South Point grinds out win over River Valley
Published 12:00 am Friday, November 3, 2006
CHESHIRE – When you think of the South Point offense, what comes to mind?
The high octane, big-play offense the Pointers use.
However, South Point added a new wrinkle to the offense, which only threw 11 times and none in the second half in a 28-7 Ohio Valley Conference win over the River Valley Raiders Friday.
“I thought all of our running backs did a great job tonight” Pointers coach Dan McDavid said.
“Offensively and defensively, we played as well as we have in a long time.”
McDavid said one of the keys to the Pointers ground game was the offensive line which helped produce 321 yards on 43 carries.
Freshman Todd Mayo ran 15 times for 125 yards. He also had two catches for 33 yards.
The Pointers coach gave credit to center J.D. Gardner, guards Tyler Smith and Cory Garred, tackles Brent Freeman and Clinton Pack, swingman Adam Stewart and tight ends Heath Bridges and Anthony Ross.
“Those guys did a nice job up front opening holes,” McDavid said.
The first score of the game did not come until late in the second quarter. An earlier drive ended with a fumble at the Raider 2-yard line.
River Valley (1-6, 0-2) took over and moved it out to the 34, but was forced to punt.
The Pointers got the ball and drove 72 yards in 10 plays for their first score of the game.
Quarterback Chris Smith found freshman running back Todd Mayo open for a 36-yard touchdown pass, and it was 7-0 with 57 seconds to go in the first half.
Smith finished the game 6-of-11 for 51 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
He also ran 11 times for 100 yards and a touchdown.
South Point (2-5, 1-1) forced a River Valley punt to open the second half.
That is when the Pointers went to the ground.
The Pointers first drive of the third quarter covered 64 yards in 8 plays, all on runs, and was capped off by an 18-yard touchdown run by Mayo and it was 14-0 at the 5:42 mark.
River Valley got the ball at its own 37-yard line, but on the third play the Pointers Beau Weed came up with an interception at the South Point 43.
Justin Thacker ran for 3 yards, and Chris Smith took an option play for 13 more for a first down at the Raiders 42.
On the next play, Smith took another option to the right side and then broke back to the middle of the field for a 42-yard touchdown run to make it 21-0 with 3:06 to go in the third.
River Valley went on its only scoring drive of the game, which covered 95 yards in 23 plays, and took 9:04 seconds off the clock.
The drive saw quarterback Bryan Morrow complete 10-of-12 passes for 79 yards.
The drive was capped off by Jordan Deel’s 1-yard run.
The score was 21-7 with 2:49 to go in the game.
The Pointers recovered the onside kick at their own 44.
On the third play, Mayo broke loose to the 2. Mayo scored on the next play and it was 28-7.
South Point07147=28
River Valley0007=7
Second Quarter
SP – Todd Mayo 32 pass from Chris Smith (Lance Miller kick) 0:57
Third Quarter
SP – Todd Mayo 18 run (Lance Miller kick) 5:42
SP – Chris Smith 42 run (Lance Miller kick) 3:06
Fourth Quarter
RV – Jordan Deel 1 ru (Caldwell kick) 2:49
SP – Todd Mayo 2 run (Lance Miller kick) 1:09
SPRV
First downs1616
Rushes-yards43-32136-81
Passing yards51166
Total yards372247
Cmp-Att-Int6-11-120-22-2
Penalties-yards3-140-0
Individual Leaders
RUSHING-South Point: Todd Mayo 15-125, Chris Smith 11-100, Justni Thacker 12-56, Jude Crabtree 4-18, Kyle Hughes 1-20; River Valley: Jordan Deel 7-4, Michael Cordell 3-13, Bryan 16-17, Cody McAvena 6-26, Tyler Canaday 4-31.
PASSING-South Point: Chris Smith 6-11-0 51; River Valley: Bryan Morrow 20-22-2 166.
RECEIVING-South Point: Beau Weed 2-7, Anthony Ross 1-6, Kyle Hughes 1-5, Todd Mayo 2-33; River Valley: Michael Cordell 8-67, Jordan Deel 5-24, Zak Deel 5-49, Jason Jones 1-21, Tyler Canaday 1-5.