Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — The Coal Grove Hornets didn’t save their best for last, just the second half.
Tie 20-20 at the half, Coal Grove took over in the second half and went on to beat the Portsmouth Trojans 40-20 on Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
Coal Grove is now 4-1 and kept pace in the OVC race at 2-1. Portsmouth fell to 4-2 and suffered its first league loss and is also 2-1.
Jacob Clark had a huge game for the Hornets with 191 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns as Coal Grove piled up 383 yards rushing on 58 attempts and had 424 total yards.
Daniel Rutherford ran nine times for 81 yards and a touchdown. He also caught a 35-yard scoring pass. Quarterback Matty Cordle was 2-of-5 for 41 yards and a score.
Portsmouth quarterback Luke Purdy ran 14 times for 96 yards and scored twice. Talyn Parker added 67 yards on 13 carries.
The Hornets’ defense held the Trojans to just 180 total yards including only 16 through the air.
Portsmouth jumped in front 6-0 when Purdy ran 70 yards on the first play from scrimmage.
Coal Grove answered with a 79-yard, six-play drive capped by Kimo Baldwin’s 1-yad run. Clark was the key in the drive with a 66-yard run to the one.
Coal Grove took a 12-6 lead with 2:19left in the quarter as Clark ran 10 yards to finish off a short 40-yard drive. Rutherford had 25-yard punt return to put the Hornets in scoring position.
But Blake Wedebrook erased the Hornets’ hard work as he returned the kickoff 84 yards and it was 12-all.
Rutherford returned the kickoff 44 yards to set up the Hornets next score. Coal Grove went just 49 yards in seven plays as Cordle threw a 35-yard scoring strike to Rutherford. Clark ran for the conversion and a 20-12 lead.
The Trojans came right back with a 79-yard, 13-play drive as Purdy ran 7 yards for the score. He threw to Parker Johnson for the conversion with just 36 seconds left in the half.
Coal Grove took over in the second half and it was the defense that struck first.
James Baker knocked the ball out of Purdy’s hands at the 10-yard line and Josh Waulk fell on the ball in the end zone for the touchdown and it was 26-20 with 2:05 left in the quarter.
The Hornets then went on a 72-yard, seven-play march following a Rutherford interception. Rutherford ran 15 yards for the score with 10:44 left to play and it was 31-20.
Coal Grove put together another long drive that sealed the win by driving 72 yards on just five plays to score. Clark ran 3 yards for the touchdown and Henry added conversion.
Next Friday Coal Grove hosts Gallipolis and Portsmouth travels to Chesapeake in league games.
Portsmouth    12    8    0    0    =    20
Coal Grove    12    8    6    14    =    40
First Quarter
Prt — Luke Purdy 70 run (kick failed) 11:43
CG – Kimo Baldwin 1 run (kick failed) 7:16
CG – Jacob Clark 10 run (pass failed) 2:12
Prt – Blake Wedebrook 84 kickoff return (pass failed) 2:04
Second Quarter
CG — Daniel Rutherford 35 pass from Matty Cordle (Jacob Clark run) 11:12
Prt — Luke Purdy 7 run (Parker Johnson pass from Purdy) 0:36
Third Quarter
CG — Josh Waulk fumble recovery in end zone (pass failed) 2:05
Fourth Quarter
CG — Daniel Rutherford 15 run (pass failed) 10:44
CG — Jacob Clark 3 run (Tanner Henry run) 7:41
Prt    CG
First downs    7    26
Rushes-yards    31-164    58-383
Passing yards    16    41
Total yards    180    424
Cmp-Att-Int    2-5-1    2-5-0
Fumbles-lost    2-1    0-0
Penalties-yards    6-45    9-76
Punts-average    6-32.2    3-24.3
——
Individual Leaders
RUSHING—Portsmouth: Luke Purdy 14-96, Talyn Parker 13-67, Austin Lansing 4-1; CG: Jacob Clark 19-191 2-TD, Daniel Rutherford 9-81 TD, Tanner Henry 11-40, Kimo Baldwin 10-33 TD, Dylan Malone 3-15, Kyle Sites 2-17, Matty Cordle 3-6.
PASSING—Portsmouth: Luke Purdy 2-5-1 16; CG: Matty Cordle 2-5-0 41 TD.
RECEIVING—Portsmouth: Ryan Williams 2-16; CG: Daniel Rutherford 1-35 TD, Nathan Harrison 1-6.