Georgia Bulletin

The Newspaper of the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta

  • Pinecrest Academy wide receiver Breckin Barbee, left, and his teammate Jay Black, celebrate Barbee’s 26-yard touchdown catch in the end zone. Pinecrest lost its Sept. 27 home game against The Walker School 28-7. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Pinecrest Academy quarterback Bryce Balthaser avoids the rush and scrambles close to a first down, as the team drives down the field during the closing minutes of the second quarter. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • With just over a minute before halftime, Pinecrest Academy wide receiver Breckin Barbee comes down in the end zone with a touchdown pass from quarterback Bryce Balthaser. It was Pinecrest Academy's first and only score in a 28-7 loss to The Walker School Sept. 27. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • During the third quarter, Pinecrest Academy defensive back Nikitas Missos (#14) led a defensive attack by stopping Walker running back Keon Smart short of the first down on a fourth down play. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Pinecrest Academy defensive back Tripp Hochman and linebackers Alex Jeffords and Joey Kiernan gang tackle Walker wide receiver Cam Baker (#86) during the second half the Sept. 27 game. Photo By Michael Alexander
  • Hochman, Jeffords and Kiernan take Baker (#86) down to complete the play. Pinecrest Academy is looking to end a four-game losing streak when they play on the road Oct. 4. Photo By Michael Alexander

Pinecrest Academy wide receiver Breckin Barbee, left, and his teammate Jay Black, celebrate Barbee’s 26-yard touchdown catch in the end zone. Pinecrest lost its Sept. 27 home game against The Walker School 28-7. Photo By Michael Alexander

Pinecrest falls to Walker at home

By MICHAEL ALEXANDER, malexander@georgiabulletin.org | Published October 3, 2019

CUMMING—Pinecrest Academy’s football team is still looking for its first victory after a 28-7 loss to The Walker School, Marietta, Sept. 27.

Walker scored three rushing touchdowns in the first half, two by running back Keon Smart and one by the quarterback Charlie Condon.

With 1:41 remaining in the second quarter, Pinecrest quarterback Bryce Balthaser threw a 26-yard touchdown to wide receiver Breckin Barbee. Walker took a 21-7 lead into halftime.

After Pinecrest’s initial set of downs to start the second half, Pinecrest had to punt the ball away. During Walker’s initial series, with two yards to go, they decided to go for it on fourth down on their own 48-yard-line. The Pinecrest defense met the challenge when defensive back Nikitas Missos rushed in to stop Smart short of the first down.

Pinecrest took over and had a sustained drive going. In fact, they were poised to score a touchdown when they fumbled on the goal line. That could have turned the tide for Pinecrest, but they’d never reach the end zone again.

Walker scored its final touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Pinecrest wide receiver Sawyer Huffstetler led the team with four receptions for 71 yards. Running back Tony Novo had five rushes for 22 yards. Balthaser rushed for 61 yards and he completed 12 of his 28 passes for 136 yards.

On Oct. 4 Pinecrest (0-4) travels to Macon to take on Mount de Sales Academy (4-0).