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MULLINS - First-year head coach Pete Greene’s Prestonsburg Blackcats traveled to Pike County on Thursday night and came away with a 24-14 victory to move to 3-0.

On the opening drive for the Blackcats, quarterback/halfback Carson Poe took the ball around the end and sprinted 66 yards for Prestonsburg’s first score of the game. The Mullins defense, however, held Carter Akers at the one-yard-line on the two-point conversion attempt, leaving Prestonsburg to lead 6-0.

On Mullins’ initial offensive series, the Prestonsburg defensive line, led by Jonathan Blackburn, Dakota West, Cole Porter and Owen Greene, didn’t allow a yard on the first two plays, setting the host team up for a 3-and-10. The play resulted in a 12-yard sack by Colby Fugate, leading Mullins to punt on fourth down.

After a couple of first down runs from Akers and Luke Hyden, Poe, on a broken play, got around the end again for a 40-yard run to put the Blackcats up 12-0.

The Mullins defense once again came up, big stopping the two-point conversion attempt.

Both teams would go back an forth until 48 seconds remained in the first half when Colby Fugate rumbled 58 yards for another Prestonsburg touchdown to put the Blackcats up 18-0 heading into halftime.

Mullins controlled the football for most of the third quarter, moving the ball to the Blackcat 25-yard line. On third-and-10, the Mullins quarterback attempted to throw a pass to the flat when Hyden intercepted it and returned the ball 70 yards to the Mullins 15-yard line. After picking up a first down and ending the third quarter, Prestonsburg reach the end zone on a Nick Garrett touchdown run to move ahead 24-0.

Mullins reached the endzone for its first score in the fourth quarter. After a Prestonsburg fumble with one minute left, Mullins scored another touchdown with 15 seconds remaining. On the two point conversion, Trenton Bardi, Brayden Combs, Nate Marsillet and a swarm of Blackcats stuffed the run in the backfield, keeping the score 24-14.

Coach Pete Greene made sure every player had the opportunity to see playing time in the road game. Greene is assisted by Chris West and David Garett.

The Blackcats are off until Sept 8 when they will play Wesley Christian at South Floyd.