Costly fumbles lead to Pirates’ loss
Published 11:56 pm Saturday, November 14, 2009
NELSONVILLE — Just as it appeared the Wheelersburg Pirates were about to take another step in the playoffs, they stumbled and fell.
Trailing 15-14 with 36 seconds to play, the Pirates got to the Fredericktown 1-yard line only to fumble the ball away along with the game.
The tough break enabled the Fredericktown Freddies to hold on and beat the Pirates 15-14 in the Division V Region 19 semifinals Friday.
Wheelesburg (9-3) took a 7-0 lead on a 4-yard run by Tyler Craigmiles. However, Craigmiles had one more carry later in the game and then left with an injury.
The Pirates had another costly fumble that led to a safety and cut their lead to 7-2.
An interception by the Pirates’ Kyle Hornet set up an 87-yard, 19-play drive capped by Tyler Lang’s 1-yard scoring run and pushed the lead to 14-2 just before the end of the first half.
Thomas Hinkle hit C.J. Ruhl with a 25-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter as the Freddies (12-0) trailed 14-9.
On Fredericktown’s next possession, Hinkle found Nate Cubbage wide-open near midfield and the two hooked up on a 79-yard scoring play as the Freddies grabbed a 15-14 lead.
Wheelersburg 7 7 0 0 = 14
Fredericktown 2 0 7 6 = 15
First Quarter
Wh — Craigmiles 4 run (Leach kick) 5:59
Fr — Safety 1:54
Second Quarter
Wh — Lang 1 run (Leach kick) 1:14
Third Quarter
Fr – Ruhl 25 pass from Hinkle (B. Smith kick) 1:02
Fourth Quarter
Fr — Cubbage 79 pass from Hinkle (kick failed) 10:00
Col. Brookhaven 21,
Logan 10
COLUMBUS — In a battle of quarterbacks, Columbus Brookhaven’s Tajuan Green was the winner.
And so was Brookhaven.
Green threw three touchdown passes and Donivan Lipsey ran for 171 yards as the Brookhaven Bearcats beat the Logan Chieftains 21-10 Friday in the Division II Region 7 semifinals.
Logan quarterback Patrick Angle was 11-of-22 for 122 yards before leaving in the third quarter due to an injury to his left knee. Two Chieftain backup quarterbacks combined for one completion.
Angle was hit an fumble at the 20-yard line to set up Brookhaven’s first touchdown — a 6-yard pass from Green to Deonta Stenson.
Angle’s 9-yard run tie the game in the second quarter, but Green and Stenson hooked up on a 75-yard pass play for a 14-7 lead.
The Chieftains got a field goal to make it 14-10 in the third quarter and appeared to have taken the lead later in the period only to have a 25-yard flea flicker touchdown pass to Mason Mays called back.
Jordan Jurgensmier threw a pass to Zach McDaniel behind the line of scrimmage and McDaniel in turn threw to the Mays only to have the officials rule the pass to McDaniel was a forward pass.
Brookhaven 7 7 0 7 = 21
Logan 0 7 3 0 = 10
First Quarter
CB — Stenson 6 pass from Green (Gboya kick)
Second Quarter
Lo — Angle 9 run (Montgomery kick)
CB — Stenson 75 pass from Green (Gboya kick)
Third Quarter
Lo — Montgomery 27 field goal
Fourth Quarter
CB — B. Alston 16pass from Green (Gboya kick)
Ridgewood 20,
Oak Hill 12
LANCASTER — The West Lafayette Ridgewood Generals used a tough second half defense to beat the Oak Hill Oaks 20-12 Friday in the Division V Region 19 semifinals.
Trailing 20-12 early in the fourth quarter, Oak Hill drove to the Ridgewood 5-yard line. On third and one, running back Westen Hale was stopped twice for no gain.
Oak Hill got to the Ridgewood 20 with 30 seconds to go and no time outs. But quarterback Jesse Slone overthrew Hale in the end zone as the Generals held on.
The Oaks also had a field goal attempt blocked before the end of the first half.
Slone was 15-of-21 for 193 passing yards. Hale had 133 yards on the ground.
Oak Hill ends the season 11-1. Ridgewood (12-0) will play Fredericktown in the regional finals next Friday.
Ridgewood 0 17 0 3 = 20
Oak Hill 6 6 0 0 = 12
First Quarter
OH — Hale 5 run (kick failed) 6:56
Second Quarter
Rid — McQuiston 37 field goal 9:05
Rid — Landis 31 run (McQuiston kick) 6:28
OH — Maynards 11 run (kick failed) 3:52
Rid — Bates 36 pass from Davis (McQuiston kick) 1:35
Fourth Quarter
Rid — McQuiston 33 field goal 10:42