Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

COAL GROVE — Big is not better.

Big plays and a big turnover spelled disaster for the Coal Grove Hornets in a 47-14 loss to the Lucasville Valley Indians on Saturday.

Valley (2-0) got a kickoff return for a touchdown, a long scoring pass and a long scoring run, and a fumble return for a score to down the Hornets.

Bryce Romanello returned the opening kickoff 60 yards, then lateralled to Blake Howard who ran the final 25 yards for the score.

Bryan Rolfe kicked the first of five conversions and the Indians were up 7-0 just 13 seconds into the game.

Coal Grove (0-2) then drove 59 yards in six plays capped by Jacob Clark’s 16-yard run and Jeb Jones’ kick tied the game with 6:48 on the clock.

Valley answered with a 65-yard, nine-play drive that ended with a 1-yard Howard run and it was 14-7.

Rolfe ran a yard for a touchdown to finish off an 84-yard, 12-play drive and it was 21-7 with 2:26 left in the half.

But the Hornets thought the ensuing kickoff was going out of bounds and failed to cover the ball. The Indians jumped on the ball at the Coal Grove 20. Howard scored on a 12-yard run three plays later and it was 28-7 at the half.

Coal Grove got a break with a fumble recovery at the Valley 38. Daniel Rutherford hit Clark with a touchdown pass on the next play and the Hornets trailed 28-14 at the 8:51 mark of the third quarter.

The Indians opened up a 35-14 lead when Sam Basham ran 4 yards to cap a 41-yard, eight-play drive after stopping the Hornets on downs.

Coal Grove fumbled on its next possession and Romanello returned the ball 21 yards for the touchdown to make it 41-14 with 6:23 left.

Basham broke free on a 57-yard scoring run with 1:32 left to complete the scoring.

The Hornets ran 4 times for 247 yards led by Rutherford with 88 yards on six attempts. Clark had 69 yards on 12 carries and Kimo Baldwin 55 yards on 12 tried.

Rutherford was 4-of-8 passing for 52 yards as Coal Grove racked up 299 total yards.

Valley had 366 total yards with 278 coming on the ground. Howard ran 14 times for 101 yards and Basham 101 yards on eight attempts. Rolfe was 4-of-10 passing for 88 yards.

Lucas. Valley 14 14 0 19 = 47

Coal Grove 0 7 7 0 = 14

First Quarter

LV — Blake Howard 25 yard kickoff return (Bryan Rolfe kick), 11:47

CG – Jacob Clark 16-yard run (Jeb Jones kick), 6:48

LV – Blake Howard 1 yard run (Bryan Rolfe kick), 2:37

Second Quarter

LV — Bryan Rolfe 1-yard run (Bryan Rolfe kick), 2:26

LV — Blake Howard 12-yard run (Bryan Rolfe kick), 1:36

Third Quarter

CG — Jacob Clark 38-yard pass from Daniel Rutherford (Jeb Jones kick), 8:51

Fourth Quarter

LV — Sam Basham 4-yard run (Bryan Rolfe kick), 7:09

LV — Bryce Romenello 19-yard fumble recovery (kick blocked), 6:23

LV – Sam Basham 57-yard run (2-pt. conversion failed), 1:32

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LV CG

First downs 12 13

Rushes-yards 41-278 47-247

Passing yards 88 52

Total yards 366 299

Cmp-Att-Int 4-10-0 4-9-1

Fumbles-lost 2-2 2-2

Punts-average 1-38.0 2-21.0

Penalties-yards 5-55 3-20

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING — LV: Blake Howard 14-101, 2 TDs, Sam Basham 8-101, 2 TDs, Drew Wolford 9-58, Bryan Rolfe 8-13, 1 TD, J.T. Ward 2-5; CG: Daniel Rutherford 6-88, Jacob Clark 12-69, 1 TD, Kimo Baldwin 12-55, Tanner Henry 11-33, Tanner Dolen 3-5, Isaac Howard 1-4, Ranze Large 1-1, Chase McKnight 1-minus 8.

PASSING— LV: Bryan Rolfe 4-10-0, 88 yards; CG: Daniel Rutherford 4-8-1, 52 yards, 1 TD, Tanner Dolen 0-1-0.

RECEIVING—LV: Blake Howard 3-53, Bryce Romanello 1-35. CG: Jacob Clark 2-42, Chase McKnight 1-12, Sam Angeo 1-minus 2.

KICK RETURNS­ – LV: Bryce Romanello 1-60, Blake Howard 3-50. CG: Chase McKnight 1-33, Jacob Clark 1-27, Nathan Harrison 1-15, Tanner Henry 1-11, Isaac Howard 1-9.

PUNT RETURNS – LV: None. CG: None.

INTERCEPTION RETURNS – LV: Sam Basham 1-3. CG: None.