#2 Big Reds Clear #3 Hurricane Hurdle, 19-7, May Move To #1

The number two ranked Big Reds cleared a huge hurdle by scalping the third-ranked Hurricane Redskins 19-7 at Hurricane and could leap into the number one spot in next week's Class AAA ratings.

Andy Thomas ran for two touchdowns while Matt Lindamood added his 16th TD of the year to go with 105 yards rushing as the Big Reds played patented ball control football against pass-happy Hurricane, which was looking for some "respect" according to a Charleston newspaper article. The Big Reds, now 6-0, ran 60 offensive plays, 50 of them on the muddy turf as they played traditional PHS power football. Hurricane was limited to 37 total offensive plays.

While Lindamood ran for 105 yards, both Thomas and churning Charlie Taylor added 45 each and PHS finished with 212 yards rushing and had 16 first downs. Hurricane had 178 yards through the air, completing 14 of 24 passes including one for a touchdown. But the Big Red defense sacked Redskins quarterback Justin Henry four times (one in each quarter) and the home team wound up with minus 11 yards on the ground and eight first downs. PHS also intercepted Henry twice.

Although spotting Hurricane an early touchdown (the sixth time in six games a big play has resulted in the lone score against the Big Red defense), PHS came back to score in each of the final three quarters.

Hurricane's first two plays were a preview of things to come as they gained no yards on a running play and then Matt Littleton got through to sack Henry on his first pass attempt. Two plays later Mason Roberts returned a punt four yards to the Parkersburg 44 and the Big Reds began a slow march against a very stubborn Hurricane defense which had posted shutouts in its first two games and then held George Washington and Cabell Midland to two touchdowns each.

The Big Reds drove to the 25 of the Redskins but on second down Thomas' pass was intercepted and Hurricane took over on its own 30.

This time the Redskins tried some razzle-dazzle - and it worked. A pass to the slot back, who then threw downfield to Justin Chapman, who was all alone, gained 37 yards to the PHS 33 yard line. On the next play Henry dropped back and had his choice of four receivers who were all streaking straight down the field. He picked on Ty Asay, who caught the ball at the goal line for a touchdown with 5:28 left in the first quarter. Nick Schirtzinger's kick made it 7-0.

PHS ran nine offensive plays before settling for a Thomas punt to the 24 yard line. Hurricane tried three passes, completing one for an 11 yard gain, before a 17 yard holding penalty put them back on their own 18 yard line and set up Thomas' interception and 15 yard runback to the Redskin 12 yard line.

Four plays later Thomas sneaked over right guard from two yards out with 8:52 remaining in the second quarter to make the score 7-6. The extra point kick by Tyler Warner was ruled no good, wide left, although the official on that side of the goal post gave no signal and was heard to say he did not see the ball. PHS cameraman Larry Kave, standing directly behind the goalposts, said the kick was good but the other official under the other side of the goalposts ruled the kick was no good and PHS appeared to have lost a crucial point in what could have been a game decider.

On the last play of the first half, Thomas found Taylor for a pass and run play which gained 41 yards to the Hurricane six yard line but the Redskins were able to go into the locker rooms at the intermission leading by a point despite having minus 22 yards on the ground.

A 21 yard punt return by Roberts which took the ball to the Hurricane 29 yard line set the stage for the PHS go-ahead score. Deciding to go strictly with a power offense, PHS ran six straight plays to move the ball to the one and Lindamood went over from the one with 4:40 on the clock for a 12-7 lead that would stand up but not without some more work by the PHS defense and offense.

Hurricane tried to mix it up on its next offensive series but after a sack by Joe Shafer, Lindamood tipped a pass which Roberts reeled in at returned eight yards to the PHS 38 yard line. Lindamood and Taylor then took turns carrying the ball with Taylor shrugging off would-be tacklers. After a four yard run by Thomas took the ball to a first down at the 20 yard line the Big Reds were hit with their only penalty of the game, a 10 yard holding call that forced PHS to change its play calling. A sack, an incompletion and a three yard reception forced the Big Reds to punt the ball inside the Hurricane 20.

The home team picked up a couple of first downs but ran out of gas around midfield and on fourth down tried a shovel pass that was nearly intercepted. PHS took over on its own 47 and ran four plays to the Hurricane 38. Lindamood then broke through the pileup at the line of scrimmage, cut outside and rambled to the two yard line before being caught from behind. He carried again but was stopped for no gain before becoming a very effective decoy. Thomas faked to Lindamood, kept the ball and went around left end into the end zone untouched for the clinching touchdown with 1:02 left to play.

In the second half Hurricane's deepest penetration was the PHS 42 yard line and the Redskins were able to run just 21 plays from scrimmage while the Big Reds had 26 running plays and two pass attempts.

In addition to Littleton, Shafer, Travis Bunner and Matt Doster had sacks for the PHS defense. 

Scoring

Parkersburg (6-0)                0       6       6       7       -        19

Hurricane (4-1)                     7       0       0       0       -        7

^{Scoring Plays}

H – Ty Asay 33 pass from Justin Henry (Nick Schirtzinger kick) 5:28 1^st

P – Andy Thomas 2 run (kick failed) 8:52 2^nd

P – Matt Lindamood 1 run (run failed) 4:40 3^rd

P – Andy Thomas 2 run (Tyler Warner kick) 1:02 4^th

Individual Statistics