chasing the game almost from the start. For Walhalla, the rematch begins with finding a way to stay within reach early.
Early penalties helped put Walhalla behind the chains, and Pickens followed each of its two first-quarter interceptions with a touchdown. Avoiding those mistakes would give the Razorbacks a better chance to settle into the rematch before the Blue Flame builds another big lead.
That will take more than stopping one player. Pickens ran for 260 yards and threw for 229 in the first meeting, finishing with 489 total yards. David Bolden supplied 126 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, while Brooks Dow completed 13 of 17 passes for four touchdowns without an interception and added 63 yards on the ground.
Walhalla needs a better answer for that balance. Putting more attention on Bolden still leaves Dow and his receivers to deal with. Harrison Clark turned just two catches into 84 yards and two touchdowns, and Issac Arnold added four receptions for 68 yards and another score.
For Pickens, the challenge is to make the Razorbacks defend all of it again. Bolden’s work on the ground, Dow’s ability to run or throw, and a receiving group that produced big plays gave Walhalla more problems than it could handle the first time.
The Blue Flame also knows where the Razorbacks can hurt it. Mayken Dailey rushed for 136 yards in that game, and Nick Butler finished with 87 receiving yards and both Walhalla touchdowns. The final score was comfortable, but those two still found ways to produce. Limiting Dailey’s runs and keeping Butler from getting behind the defense will be important again Friday.
Walhalla’s 70–18 win over Southside offered a reminder that Butler is not Rush Harvey’s only option. Harvey threw seven touchdown passes, with Luke Kanagy and Essien Nathan contributing alongside Butler. Pickens has already faced that offense, but it cannot afford to lose track of the other receivers while concentrating on its biggest threats.
Pickens enters at 8–2 after Seneca scored with 4.7 seconds remaining to hand the Blue Flame a 34–30 loss. Walhalla finished the regular season 4–6. Both have played once since their meeting, but neither has to look far to know what Friday will demand.
Pickens has shown it can take control of this matchup. Walhalla has had a chance to regroup. This time, there is no next week for the team that comes up short.
Join us for the SiteOne Landscape Supply Pregame Show at 7 p.m., followed by kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Listen live on Blue Flame Sports Network.