SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. — The bullies of the Valley still wear black.

From the game’s opening possession Friday night, defending Class 1A state champion South Pittsburg made an emphatic statement, physically dominating cross-county rival Marion County 48-13.

The Pirates amassed 395 total yards, including 292 on the ground, while limiting Marion to 57 rushing yards.

“Our coaches told us to come out from the start and play smash-mouth Pirate football,” said Pirates senior defensive lineman Chase Robinson, who had two sacks. “You could tell early in the first quarter they were intimidated and couldn’t handle us physically up front.”

South Pittsburg limited the Warriors to 1 yard or fewer on 18 snaps, while Montrell Mitchell ran for 100 yards and a touchdown and David Jones added 97 yards and three TDs for the Pirates.

It is the Pirates’ first three-game winning streak over the Warriors since 1974-77, and they have outscored the Jasper team 143-32 the last three seasons.

In his starting debut, junior quarterback Terrell Robinson threw for 103 first-half yards with a touchdown and also ran for a 29-yard score as the Pirates jumped out to a 21-0 first-quarter lead. He returned an interception 79 yards for a TD in the third quarter.

“I felt like I was thinking too much to start the game,” Robinson said. “But after that first completion, I settled down and just played.

“To mercy-rule Jasper in the first start of my career means more than I can say.”

The Pirates overcame 10 penalties and four turnovers and took much of the visitors’ enthusiasm with an 11-play, 86-yard drive late in the second quarter. That answered Marion’s first TD and gave the hosts a three-score cushion again.

Pirates coach Vic Grider admitted there was no thought of pulling the starters late in the game following what he felt was too much trash-talk by Marion at the jamboree two weeks ago.

“It’s not real smart to poke a sleeping bear, and that’s what they did,” Grider said after his team invoked the mercy rule for the 11th time in the last 16 games. “All that stuff they did just woke our kids up and really motivated them.

“I think our offensive line is a lot better than they get credit for, because those first three drives weren’t fancy: We just lined up and pounded them.”

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