Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

COAL GROVE — If this game had been televised by ESPN, it would have been labeled an instant classic.

Meigs scored 14 points in the final four minutes of the game and came away with a thrilling 46-44 win over the Coal Grove Hornets on Friday in what will likely hold up as one of the best offensive performances of the season.

The Hornets took a 44-32 lead with 4:41 left when quarterback Jesse Rigsby hit Conor Markins on a 57-yard scoring pass.

But Meigs got a pair of 3-yard scoring runs by Andrew Burt, the second with 1:41 to play that tied the game. He also ran for the winning conversion.

Meigs had 461 total yards of offense including 293 on the ground as Michael Davis ran 11 times for 133 yards. Quarterback Kalieb Sheets rushed 11 times for 112 yards and was 11 of 23 passing for 168 yards and two touchdowns.

But Coal Grove racked up 574 total yards with Rigsby hitting 13 of 19 passes for 352 yards and two scores. Joe Akers had four catches for 132 yards and Markins four receptions for 109 yards.

Meigs used a 30-yard run by Davis and a 19-yard run by Sheets to get to the 3-yard line and set up Burt’s first TD and it was 44-38 with 3:21 left.

The Marauders kicked off and elected to kick it deep to the 5-yard line. Deep in their own territory, the Hornets went three and out and Austin Welch returned the punt 17 yards to the Hornets’ 15.

After a Coal Grove penalty, Burt ran 7 yards to the 3-yard line and then scored on the next play with 1:41 left to tie the game. He then ran for the conversion and the lead.

Coal Grove got the ball back, but a holding penalty left them with a fourth and long situation and a pass to Isaiah Gunther was short of the first down.

The Hornets hurt themselves to start the game when they drove to the 9-yard line only to fumble the ball away.

Meigs then drove and scored on a 12-yard pass from Sheets to Damon Jones.

Coal Grove answered with a 50-yard scoring strike from Rigsby to Akers and it was 6-6.

Tanner Murphy had a 1-yard scoring run with 8:35 left in the half and Coal Grove led 14-6. Murphy ran for the conversion.

Sheets hit Ty Phelps with a 45-yard scoring pass and Burt’s conversion run tied the game moments later. But the Hornets came right back to go up 22-14 on a 2-yard run by Gunther and Rigsby’s conversion run.

Meigs cut the lead to 22-20 just before the half on a 29-yard pass from Sheets to Davis.

The Marauders took a 26-22 lead to begin the second half on a 36-yard run by Sheets.

The Hornets used a 25-yard gallop by Murphy to go back in front and Murphy’s conversion run made it 30-26.

The lead went to 36-26 on a 12-yard scamper by Gunther but Davis broke free on a 59-yard run and it was 36-32.

Markins’ TD catch extended the lead to 44-36 and then Meigs made its comeback.

Meigs 6 14 12 14 = 46

Coal Grove 6 16 14 8 = 44

First Quarter

Mgs — Damon Jones 12 pass from Kalieb Sheets (kick failed) 1:42

CG — Joe Akers 50 pass from Jesse Rigsby (kick failed) 1:24

Second Quarter

CG — Tanner Murphy 1 run (Murphy run) 8:35

Mgs — Ty Phelps 45 pass from Kalieb Sheets (Andrew Burt run) 7:47

CG — Isaiah Gunther 2 run (Jesse Rigsby run) 3:29

Mgs — Michael Davis 29 pass from Kalieb Sheets (pass failed) 2:21

Third Quarter

Mgs — Kalieb Sheets 36 run (pass failed) 10:44

CG — Tanner Murphy 25 run (Murphy run) 7:51

CG — Isaiah Gunther 12 run (pass failed) 5:42

Mgs — Michael Davis 59 run (pass failed) 4:40

Fourth Quarter

CG — Conor Markins 57 pass from Jesse Rigsby (Rigsby run) 4:41

Mgs — Andrew Burt 3 run (pass failed) 3:21

Mgs — Andrew Burt 3 run (Burt run) 1:41

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Mgs CG

First downs 19 22

Rushes-yards 38-293 42-222

Passing yards 168 352

Total yards 461 574

Cmp-Att-Int 11-23-1 13-19-0

Fumbles-lost 1-0 1-1

Penalties-yards 5-50 3-45

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Meigs: Michael Davis 11-133, Kalieb Sheets 11-112, Andrew Burt 11-42, Jordan Hutton 5-6. Coal Grove: Isaiah Gunther 20-81, Tanner Murphy 10-53, Sid Tucker 4-30, Jesse Rigsby 6-8, Austin Ruggles 2-4.

PASSING—Meigs: Kalieb Sheets 11-23-1 168. Coal Grove: Jesse Rigsby 13-19-0 352.

RECEIVING—Meigs: Ty Phelps 4-86, Michael Davis 2-43, Damon Jones 2-27, Austin Welch 1-12. Coal Grove: Joe Akers 4-132, Conor Markins 4-109, Isaiah Gunther 4-52, Sean Paulus 4-39.