COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Coldwater Cardinals surrendered the first two touchdowns of the game before they scored 48 unanswered points as they defeated the Pinckney Pirates 48-14 in a Michigan High School Athletic Association Division Three pre-district game on Friday night at Cardinal Field.
After Pinckney jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first three-and-a-half minutes of the game, it was time for the Pirates to walk the plank.
Two Damon Beckhusen touchdowns and a score by Matt Gipple gave the Cardinals a 21-14 lead at the half. Third quarter touchdowns by Gipple and Beckhusen built the Coldwater lead to 35-14.
Bryden Cook squeezed out a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter and Cole Barker closed the show with a 92 yard TD scamper.
The Coldwater defense forced four turnovers by the Pirates. The Cardinals had a 484-158 edge in total yards including 447 yards on the ground.
Beckhusen rushed for 135 yards and three touchdowns while Barker rushed for 113 yards and Gipple had two TD’s. Bo Branham led the Coldwater with 12 tackles. Gipple and Branham were our McDonald’s Players of the Game.
Coldwater improves to 9-1. The Cardinals will play at Chelsea next weekend in the District Finals after the Bulldogs came back from a 21-6 deficit to beat Parma Western 28-21 and improve to 10-0. It will be the third time in five years the two schools will meet in the post season. Chelsea beat Coldwater 35-7 in the 2015 state semifinals and 27-20 in the 2016 District Finals.
In other area pre-district games….
Division 4, Region 2, District 2
Paw Paw 42, Vicksburg 7
Plainwell (5-4) at Marshall (5-4), Saturday 1:00 p.m.
Division 6, Region 3, District 1
Hillsdale 48, Jonesville 22
Constantine 58, Niles Brandywine 8
Division 7, Region 3, District 1
Schoolcraft 57, Hartford 6
Lawton 7, Centreville 3
Division 7, Region 3, District 2
Jackson Lumen Christi 42, Homer 14
Riverview Gabriel Richard 17, Clinton 14
Division 8, Region 4, District 1
Reading 38, Mendon 0
Cassopolis 41, White Pigeon 0
8 Person Division One
Camden-Frontier (6-3) at Colon (9-0), Saturday 1:00 p.m.
