It was the type of game Porters Chapel coach John Weaver had been waiting for all season.

His Eagles jumped on Riverfield early and kept the pressure on all night. They got big plays from their stars, experience for the younger players and, most importantly, a victory.

“Best game of the year,” Weaver said matter-of-factly after Friday’s 35-12 victory over Riverfield. “It was a complete game on offense, defense and special teams.“

Senior Chris Marshall took care of at least two of those phases almost single-handed. He caught four passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns from his wide receiver spot, then lined up as the quarterback in the wildcat formation on several drives and added 33 yard rushing and 20 passing.

“It was very fun,” Marshall said of his quarterback cameo. “The first play we ran, I was kind of nervous because that was my first time doing it in a game situation.”

Marshall also ended three consecutive Riverfield drives late in the first half with interceptions and had a 20-yard punt return in the third quarter. His overall effort not only sparked the Eagles, it reflected their entire night.

PCA (5-4) led 21-6 at halftime, then essentially put the game away two minutes into the third quarter when Marshall caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Jonah Masterson.

The defense forced five turnovers, two of which led to touchdowns, and held the Raiders in check for most of the night. Cole Mills rushed for 162 yards and a score on 16 carries for Riverfield (4-5), but the bulk of his yardage came on three long runs of 42, 47 and 37 yards. Weaver said the big plays were a combination of good execution by Riverfield and some youthful mistakes by PCA’s young defensive substitutes.

“(Mills) had x-amount of yards. But the first touchdown they had, we overpursued and he cut back. We just got overly aggressive,” Weaver said. “The others were sweeps to the outside. Young kids got sucked in too far. Any time you get that, it’s three blockers on a cornerback and I’ll take the blockers every time in that matchup.”

One of the few blemishes on the night for PCA was an injury to senior running back and linebacker Jake Boyd. The team’s leading rusher and tackler suffered what’s believed to be a high ankle sprain at the end of a short run in the fourth quarter.

Boyd will undergo further examination this week, but Weaver has already ruled him out for Friday’s game at Central Hinds. Weaver said holding Boyd out was a precaution, and to rest him for next week’s game at District 5-A rival Newton Academy that will determine a playoff spot.