Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

COAL GROVE — It all depends on which side of the scoreboard you focus that you determine the key to Friday’s win for the Coal Grove Hornets.

Coal Grove blanked the South Point Pointers 40-0 in an Ohio Valley Conference game. Having 40 points makes some think the Hornets had a good offense. The zero points on the other side make some think the Hornets had a good defense.

They’re both right.

Coal Grove (3-0, 1-0) racked up 340 total yards with a balanced offense led by Kimo Baldwin who ran eight times for 103 yards and two touchdowns as well as quarterback Matty Cordle who was 6-of-9 passing for 109 yards and three scores.

Jacob Clark added 57 yards on seven carries and Daniel “Rudy” Rutherford ran five times for 34 yards and caught two TD passes.

The Hornets’ defense limited South Point to 67 total yards — all on the ground — and just four first downs.

Baldwin did well on defense, too. He intercepted a pass on the Pointers’ first series and set up a quick 17-yard, two-play drive. Rutherford ran 11 yards for the score and Jeb Jones’ kick made it 7-0.

South Point (0-4, 0-1) punted on its next series and Baldwin ran 52 yards for a touchdown on the first play as the lead went to 14-0.

A bobbled snap on a punt set up a 37-yard, seven-play Hornets’ scoring drive capped by a 16-yard pass from Cordle to Rutherford. Jones’ kick put the lead at 21-0 with just 13 seconds to go in the first quarter.

Coal Grove used five plays to go 53 yards on its next possession and Baldwin scored on an 8-yard run for a 27-0 lead.

The Hornets put together their longest drive of the game to start the third quarter as they marched 70 yards in 10 plays for the touchdown. Cordle threw a 12-yard scoring strike to Nathan Harrison and Jones kicked the conversion for a 34-0 lead.

With a running clock the rest of the game, Coal Grove capped the scoring when Cordle and Rutherford teamed up on an 11-yard touchdown pass with 10:50 to play.

Next Friday, Coal Grove visits Chesapeake in a OVC showdown while South Point goes to Ironton.

South Point 0 0 0 0 = 0

Coal Grove 21 6 7 6 = 40

First Quarter

CG — Daniel Rutherford 11-yard run (Jeb Jones kick), 9:08

CG — Kimo Baldwin 52-yard run (Jeb Jones kick), 5:21

CG — Daniel Rutherford 16-yard pass from Matty Cordle (Jeb Jones kick), 0:13

Second Quarter

CG — Kimo Baldwin 8-yard run (kick failed), 9:33

Third Quarter

CG — Nathan Harrison 12-yard pass from Matty Cordle (Jeb Jones kick), 8:06

Fourth Quarter

CG — Daniel Rutherford 11-yard pass from Matty Cordle (kick failed), 10:50

SP CG

First downs 4 16

Rushes-yards 45-67 31-231

Passing yards 0 109

Total yards 67 340

Cmp-Att-Int 0-3-1 6-9-0

Fumbles-lost 2-1 2-1

Punts-average 4-29.5 1-36.0

Penalties-yards 4-20 7-70

Individual Leaders

RUSHING — CG: Kimo Baldwin 8-102 2-TDs, Jacob Clark 7-57, Daniel Rutherford 5-34 TD, Tanner Henry 4-19, Joey Workman 2-9, Matty Cordle 3-8, Austin Stormes 1-4, Zack Hall 1-minus 2. SP: Owen Chafin 17-34, John Kuhn 16-29, Jared Whitt 6-14, Brandin Jackson 6-minus10.

PASSING — CG: Matty Cordle 6-9-0 for 109 yards 3 TDs. SP: Brandin Jackson 0-3-1.

RECEIVING — CG: Daniel Rutherford 3-79 2-TDs, Dylan Malone 2-18, Nathan Harrison 1-12 TD. SP: None.

KICK RETURNS­ — CG: Daniel Rutherford 1-14. SP: Not available.

PUNT RETURNS — CG: Joey Workman 1-20, Daniel Rutherford 1-12, Nate Harmon 1-minus 2. SP: None.

INTERCEPTION RETURNS —CG: Kimo Baldwin 1-30. SP: None.