SOUTH POINT —The first game of a season is filled with unknowns for both teams, but the team that is able to adjust the best usually wins the game.

The Portsmouth Trojans were able to make offensive adjustments led by junior quarterback Josh Myers en route to a 24-14 win over the South Point Pointers.

After being kept out of the end zone for most of the game by the South Point defense, the Trojans adjusted in the fourth quarter with two scores by Myers.

South Point opened the fourth quarter facing a third and 9, but Pointers’ quarterback Tevin Mitchell found Doug Dillon for a 20-yard touchdown. Dillon also ran in the conversion to give South Point a 14-8 lead with 11:51 to go.

However, Myers drove the Trojans right back down the field and scored from 7-yards out. Myers was able to stretch the ball over the goal line just before his knee hit for the conversion to give Portsmouth a 16-14 lead with 9:08 to go. The drive covered 63 yards in seven plays and saw a 58-yard touchdown pass from Myers to Jonathan Royster called back for an illegal block in the back.

After a South Point turnover on downs, Myers would set the final score with his third touchdown of the night on a 25-yard run. Myers also ran in the 2-point conversion, and the final score was set at 24-14 with 3:04 remaining in the game. Myers finished the game with 103 yards on 21 attempts and three scores. He was also 8 of 17 passing for 78 yards.

“(South Point coach) Doug (Shilot) came out with a great defensive game plan tonight, and it was something that we were not ready for,” said Portsmouth coach Curt Clifford.

“Once we got into halftime and saw what (South Point) was doing defensively, we were able to make some adjustments on offense. I thought our offensive line was the difference in the second half.”

After a Portsmouth punt in the first quarter, the Pointers’ offense got going. On the first play of the drive, Dillon found a seam up the middle for a 39-yard gain. Three plays later, Dillon got the Pointers on the board with a 7-yard touchdown. The 2-point conversion was no good and the South Point lead was 6-0 with 3:26 to go in the first.

“All of our guys played extremely hard tonight and we just had a few breakdowns on defense,” said . “Our offensive line played well and opened some holes. Our skill players played well also, but we just got fatigued in the end.”

Portsmouth started their next drive at the South Point 44 and the drive spilled over into the second quarter. Portsmouth moved the ball down to the South Point 10, but on fourth and goal at the five Myers kept the ball around the right end only to be stopped short of the goal line.

South Point started its drive inside its own one-yard line and on the first play Dillon was tackled in the end zone for a safety and the score was 6-2 with 9:25 to go in the half.

Neither team could muster any offense the rest of the half.

Portsmouth got the ball to open the second half and Isiah Reeves returned the kickoff 44-yards down to the South Point 34. Seven plays later, Myers got his first score of the night running in from one-yard out. The extra-point was blocked and the Trojans took an 8-6 lead at the 8:44 mark.

The Trojans were able to keep the drive going when Myers found Wayne Evans for a 17-yard gain on third and 10.

South Point was led by Dillon with 82 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown. He also had the lone reception of the night for 20 yards and a score. Brian Hedrick added 65 yards on 14 carries.

South Point (0-1) travels to Wheelersburg next week while Portsmouth opens its new stadium against Portsmouth West.

Portsmouth 0 2 8 16 = 24

South Point 6 0 8 0 = 14

First Quarter

SP — Doug Dillon 7 run (run failed) 3:26

Second Quarter

P — Safety (Doug Dillon tackle in end zone) 9:25

Third Quarter

P — Josh Myers 1 run (kick blocked) 8:44

Fourth Quarter

SP — Doug Dillon 20 pass from Tevin Mitchell (Dillon run) 11:51

P — Josh Myers 7 run (Myers run) 9:08

P — Josh Myers 25 run (Myers run) 3:04

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Prt SP

First downs 13 6

Rushes-yards 36-156 39-150

Passing yards 78 20

Total yards 234 170

Cmp-Att-Int 8-17-0 1-1-0

Penalties-yards 2-20 5-25

Punts-average 3-32.6 4-32.5

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING–Portsmouth: Josh Myers 21-103 3-TD, Isiah Reeves 6-34, Angelo Jackson 7-20, Jonathan Royster 2- minus 1; South Point: Doug Dillon 17-82 TD, Brandon Hedrick 14-65, Tevin Mitchell 5-6, Will Hill 3- minus 3.

PASSING–Portsmouth: Josh Myers 8-17-78; South Point: Tevin Mitchell 1-1-20.

RECEIVING–Portsmouth: Wayne Evans 2-31, Jonathan Royster 3-25, Kyle Simpson 3-22; South Point: Doug Dillon 1-20.