Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

SOUTH POINT — A lot of things went well for the Chesapeake Panthers Friday night.

The running game went well as the Panthers racked up 259 yards on just 37 carries. Nate Jones ran well as he carried 12 times for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Jacob Collins also ran well with six carries for 72 yards and two scores.

The defense played well highlighted by Jones’ 66-yard interception return for a touchdown. The defense allowed just 123 total yards including 82 yards on the ground.

“We did a lot of things well. We got a big lead and then we backed off and just tried to get out with no one getting hurt,” said Panthers’ coach Andy Clark.

“We’ve got a tough one ahead. We’re playing well and we’ve improved, but next week is going to be a whole lot tougher than anyone we’ve played.”

The Panthers go to Coal Grove in a game that should decide the OVC champion. The two teams have split the league title the past two years and they are 3-0 in the league. Chesapeake won it in 2010 and Coal Grove took the title last year.

Jones had a 29-yard run for a touchdown just 20 seconds into the game to put the Panthers up 7-0.

Later in the quarter the Panthers took a 14-0 lead on a 1-yard run by Javon Thompson.

The lead went to 28-0 in the second quarter on an 11-yard scoring run by Collins and a 35-yard gallop by Jones.

The Pointers (1-7, 1-2) got on the scoreboard when quarterback Gage Townson rambled 16 yards for a touchdown with just 1:28 left in the half.

But Jones got the score back with his interception return less than four minutes into the second half and it was 34-6.

Collins had an 18-yard touchdown run just before the end of the third quarter to cap the scoring.

Townson ran six times for 55 yards and Larry Brandon had 44 yards on eight attempts to lead the Pointers’ offense.

Chesapeake 14 14 12 0 = 40

South Point 0 6 0 0 = 6

First Quarter

Ch — Nate Jones 29 run (Wesley Stephens kick) 11:40

Ch — Javon Thompson 1 run (Wesley Stephens kick) 1:07

Second Quarter

Ch — Jacob Collins 11 run (Wesley Stephens kick) 10:38

Ch — Nate Jones 35 run (Wesley Stephens kick) 5:39

SP — Gage Townson 16 run (kick blocked) 1:28

Third quarter

Ch — Nate Jones 66 interception return (kick failed) 8:48

Ch — Jacob Collins 18 run (kick failed) 2:57

Team Statistics

Ch SP

First downs 17 6

Rushes-yards 37-259 28-82

Passing yards 42 41

Total yards 301 123

Cmp-Att-Int 4-9-0 4-18-3

Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0

Penalties-yards 3-15 6-60

Punts-average 3-23.0 6-20.8

Individual Leaders

RUSHING—Chesapeake: Jacob Collins 6-72, Nate Jones 12-138, Caleb Lindsey 3-22, Brandon Clagg 6-19, Javon Thompson 3-minus 10, Grant Hawthorne 2-0, Zach Blair 2-6, Shaden White 2-0, Austin Hutchison 1-12; South Point: D’Angelo Palladino 3-minus 8, Josh Browning 1-minus 7, Gage Townson 6-55, James Leonard 6-4, Larry Brandon 8-44, Austin Majher 4-minus 6.

PASSING—Chesapeake: Caleb Lindsey 4-9-0 42; South Point: Gage Townson 4-18-3 41.

RECEIVING—Chesapeake: Andrew Saunders 1-15, Javon Thompson 2-20, Nate Jones 1-7; South Point: Reed Murnahan 2-20, Larry Brandon 2-21.