FREDERICKTOWN — Senior running back Barrett Wheeler ran for four touchdowns in the second half to help boost the Perryville Pirates (1-0) to a season-opening 35-21 victory over the host Fredericktown Blackcats (0-1) Friday at Blackcat Football Stadium.
The Pirates opened the scoring in the first half, when freshman Josh Gremaud scored on a 35-yard run. The Pirates led 7-0 at the half, then Wheeler took over, setting the final margin.
In addition to a solid performance on offense, the Pirates also made several standout plays on defense, mostly by underclassmen.
Freshman Jasper Burress-Johnson forced a fumble on the second-half kickoff and the Pirates recovered the ball to establish a bit of momentum after the break that carried through the final two quarters. Sophomore linebacker Adrian Mendoza had an interception, and sophomore cornerback Xzyavier Wilson had a strip and fumble recovery.
Perryville’s victory was the latest in a string of six consecutive dating back to 2017, when the Pirates defeated the Blackcats 28-7. Since that game, the Pirates have outscored Fredericktown 158-77.
This week, the Pirates will host the DeSoto Dragons (0-1), who lost their season opener, falling 30-14 to Freeburg, Ill. The Dragons gave up 277 rushing yards in the loss.
The Pirates won their past two games against DeSoto, winning 31-28 last season and 14-7 in 2019. Since 2010, Perryville is 3-4 against the Dragons and 0-2 when playing at Pirate Stadium.
