Charlestown Pirate Football (2-1 & 2-1 MSC) traveled to rival Clarksville Friday evening; with hopes of hanging a 12th straight varsity football victory on the Generals and make the all time series 27-22….mission accomplished.  Even though mother nature made Pirate Nation wait til her pregame light show was complete and put away; Junior Marion Lukes and the Pirates wasted no time when the game clock started.

Charlestown cruised to a 41-12 victory, leading 28-6 at the midway point of the evening.  Lukes was simply unstoppable and virtually ran the ball at will finishing the game with 475 yards on eighteen carries and five of the Pirates’ touchdowns; 320 yards on just ten carries during the first half alone.  Lukes’ total against the Generals set a new single game rushing record which had stood since Ryan Roederer’s 350 yard performance against Brownstown in 2000.

Lukes scored touchdowns on runs of 55, 49, 86, 51 and 77 yards; similar to the pregame lightning.  The Pirates also got scoring courtesy of a Devin Lukes touchdown, a Bo Braunecker two point conversion, and three Andrew Mattingly point afters.

The Pirate Defense was led by Sophomore Deke Brown, named the Defensive Player of the Game by The Pirate Network Broadcast on WPMQ 99.3 FM Radio.

“Marion really ran the ball well, looked like he was on another level this evening”, stated Pirate Head Coach Jason Hawkins of his Junior Running back’s performance.

The Pirates are back in action next Friday at home in the Bone Yard, against the defending MSC champs from North Harrison; the Cougars (3-0), who dispatched Corydon 42-7 Friday night.

(photo courtesy of Melissa Stewart)