By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

COAL GROVE — The Coal Grove Hornets won the battle but lost the war.

Despite out-gaining Bishop Ready, the Hornets were unable to hang on as the Knights rallied on the last play of the game for a heartbreaking 23-22 win Friday night.

Coal Grove (1-3) had taken a 22-15 lead on a 40-yard pass from Alex Bare to Jordan Beals. T.J. Barrett added the conversion kick.

But the Knights used a 28-yard touchdown pass play from Matt Yoho to Hunter Clanin to get within a point with no time left on the clock.

An offside penalty moved the ball half the distance to the goal, so Ready elected to bypass the possible game-tying conversion kick and go for the winning two-point conversion.

Matt Yoho threw to brother Gregg Yoho for the successful conversion and Bishop Ready came away with the win.

The Hornets went up 7-0 in the first quarter on a 25-yard run by Bare.

For the game, Bare was 4 of 9 passing for 135 yards and two touchdowns and also ran three times for 48 yards and a score.

Beals had two receptions for 93 yards and the two touchdowns. Greg Bender ran eight times for 53 yards and also led the defense with 13 tackles.

Ready (3-2) tied the game on a 1-yard run by Bo Hardy who finished the game with 32 carries for 97 yards.

The Hornets took a 15-7 lead in the third quarter on a 53-yard Bare to Beals pass play and then Bare ran for the conversion.

But Ready answered with a 13-yard scoring strike from Matt Yoho to Gregg Yoho and Matt Yoho ran for the conversion.

Matt Yoho finished the game 11 of 21 for 161 yards.

Ready 0 7 0 16 = 23

Coal Grove 7 0 8 7 = 22

First Quarter

CG – Alex Bare 25 run (T.J. Barrett kick)

Second Quarter

BR – Bo Hardy 1 run (John Wright kick)

Third Quarter

CG – Jordan Beals 53 pass from Alex Bare (Bare run)

Fourth Quarter

BR – Gregg Yoho 13 pass from Matt Yoho (Matt Yoho run)

CG – Jordan Beals 40 pass from Alex Bare (T.J. Barrett kick)

BR – Hunter Clanin 28 pass from Matt Yoho (Gregg Yoho pass from Matt Yoho)

BR CG

Rushes-yards 36-103 30-141

Passing yards 161 135

Total yards 264 276

Cmp-Att-Int 11-21-0 4-9-0

Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0

Penalties-yards NA 6-55

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING–Ready: Bo Hardy 32-97; Coal Grove: Greg Bender 8-53, Jordan Beals 1-4, Kyle Estep 7-9, Alex Bare 3-48, Isaiah Gunther 5-27.

PASSING–Ready: Matt Yoho 11-21-0 161; Coal Grove: Alex Bare 4-9-0 135.

RECEIVING–Ready: Gregg Yoho 6-99, Hunter Clanin 1-28; Coal Grove: Jordan Beals 2-93, Bryan Steele1-18, Isaiah Gunther 1-14.

Defensive Leaders

Deflections-Coal Grove: Greg Bender 1, Brandon Hogsten 1.

Tackle-Coal Grove: Greg Bender 13, James Suttles 6, Brandon Hogsten 5, Bryan Steele5, Jordan Beals 5, Eric Fields 5.