Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

COAL GROVE — It was “gut check” time for the Coal Grove Hornets and things checked out pretty well.

Trailing 19-16 with less than five minutes to play, the Hornets drove for the winning touchdown as they beat the Waverly Tigers 22-19 Friday in a non-league game.

The Hornets got the ball with 4:35 to play at their own 39-yard line and proceeded to drive the distance in eight plays for the winning score.

Quarterback Jesse Rigsby kept the ball and ran 28 yards for the touchdown with 2:08 to play on a third-and-4 play. The conversion run failed.

Waverly had one final chance, but the Hornets’ Austen Pleasants forced a fumble and Joe Akers pounced on the ball at the Waverly 36.

Coal Grove (3-2) then proceeded to run out the clock.

All eight plays in the winning drive were on the ground, much like the entire game for the Hornets who ran 54 times for 341 yards.

Isaiah Gunther led Coal Grove with 171 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns. Austin Ruggles had 90 yards on 18 tries while Rigsby added 61 yards on nine attempts.

Waverly (2-3) had 237 total yards including 194 on the ground.

Devon Rigsby had 91 yards on 17 attempts and R.J. Perkins ran 12 times for 73 yards.

The Tigers took the opening kickoff and drove to the Hornets’ 13-yard line but missed on a 30-yard field goal attempt.

After a scoreless first quarter, Waverly took a 7-0 lead on a Drew Harris 2-yard scoring run to cap a 46-yard, 9-play drive. Clayton Howell kicked the conversion.

Coal Grove answered with a 9-play, 56-yard scoring drive capped by Gunther’s 3-yard run. Tanner Murphy ran for the conversion and the Hornets led 8-7.

Waverly took a 13-8 lead late in the third quarter on a 1-yard run by Perkins.

The Hornets came right back with a methodical 62-yard, 11-play drive the ended on a 15-yard scoring run by Gunther four plays into the fourth quarter. Ruggles ran for the conversion and Coal Grove led 16-13.

It was the Tigers’ turn again and their possession resulted in a 66-yard, 11-play scoring march. Perkins finished off the drive with a 20-yard scoring run and Waverly led 19-16 with 6:08 to play.

Coal Grove then went on its game-winning drive.

Waverly 0 7 6 6 = 19

Coal Grove 0 8 0 14 = 22

Second Quarter

Wa — Drew Harris 2 run (Clayton Howell kick) 6:47

CG — Isaiah Gunther 3 run (Tanner Murphy run) 1:26

Third Quarter

Wa — R.J. Perkins 1 run (pass failed) 3:58

Fourth Quarter

CG — Isaiah Gunther 15 run (Austin Ruggles run) 10:48

Wa — R.J. Perkins 20 run (kick fail) 6:08

CG — Jesse Rigsby 28 run (run failed) 2:08

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Wa CG

First downs 15 22

Rushes-yards 40-194 54-341

Passing yards 49 60

Total yards 237 394

Cmp-Att-Int 4-8-0 4-8-0

Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-1

Penalties-yards 0-0 3-34

Punts-average 2-29.5 0-00.0

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING —Waverly: Devon Rigsby 17-91, R.J. Perkins 12-73, Bryan Cydrus 6-21, Drew Harris 5-9; Coal Grove: Isaiah Gunther 23-171, Austin Ruggles 18-90, Jesse Rigsby 9-61, Tanner Murphy 2-11, Daniel Rutherford 2-8.

PASSING — Waverly: R.J. Perkins 4-8-0 49; Coal Grove: Jesse Rigsby 4-8-0 60.

RECEIVING — Waverly: Bryan Cydrus 2-26, Cole Minshall 2-23; Coal Grove: Joe Akers 2-32, Sean Paulus 1-20, Isaiah Gunther 1-8.