COMMERCE — Commerce football knew well it had to contain Prince Avenue Christian School's big-play passing attack on Friday.
But knowing and doing are not the same thing, and the Wolverines got loose for three scoring passes en route to a 21-6 win over the Tigers at Ray Lamb Stadium in Commerce.
Commerce scored the first touchdown of the contest -- DaJuan Wood plowing into the end zone from four yards -- but it could not manufacture enough offense the rest of the way. The Tigers (4-1, 3-1 Region 8-A) option attack finished with 130 yards rushing and 176 total yards.
And while Commerce's defense held the Wolverines (6-0, 5-0) in check for long periods, it could not keep Prince Avenue quiet for the entire night, as quarterback Grant Roland (15 of 24 passing, 207 yards) hooked up with three different receivers for scoring strikes.
An 81-yard pass to Christian Parrish pushed the visitors in front just 3:06 before halftime, 7-6 (Commerce's PAT had failed). But Roland wasn't finished, as Mack Simmons made it 14-6 on a 31-yard touchdown catch midway through the third quarter and Sam Wessinger finished it off with a 15-yard touchdown reception with :15 left in the third.
Commerce missed on two long field goal attempts just before halftime that would have pushed the Tigers back in front.
The Tigers will look to bounce back next week at Providence Christian.
