Friday Night Lights: Pre-Half Explosion Keys Tribe's Homecoming Rout

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The 10th-ranked Du Quoin Indians spotted Pinckneyville an early lead Friday night, but a 2 1/2 minute spurt in the second quarter guaranteed a happy Homecoming at Van Metre Field.

Three touchdowns- two from all-state candidate David Rose- broke open a close game and set the tone for a 41-6 win by Du Quoin.

Now 5-1 overall, the Indians are 3-0 in conference play and beat its Perry County rival for the 26th straight time. Pinckneyville is 1-5 and 0-3.

After the Panthers went ahead 6-0 midway through the opening frame, Du Quoin scored 41 unanswered points. A 21-yard pass from Bryant Shute to Nathan Morton put Pinckneyville in front.

Du Quoin would score on the first play of the ensuing possession as Aaron Smith zipped 61 yards for a TD. The kick from Cayle Diggins put the Indians ahead for good.

A 90-yard pass from Matt Gossett started the Du Quoin scoring flurry early in the second quarter. A 3-yard run from David Gaytan and Rose's 12-yard end around turned a one-point margin into a 28-6 Tribe lead by intermission. A 24-yard fumble return from Seth Baxter and Rose's 33-yard punt return set up two of the touchdown drives. The third started after Du Quoin's defense stopped a Panther drive at the 10-yard line.

In the second half, Baxter scored the final two Du Quoin TD's. The junior ran 45 yards for one score and then latched on to a 25-yard pass for his second trip to paydirt.

Smith led Du Quoin with 113 yards rushing. Gossett completed six passes for 174 yards.

Shute paced Pinckneyville with 48 yards running and 68 passes.

On defense, 23 different Indians recorded at least one tackle. Chaz Bland led the way with eight stops.

Du Quoin visits Nashville (3-3, 1-2) and Pinckneyville hosts winless Sparta next week.

Look for more details on Friday's Du Quoin win later this weekend. A full story can be found in the Monday edition of The Call.