Everything that could go wrong did go wrong for Purcell Marian on Saturday night. . Portsmouth jumped out to an 18-0 lead in the first quarter and beat the Cavaliers 37-6 in a second-round Division III playoff game at Hillsboro.

        Three big Portsmouth plays and a stagnant offense doomed Purcell in the first nine minutes. Portsmouth blocked a punt, got a long run, then faked a punt en route to three touchdowns. The Trojans — ranked No.1 in Division III — scored on their first three possessions.

        “I'm really disappointed with how we played tonight. We are a much better team. We just didn't do anything well,” Purcell Marian coach Tom Stickley said.

        Portsmouth got on the board following a partially blocked punt. The Trojans marched 35 yards on three plays capped by a Jeremy Hamrick 21-yard TD run with 9:11 remaining in the first.

        Less than three minutes later, Hamrick out-sprinted the Purcell defense on the second play of Portsmouth's second drive to score from 58 yards out. Hamrick finished with four touchdowns and 144 rushing yards.

        It looked like Purcell finally had the Trojans stopped on their third possession, but on a fourth-and-9 play, backup quarterback Tyler Hammon took the snap on a fake punt and hit Derek Thompson for 29 yards and a first down on Purcell's 3-yard line. Two plays later, Zach Harris scored.

        “We told the kids to watch the fake. It was obviously going to be a fake,” Stickley said.

        Purcell netted minus-16 yards in the first half and totaled 8 yards for the game. Purcell finished with minus-69 yards rushing, mainly due to sacks. Purcell quarterback Adam White was sacked six times in the first half and was pressured on every play.

        “We tried making changes at halftime by shortening passing routes,” Stickley said. “It was just amazing how quickly they got in the backfield time after time.”

        Purcell's only score came with 1:26 remaining in the third quarter, when Richie Pierson returned an interception.

        Purcell Marian ....... 0 0 6 0-6

        Portsmouth ....... 18 0 6 13-37

        Po-Hamrick 21 run (kick blocked)

        Po-Hamrick 58 run (kick failed)

        Po-Harris 1 run (run failed)

        Po-B. Parker 72 punt return (run failed)

        PM-Pierson 45 interception return (pass failed)

        Po-Hamrick 2 run (kick failed)

        Po-Hamrick 6 run (Fleming kick)

        Records Po 12-0, PM 8-4.

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