The Pine Tree Pirates continued their strong district run Friday night, earning a hard-fought 35-28 victory over the Chapel Hill Bulldogs at Pirate Stadium in Longview. The win marks Pine Tree’s third straight and improves the Pirates to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in District 9-4A Division I play, while Chapel Hill falls to 5-4 and 2-3 in district competition.
From the opening kickoff, Pine Tree set the tone with explosive energy. Senior returner Roger Attaway ignited the home crowd by returning the opening kick 80 yards for a touchdown, giving the Pirates a quick 7-0 lead.
Chapel Hill answered with two passing touchdowns to take a 14-7 advantage early in the second quarter, but Pine Tree refused to back down. Quarterback Colton Croft connected with senior receiver Taibran Homer for a 65-yard touchdown strike to tie the game, then capped another drive with a short scoring pass to Chris Nickoles as the two teams went into halftime knotted at 21-21.
In the third quarter, the Pirates found their rhythm on both sides of the ball. Croft engineered an 8-play, 74-yard drive capped by a 13-yard touchdown to Nickoles, reclaiming the lead at 28-21. Early in the fourth, Croft dropped a perfect 30-yard pass to Homer for his second touchdown of the night, extending Pine Tree’s lead to 35-21.
Chapel Hill threatened again inside the final two minutes, but Pine Tree’s defense stood tall. Junior defensive back Rashaad Wofford sealed the win with an interception in the end zone, his seventh of the season, as the Pirate sideline erupted in celebration.
Croft delivered another standout performance, completing 20 of 26 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns. Homer led all receivers with four catches for 113 yards and two scores, Defensively, Wofford’s interception highlighted a strong effort that forced two takeaways and limited Chapel Hill’s passing game late.
With the win, Pine Tree strengthens its playoff position and keeps momentum rolling into the final weeks of district play. The Pirates will travel to Lindale next Friday night, looking to extend their winning streak and continue climbing the district standings.
