Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PORTSMOUTH — The Coal Grove Hornets found a passing game to compliment their running game.

The running game didn’t really need the help.

Coal Grove ran 55 times for 290 yards as the Hornets rolled past the Portsmouth Trojans 34-7 on Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Matty Cordle took over as the starting quarterback and completed 7-of-10 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown to give the Hornets 389 total yards.

But the Hornets again relied on their balanced running game.

Jacob Clark carried nine times for 78 yards and a score, Tanner Henry ran 11 times for 56 yards and two TDs, and Daniel Rutherford — the running back turned quarterback turned running back again — rushed 10 times for 65 yards.

Coal Grove’s defense limited the Trojans to just 135 total yards. Portsmouth had 80 yards on 26 carries on the ground and was just 4-of-12 passing for 55 yards. Rutherford had an interception for the Hornets.

Coal Grove (5-4, 4-1) had two touchdowns called back due to holding penalties. Henry went 68 yards with 3:54 left in the first quarter and Tanner Dolen returned a punt 66 yards for a score with 4:17 left in the game. Both resulted in no scoring drives.

The Hornets scored at the 5:43 mark of the first quarter on a 12-yard run by Henry on the first play following a fumble recovery. Evan Holmes booted the first of four point-after kicks.

Coal Grove put together a 60-yard, 5-play drive that ended quickly as Clark bolted 50 yards for the score and it was 13-0.

Portsmouth (3-6, 2-4) cut the deficit to 13-7 just before halftime when Cole Lowery hit Dylan Mullins with a 51-yard touchdown pass. Zach Delotell kicked the conversion.

The Hornets took the second half kickoff and marched 73 yards in just five plays capped by a 38-yard pass from Cordle to Isaac Howard at the 10:05 mark and it was 20-7.

Henry finished off a 90-yard, 17-play drive that started in the third quarter and spilled over into the fourth quarter as he ran 6 yards for a touchdown and it was 27-7 with 10:05 left.

Coal Grove put together a 40-yard, 8-play drive that ended when Cordle ran the final yard with 5:53 to go.

The Hornets will look to close out the regular season next Friday as they host Chesapeake in the annual battle for the Little Brown Jug.

Coal Grove 7 6 14 7 = 34

Portsmouth 0 7 0 0 = 7

First Quarter

CG — Tanner Henry 12 run (Evan Holmes kick) 5:43

Second Quarter

CG — Jacob Clark 50 run (kick failed) 5:09

Prt — Dylan Mullins 51 pass from Cole Lowery (Zach Delotell kick) 1:53

Third Quarter

CG — Isaac Howard 38 pass from Matty Cordle (Evan Holmes kick) 10:05

Fourth Quarter

CG — Tanner Henry 6 run (Evan Holmes kick) 10:24

CG — Matty Cordle 1 run (Evan Holmes kick) 5:53

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CG Prt

First downs 20 5

Rushes-yards 55-290 26-80

Passing yards 99 55

Total yards 389 135

Cmp-Att-Int 8-12-0 4-12-1

Fumbles-lost 2-1 2-1

Penalties-yards 17-145 17-144

Punts-average 4-36.3 7-33.6

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING —Coal Grove: Jacob Clark 9-78 TD, Daniel Rutherford 10-6, Tanner Henry 11-56 2-TD, Ranze Large 3-31,Evan Holmes 1-22, Kimo Baldwin 4-20, Tristin Hankins 2-13, Wyatt Boggs 3-7, Isaac Howard 4-7, Kyle Sites 2-5, Corey Baker 1-1, Dylan Malone 1-minus 2, Joey Workman 1-minus 3, Matty Cordle 3-minus 10 TD; Portsmouth: Cole Lowery 13-52, Austin Hollins 8-24, Darray Richardson 3-3, Austin Mullins 2-1.

PASSING — Coal Grove: Matty Cordle 7-10-0 98 TD, Daniel Rutheford 1-1-0 1; Portsmouth: Cole Lowery 4-12-1 55 TD.

RECEIVING — Coal Grove: Isaac Howard 1-38 TD, Daniel Rutherford 2-29, Sam Angelo 2-20, Jacob Clark 2-9, Tanner Dolen 1-3; Portsmouth: Dyan Mullins 1-51 TD, Austin Mullins 1-4, Austin Hollins 2-0.