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Big Reds Up Record To 3-0 With 34-7 Win Over Tigers

The Parkersburg Big Reds scored the first five times they had the ball then went into cruise control to record their third straight victory of the young season - a 34-7 triumph in the 107th meeting with visiting Ohio River rival Marietta.

Alex Ash threw for 216 yards including two touchdowns to Jeremy Bell while Adam Lindamood ran for two scores before the PHS starters went to the bench at the end of three quarters of play. It marked the third straight game the Big Reds had scored five touchdowns.

After watching the four legendary Phillips brothers be inducted into the PHS Football Hall of Fame, the Big Reds put on a show for the fans by piling up nearly 400 yards in total offense (393) and playing pretty good defense on every Tigers except running back Dustin Baker, who rambled for 151 yards on 19 carries and scored his team's only touchdown.

Ash completed 13 of 20 passes with no interceptions while Bell caught six of the balls for 62 yards. Five other Big Reds had pass receptions during the game and Matt Santer mopped up with a completion for nine yards. Lindamood ran 15 times for 85 yards while sophomore Chandler Hamilton had 70 yards on nine carries and scored a touchdown on a sizzling 41 yard run late in the third quarter.

Defensively, Skyler Terrell, Josh Lewis and Santer all had seven tackles while John Weber had six. Santer had an interception while Weber and Huntar Shank came up with fumbles.

After PHS held Marietta and forced a punting situation, the Big Reds found themselves in a serious hole to start their first offensive series as the Tigers pulled off a pooch punt by quarterback Justin Futrell that was downed on the PHS two yard line. But that just meant more yards for the Big Reds to gain as Lindamood ran nine times on a 14 play drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock and ended on a two yard run by Lindamood behind the blocking of Wes O'Brien and Weber. Ash had pass completions of eight and 30 yards to Skyler Terrell and 14 yards to Bell on the drive while Lindamood accounted for 51 yards, including the final 15 on four straight carries. Cody Roney kicked the first of four extra points with 2:58 left in the first quarter.

A sack by Bell on third and long forced another Marietta punt and this time the Big Reds started from their own 32. Nine plays later they were again in the end zone, this time on a three yard run by Lindamood behind crushing blocks from D.J. Carozza and Luca ScottoDiluzio. Ash had completions of two and 20 yards to Bell and 17 yards to Adrian Webster on the drive while Hamilton had a big 15 yard gainer.

Marietta threatened to score on its next possession, thanks to a 39 yard kickoff return by Baker, who also had 13 tackles from his safety position on defense. But Santer ended the Tiger hopes with an interception in the end zone.

In just six plays PHS covered 80 yards to score on a pass from the one yard line as Ash lobbed the ball to the 6-foot-5 Bell, who simply out leaped the shorter Marietta defender in the right corner of the end zone. Big plays were passes to Lindamood, who turned them into gains of eight and 41 yards. There was also a 37 yard completion to Shank on the drive.

By halftime, PHS already had 251 yards in total offense, including 178 through the air.

PHS got the ball to start the second half and Tre Jackson started things with a bang by returning the kickoff 55 yards into Marietta territory at the 43 yard line. From there it was a slow going at first but Ash finally found Santer for 14 yards and Lindamood broke loose for a 14 yard run to the 16 yard line. From there Bell made an over-the-shoulder reception to take the ball into the end zone for the fourth score of the night with 9:52 left in the third quarter.

Marietta then put together a 70-yard drive to finally get on the board but needed a 30 yard pass completion on third and long from near midfield. Baker scored on a seven yard run when the Tigers executed a perfect option pitch.

The Big Reds were forced to punt on the ensuing possession but had the kick blocked. A Marietta player touched the ball at the Parkersburg 46 yard line, was hit, fumbled it away and Weber picked the ball up and nearly scored, running all the way to the three yard line before being caught from behind. But the played was ruled a muffed punt catch even though the kick had been blocked and rolled on the ground before a player from the return team touched it and then lost control at approximately the original line of scrimmage.

But PHS wound up with the ball on their own 46 yard line and four plays later Hamilton turned in a memorable 41 yard touchdown run. The shifty sophomore stopped, changed directions and swivel-hipped his way around Marietta's two best tacklers and then dove the final five yards to reach the end zone with out-stretched arms. The extra point kick made it 34-7 with 24.4 seconds left in the third quarter.

Highlights of the fourth quarter included a fumble recovery by Shank and a 37 yard field goal attempt by Roney which was just short of the mark.

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FUMBLES: Marietta-Justin Futrell 2-0; Q. Coffield 1-1; Austin Jones 1-1. Parkersburg Big Reds-None.