Long runs, seniors give Hornets win
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, April 3, 2007
COAL GROVE — Big runs and a big finish.
A couple of long touchdown runs and one long run to set up a score highlighted the Coal Grove Hornets season finale as they blanked the River Valley Raiders 38-0 Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
“We ran the ball well. All our backs ran well. It was good to have Trent (Blankenship) back. He added a spark. And (Shane) Jenkins, and (Matt) Cooper and (Frank) Delawder all did not job,” Lucas said.
The Hornets opened the scoring with a touchdown drive that culminated on a 7-yard run by Shane Jenkins and it was 6-0.
Fullback Matt Cooper pounded across the goal line from 1-yard out on the next series and it was 12-0 before the end of the first quarter.
Marty Holsten came up with an interception on the next series to stop a Raiders drive to begin the second quarter. Blankenship, who ran for a 175 yards, broke off a 70-yard run to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Jenkins.
Quarterback Eric Davidson threw to Frank Delawder for the conversion and it was 20-0.
Blankenship came back to score on a long run, this time going 37 yards into the end zone with 5:40 left in the half and it was 26-0.
Coal Grove’s first unit added two touchdowns in the third quarter on a 6-yard run by Delawder and a 33-yard keeper by Davidson to complete the scoring.
The second unit finished the game.
Coal Grove finishes the season 6-4 on the season and 3-2 in the OVC.
Lucas said a lot of the team’s success was due to the play and leadership of the secondary.
“The seniors have played hard and played well. We’ve played well in every game but one. When you do that, your seniors are leading and. They hung in there when the going got tough,” Lucas said.
Coal Grove’s seniors include Tyler Branch, Jared Dever, Shayne Willis, Andy Knipp, Zach Carey, Mark Robinson, Clint Meadows, Patrick Carpenter, Adam Bare, Davidson, Holsten and Blankenship.
River Valley ends 1-9 and 0-5 in the league.
River Valley0000=0
Coal Grove1214120=38
First Quarter
CG - Shane Jenkins 7 run (kick failed)
CG - Matt Cooper 1 run (run failed)
Second Quarter
CG - Shane Jenkins 1 run (Frank Delawder pass from Eric Davidson)
CG- Trent Blankenship 37 run (run failed) 5:40
Third Quarter
CG - Frank Delawder 6 run (run failed)
CG - Eric Davidson 33 run (kick failed)