COAL GROVE - The Chesapeake Panthers turned the &#8221Red Zone“ into the &#8221Dead Zone.“

Time after time, the Coal Grove Hornets drove into the &#8221red zone“ - or scoring zone - but the Panthers defense was able to come up with several key stops as they rallied for a 15-12 win Friday in a key Ohio Valley Conference game.

Besides their two scores, the Hornets were inside the 20-yard line twice in the first half and at the end of the game but failed to score on any of those drives.

&#8221We bent and we bent, but we played really good in the red zone. We had a good scheme and they kids did a good job with it,“ Panthers coach Phil Davis said.

&#8221We did a pretty good job all the way around. I was proud of the way our kids came back when they went ahead.“

Chesapeake is now 5-3 on the season and shares the OVC lead with Rock Hill at 3-0. Coal Grove falls to 6-2 and 2-1.

Coal Grove coach Dave Lucas said the inability to score was the difference, especially since the Hornets outgained the Panthers 317 to 236 in total yards.

&#8221We didn't get the ball in the end zone. We didn't make some plays in the tough part of the game. Both teams played hard and both teams played excellent defense,“ Lucas said.

Coal Grove failed to convert a fourth-down play in the first quarter as the ball was just inches short of a first down inside the Panthers 10-yard line.

After the defensive stand, Chesapeake drove the length of the field to take a 7-0 lead on a 16-yards run by quarterback Caleb McComas. A 33-yard pass from McComas to Thornburg highlighted the drive.

Cody Methax kicked the conversion.

Coal Grove came right back with a second drive inside the Chesapeake 20-yard line only to die following another failed fourth down attempt.

&#8221We had it down there a couple of times and we had some missed first downs by inches. That really hurt us,“ Lucas said.

In the second half, Chesapeake fumbled the ball on its first possession and Coal Grove drove for the score on a 6-yard run by Justin Hyland. The conversion run failed and it was 7-6.

Hyland had his second straight game with 50 carries. After 50 attempts for 400 yards last, Hyland ran 58 times for 281 yards against the Panthers. He carried 19 times for 140 yards in the first half and 19 times for 141 in the second half.

But it was Coal Grove fullback Gary Moore who put the Hornets ahead 12-7 on a 37-yard jaunt with 8:32 to play.

Chesapeake answered with a scoring drive on its next possession. Thornburg caught an 11-yard pass from McComas for the touchdown and they hooked up again the conversion and it was 15-12 with 4:23 to play.

Coal Grove drove again into Chesapeake territory before running out of time.

&#8221We had our opportunities,“ Davis said. &#8221Jeffrey had a great night and so did Caleb.“

Thornburg had seven catches for 116 yards. McComas was 9 of 12 for 131 yards and ran 11 times for 36 yards. Kersten Harris led the Panthers with 49 yards on nine carries.

Chesapeake7008=15

Coal Grove0066=12

First Quarter

Ch – Caleb McComas 16 run (Cody Methax kick) 1:18

Third Quarter

CG – Justin Hyland 6

run (run failed) 5:13

Fourth Quarter

CG - Gary Moore 37 run run (run failed) 8:32

Ch – Jeffrey Thornburg 11 pass from Caleb McComas (Thornburg pass from McComas) 4:23

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ChCG

First downs1217

Rushes-yards25-10563-317

Passing yards1310

Total yards236317

Cmp-Att-Int9-12-00-6-1

Fumbles-lost2-23-0

Punts-average1-11.02-41.0

Penalties-yards3-252-15

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING – Chesapeake: Caleb McComas 11-36, Cory Methax 2-5, Cody Methax 1-1, Mike Stapleton 4-15, Kersten Harris 9-49; Coal Grove: Justin Hyland 58-281, Gary Moore 4-47, Trent Blankenship 2-13, Eric Davidson 2-minus 6, Chris Chaffin 1-2.

PASSING – Chesapeake: Caleb McComas 9-12-0=12.; Coal Grove: 0-6-1

RECEIVING – Chesapeake: Jeffrey Thornburg 7-116, Brent Ransbottom 1-15,Cody Methax 1-0; Coal Grove: None.