|
by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter
It
took an hour to play the third quarter, but it was
time well spent for Twin Valley.
The Panthers survived a wild third period and
earned
their first win of the season with a 32-20 homecoming
victory over Pocahontas Friday night at Twin Valley.
On a night when they honored the only Buchanan
County
football team to ever reach the state finals, the 1986
Garden squad, Twin Valley won by playing a style the
86ers could appreciate: smash-mouth football.
Twin Valley (1-3) ran for 351 yards and seemed
to
gradually wear down Pocahontas (3-1), handing the
Indians their first loss of the season.
Wyatt Justus was a workhorse, plowing over
defenders
for 243 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries.
Sophomore Garrett Horne, meanwhile, put on a
show all
over the field, scoring three touchdowns, while adding
over 150 all-purpose yards. Horne was in double
figures in tackles and had an interception.
"Wyatt did a great job running the ball,"
Twin Valley
coach Charlie Vandyke said. "Garrett Horne did a great
job on offense and defense. And you have to give a lot
of credit to our offensive line.
"Anytime you can run for 351 yards, someone is
obviously doing a good job up front. I thought we did
a great job blocking. That might have been the
difference in the ballgame."
In the long third quarter, the teams combined for
four
touchdowns. Horne, who ran for 93 yards on 18 carries,
gave the Panthers the lead for good when he made a
nice catch on a 49-yard TD pass from Jory Rife with
5:16 remaining in the third quarter.
It was the second time the Panthers overcame a
deficit
to take the lead.
"All the kids played well," Vandyke added.
"When they
got behind they didn’t hang their heads. They fought
back and I’m proud of them."
Justus pounded Pocahontas defenders all night with as
many punishing runs in the second half as in the
first.
For more of the story, see the print
edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.
For more information on how to subscribe to the Mountaineer,
call 276-935-2123 today.
|
|
Thomas Walker took an
early lead and made it stand up
for an 18-6 win over a young Hurley Rebel squad Friday
night at The Cliff.
The Pioneers turned two first-quarter turnovers
into
touchdowns to build a 14-0 lead. Thomas Walker added
safeties in the second half, one in the third quarter
and another in the final minute of the game.
Hurley (0-4) turned the ball over on its first
two
possessions to set up the two Thomas Walker
touchdowns, handing the Pioneers the ball deep in
Rebel territory.
Thomas Walker (1-3) generated just 165 yards of
total
offense, but the two early scores were enough to earn
the Pioneers their first win of the year.
"Our defense played great," Hurley
coach Greg Tester
said. "We were just in bad field position all night.
"Turnovers hurt us. Otherwise,
Clint Justus threw for 112 yards and one touchdown for
the Rebels. The only Hurley score came on a 32-yard TD
pass from Clint Justus to Nathan Justus in the second
period.
"Clint played a great game," Tester
said. ‘I know he
had three interceptions, but one of them was tipped
and the Thomas Walker kid made a great catch on the
play."
Hurley shut down the Pioneer offense over the
final
three quarters. Thomas Walker added a safety on a
blocked punt attempt in the third quarter and tackled
a Rebel ball carrier in the end zone for a safety late
in the game.
For more of the story, see the print
edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.
For more information on how to subscribe to the Mountaineer,
call 276-935-2123 today. |
