Beavers make gridiron return a triumphant one
Bluefield (27) vs. Oak Hill (14)
Written: Oct 22, 2011
OAK HILL — Playoff aspirations were on the line as the Bluefield Beavers executed the necessary plays to hold off charging Oak Hill on Friday night.
Both teams entered with losing records in need of a win to continue any hope of playoff chances, and it was visiting Bluefield (3-4) who prevailed at John P. Duda Stadium, 27-14.
“They’re a good football team,” Beavers coach Fred Simon said of the Red Devils (3-5). “I’m proud of our players for beating a good football team. Coach [Eddie] Souk and that bunch have done a good job with those kids.”
Bluefield maintained a 19-0 halftime lead, but Oak Hill found its way back into the game as the second half progressed.
Red Devil running back Jalen Jones scored and kicked the extra-point with 3:24 remaining in the game to pull Oak Hill within one score at 19-14. Bluefield’s Ryan Shorter recovered the ensuing onside kick, though, to prevent Oak Hill from continuing its momentum.
“My plan was just to recover it and make sure they had no chance,” Shorter said. “I knew they couldn’t recover it if it didn’t go 10 yards, but I just wanted to make sure they had no chance.”
Two plays later, Beavers running back C.J. Manns scored on a 42-yard touchdown rush, and quarterback D.J. Edwards hit Manns with a successful conversion pass for the final points.
The Beavers recovered the ensuing kickoff on an unintended onside kick. Without starting kicker Justin Mariotti, Bluefield inserted backup kickers, who could not find the same success as Mariotti.
The final Bluefield kickoff wasn’t intended to be an onside, but Brandon Tabor recovered the squib of a kick. Bluefield held the ball until 50 seconds left in the game.
In the first half, it didn’t appear there would be much of a contest as the Beavers accumulated a 19-0 lead.
Brad Fox provided the game’s first points on a 78-yard run. Mariotti was injured on the point-after attempt and limped off the field. A roughing-the-kicker penalty allowed Bluefield a two-point try, but it was unsuccessful.
Oak Hill failed to move the ball on its first drive, but that wasn’t the worst part of its first series. A low snap on the punt attempt allowed Shorter to pick up the loose football and rumble 20 yards for a touchdown. Mariotti returned and his kick was good for a 13-0 lead just three minutes into the game.
Defense continued to play big for Bluefield in the first half as the Beavers forced Oak Hill to turnover on downs three separate times.
“I was proud of our defense,” Simon said. “I thought we played more aggressive than we had in the last few weeks, and we needed to, because that team has a lot of speed — and they’re big up front. They’re not small.”
Later in the second quarter, Mariotti left the game again suffering another injury on a 25-yard field goal attempt. The kick missed, but Oak Hill committed another roughing-the-kicker penalty. Two plays later, Edwards scored on a 1-yard run in the second quarter to put Bluefield ahead 19-0. The two-point conversion failed.
Ray Sullivan finally provided the Red Devils with some offensive momentum scoring on a 2-yard rush during the opening drive of the second half.
Oak Hill appeared to have momentum on its side, but penalties plagued the Red Devils on both offense and defense.
Still, Oak Hill fought and never gave up.
“All in all, I think our kids played well,” Oak Hill coach Eddie Souk said. “We didn’t win on the scoreboard. That’s an old cliché. You don’t win on the scoreboard, you don’t win the football game, but our kids played well enough to win tonight. Things just didn’t go our way.”
Instead, events unfolded in favor of Bluefield, and that’s why the Beavers still have hopes of postseason play.
“Great, because that’s what we work for,” Simon said. “We work them hard and that’s what we’re trying for.”
Bluefield will play host to James Monroe at 7:30 p.m. Friday. At the same time, Oak Hill will host PikeView.
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