The Pine Tree Pirates opened the Class 4A Division I playoffs with a statement win Friday night, rolling past the Lumberton Raiders 35-0 at Raider Stadium. The shutout pushes the Pirates to 7-4 and sends them into the area round with momentum and confidence.
From the opening whistle, Pine Tree controlled every phase of the game. After the defense forced a punt on Lumberton’s opening drive, quarterback Colton Croft wasted no time putting points on the board. Croft connected with junior receiver Rashaad Wofford on a crisp 20-yard touchdown strike, giving the Pirates a quick 7-0 lead just two minutes into the game.
The Pirates’ defense delivered again moments later. Desmond Williams jumped a route and intercepted a Lumberton pass, setting up the offense with prime field position. On the very next scoring drive, Croft found Wofford again, this time on a deep 61-yard bomb that stretched the lead to 14-0 with 4:56 left in the first quarter.
With Pine Tree’s offense humming, the defense continued to choke out Lumberton’s momentum. After stopping the Raiders on fourth down, the teams traded punts before Ja’Karius Timmons punched in a two-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 21-0.
The Pirates weren’t done. Less than four minutes before halftime, senior running back Roger Attaway broke loose for a 48-yard touchdown run, giving Pine Tree a commanding 28-0 advantage at the break.
In the third quarter, Timmons added his second rushing touchdown of the night on a 16-yard run, making it 35-0 and effectively putting the game out of reach. From there, Pine Tree’s defense slammed the door, preserving the shutout and never allowing the Raiders to find rhythm.
Croft turned in one of his most efficient outings of the year, completing 27 of 33 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns. Wofford made the most of his touches, hauling in three catches for 89 yards and two scores, while Attaway powered the rushing attack with 102 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries. Timmons added two more rushing TDs behind a dominant offensive front.
The victory marks Pine Tree’s most dominant playoff performance under head coach Jason Bachman, showcasing a balanced offense and a defense playing at its peak.
With the win, the Pirates advance to face unbeaten Houston Yates in the area round in Crockett Friday with kickoff set at 7:30 p.m.
