PICKENS – On Friday night, the Pickens Blue Flame fell to the Traveler’s Rest Devildogs, bringing them to a record of 3-1.

The game, Pickens’ homecoming, started with a Blue Flame first down. However, a fumble recovered by Traveler’s Rest early in the first quarter led to the first score of the game, a touchdown followed by a successful extra point kick, bringing the score to 0-7 at 5:40 left in the quarter.

Aaron Hester worked to turn the game around with an interception on a Traveler’s Rest pass two minutes later. The interception kicked off the first Pickens drive with a score, which was run in by Jordan Freeman at 2:38 left. The Pickens kicker, Justin Gravely, kicked for the extra point, bring the score to 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter began with a low kick for a missed field goal for Pickens, a foreboding note. A few minutes later, at 10:00 on the clock, Pickens quarterback James Lawson passed to tight end Trent Alexander, who was shaken up on the play. Both teams took a knee, including the players on the field, until Alexander was able to walk to the bench. He returned to the game after halftime.

The second quarter continued with scores by both teams, a field goal for Pickens by Gravely and another touchdown for Traveler’s Rest by Stephen Price, bringing the score to 10-14. An unsportsmanlike conduct call on Pickens ended the first half.

Halftime brought the Pickens Homecoming celebration. It was announced that the junior class won the Pickens High float contest, in which each class make floats representing the year’s theme: “Beat TR.” Each senior football player was represented on the field by his sponsor, generally a high school female, and a male representative, generally his father.

After the sponsors were presented, a representative from each class walked onto the field, followed by the three seniors in the running for homecoming queen. Chezney McJunkin, a Pickens basketball player, was crowned homecoming queen. The Pickens High Marching Band performed the halftime music.

The third quarter was riddled with penalties on both teams. On the second play, Traveler’s Rest’s Jeremy Spann ran the ball 71 yards for a touchdown. A good kick brought the score 10-21. Once Pickens received the ball, however, trouble started with an illegal block in the back called on Pickens. In the same drive, Referees called an illegal block below the waist call on Pickens as well. This was followed by a personal foul on Pickens, resulting in a Traveler’s Rest ball.

With 7:02 left in the third quarter, a personal foul was called on Traveler’s Rest, followed by a substitution infraction, a sideline warning against Traveler’s Rest, and a illegal procedure call on Pickens. The third quarter ended with no more scoring.

The forth quarter began with another heroic play by Aaron Hester, who caught Traveler’s Rest’s punt and ran it back for a 75-yard touchdown. An attempt at a two-point conversion failed. Traveler’s Rest scored a touchdown and extra point soon after, bringing the score to 16-28 with 8:30 on the clock. At this, Pickens attempted to rally, and Jake Cuthbertson caught a pass from Lawson in the end zone for a Pickens touchdown. Gravely’s kick was good, putting Pickens within five points of Traveler’s Rest. However, a series of incomplete passes put the ball in Traveler’s Rest hands with a minute on the game clock. Traveler’s Rest ran down the clock and gained their first win of the season with a final score of 23-28.

The now 3-1 Pickens Blue Flame team will travel to Berea next week for game five. Traveler’s Rest will play Walhalla at home, and celebrate their homecoming.