{"id":26217,"date":"2016-10-06T22:59:22","date_gmt":"2016-10-07T02:59:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/?p=26217"},"modified":"2016-10-08T14:18:19","modified_gmt":"2016-10-08T18:18:19","slug":"strong-effort-leads-union-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.duvalsports.com\/?p=26217","title":{"rendered":"Strong effort leads Union County"},"content":{"rendered":"

HAWTHORNE-It wasn’t pretty but Union County head coach Ronny\u00a0Pruitt will take the result though.<\/p>\n

Moved up a day early due to Hurricane Matthew, Union County played poorly at\u00a0times but had just enough in a 27-26 District 6-1A win over host Hawthorne.<\/p>\n

A week after senior quarterback Ty Cook, who\u00a0has thrown for over 1174\u00a0yards\u00a0and 9\u00a0touchdowns, was sidelined\u00a0 with a\u00a0possible concussion injury in the first\u00a0quarter of a loss to Clearwater\u00a0Academy;\u00a0Cook wasn’t needed much tonight.<\/p>\n

Pruitt turned to\u00a0junior tailback Charles Strong, an FSU commit,\u00a0who responded with a\u00a0career night 315 yards and three\u00a0touchdowns on 34\u00a0carries.\u00a0Strong,\u00a0773 yards and 10\u00a0touchdowns on 121 carries now,\u00a0carved\u00a0up the Hornets defense with\u00a0250 second half yards.<\/p>\n

After the defense\u00a0came up with a goal line stand,\u00a0Strong’s number was called repeatedly on the ensuing drive and chewed up the final five minutes of the clock\u00a0on the\u00a094 yard drive to end the game.<\/p>\n

The drive was needed after Strong and Cook fumbled the handoff exchange\u00a0inside the 20-yard line giving the\u00a0Hornets the ball back again.<\/p>\n

Hawthorne quarterback Tazmin Jones got\u00a0Union County to\u00a0jump off sides on fourth and one keeping the drive alive.<\/p>\n

An off sides\u00a0call on Union County set\u00a0off a series of six straight penalties on the Tigers allowing the Tigers to move the ball over 50 yards in three plays.<\/p>\n

Roughing the passer followed by another personal foul call put the Hornets inside the red zone\u00a0and inside the ten yard line.<\/p>\n

With first and goal at the 5-yard line, the Hornets looked poised to regain the lead again with five minutes left in the game. However, four James passes fell incomplete as his receivers were wide open but couldn’t haul them in and the Tigers held.<\/p>\n

\"Union<\/a>
Union County and head coach Ronny Pruitt held off Hawthorne 27-26 last night to remain 2-0 in District 6-1A.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While the second half\u00a0became a defensive battle, the first half was full of fireworks.<\/p>\n

Carlton Hankerson took the opening kickoff back for a score to give the Tigers\u00a0the lead just seconds into the game; however the Hornets answered back on their first drive of the game cutting the lead to 7-6.<\/p>\n

Strong gave the\u00a0Tigers some breathing room with a\u00a0score\u00a0putting them ahead 14-6 late in the first quarter.<\/p>\n

James led the Hornets down the field with his arm cutting the lead to 14-12 with 8:45 left in the second quarter, after the 2-point conversion failed.<\/p>\n

James struck again with a\u00a0 50-yard touchdown completion to Deonte\u00a0Bowie giving the Hornets\u00a0their first lead of the game at 18-14\u00a0with 5:30 left till half.<\/p>\n

Strong’s 45-yard\u00a0run put the\u00a0Tigers\u00a0at midfield and his ensuing 1-yard touchdown run with under a minute left in the half put the Tigers ahead 20-18 at the half.<\/p>\n

Holding a slim two point lead early in the third\u00a0quarter, Strong struck again to put the Tigers ahead for good.<\/p>\n

\n

Charles Strong breaks one for 58 yards for a Tiger touchdown. Union County now up 27-18 early third. @DuvalSports<\/a> @SunPreps<\/a> @FlaHSFootball<\/a><\/p>\n

— Corey Davis (@ByCoreyDavis) October 7, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n