Mutter’s foot leads Grundy past Hurley
Grundy (10) vs. Hurley (8)
Written: Sep 07, 2012
By LLOYD COMBS
for the Daily Telegraph
HURLEY, Va. — Grundy coach Jeremy Ward said one day Wayne Mutter would help his team win a game.
Friday was that game.
Mutter kicked a 35-yard field goal and kept Grundy with a field position advantage much of the night as the Golden Wave held off Hurley, 10-8, in Black Diamond District play at Smiley Ratliff Field at The Cliff.
In a game with more great defensive plays than on offense Mutter averaged 48 yards per punt and forced Hurley to start three of its four second-half possessions at or inside its own 20-yard line.
"We struggled on offense and we didn't attack as well as we should on defense," Grundy coach Jeremy Ward said. "But Wayne Mutter saved us by giving us good field position and keeping Hurley on its end of the field."
Tyler Stacy was a workhorse for the Rebels and one of the few bright spots on offense for either team. The senior tailback ran 28 times for 120 yards and a touchdown.
His 7-yard TD run and two-point conversion run in the first quarter would be the only points Hurley would score. It overshadowed a great defensive effort by the Rebels.
The other Stacy boys, Greg, Steven and Billy, Chad Estep and Tanner Charles led a Rebel defense that held Grundy to nine yards on the ground and 66 yards of total offense.
"Our line played great and our defense did a great job," Hurley coach Greg Tester said. "You hold a team to 10 points you should win the game. But you can't fumble the ball three or four times and expect to win."
Hurley (0-2) lost three of five fumbles, the final one coming on first down at the Grundy 21-yard line late in the third quarter.
Grundy played the final three quarters without leading rusher and leading tackler Nick Travis, who suffered a hip injury.
Daniel Ellis really stepped up after Travis went down and was in double figures in tackles. The hard-nosed senior also scored the lone Wave touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Dylan Billiter. Trey Smith threw a key block on the corner on the play.
"Daniel Ellis really stepped up for us when we needed him most," Ward said.
At Smiley Ratliff Field
Grundy.................................3 7 0 0 — 10
Hurley...................................8 0 0 0 — 8
Scoring Summary
G-Mutter 35 FG
H-T. Stacy 7 run (T. Stacy run)
G-Ellis 15 pass from Billiter (Mutter kick)
TEAM STATS
First Downs: G 7 H 17; Rushes-Yards: G 28-9; H 51-186; Passing Yards: G 57, H 28; Comp-Att-Int: G 3-11-0, H 2-10-0; Fumbles-Lost: G 3-3, H 5-3; Penalties-Yards: G 5-45, H 8-54; Punts-Average: G: 4-48.0, H: 2-11/5
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