Rebels gain victory in final minute
Hurley (22) vs. East Ridge, Ky. (14)
Written: Sep 15, 2012
By LLOYD COMBS
for the Daily Telegraph
LICK CREEK, Ky. — Neither offense made a lot of plays, especially in the second half.
But Hurley made a big one when it counted.
Ralph Jones’ 49-yard touchdown run with 52 seconds remaining lifted the Rebels to a dramatic 22-14 win at East Ridge in interstate play Friday night.
The score capped a defensive struggle and it ended a scoring drought for Hurley that dated back to the opening play of the second quarter. The timing of the play call and the execution could not have been better.
Jones countered to the left side on a double reverse and got two key blocks on the game-winning touchdown run.
“Coach (Anthony) Church was up top (on the roof of the press box) and he said they were flowing hard to the dive and to the toss let’s try a counter backside and it was wide open,” Hurley coach Greg Tester said. “Give all the credit to coach Church up top on the play call.
“Chris Hardin threw a big block down field and Austin Slone pulled and made a good block on that play.”
Hurley (1-2) took advantage of two East Ridge miscues to take an early 14-0 lead. The first of two interceptions by Tanner Charles set up the first score of the game.
Charles’ 41-yard return after his first pick set up a 10-yard TD run by Hurley quarterback Nick Gibson on the Rebels’ first series.
Near the end of the first period a bad punt snp by East Ridge gave Hurley the ball at the Warriors 4-yard line. It set up a one-yard touchdown run by Tyler Stacy.
The rest of the game belonged to the two defenses. Hurley allowed 195 total yards, all on the ground, but 108 of them came on two runs.
Robert Mullins was untouched on a simple off-tackle play and ran 41 yard for a second quarter score, and the Warriors tied the game at 14-14 after a 67-yard touchdown run by Michael Fields with 2:53 left to play.
The Rebels lost two fumbles, including one on the East Ridge 6-yard line. It was the third straight week Hurley had trouble hanging on to the football.
“We’ve still got lot of work to do,” Tester added. “We had a couple of defensive breakdowns, but the majority of the time the defense played well and kept us in the game.”
Dillon Bailey filled in in the second half for Tyler Stacy who left in the second quarter with a bad ankle sprain.
Bailey was the lone setback behind Gibson in the second half and ran for 80 of his team-high 85 yards on 11 carries. He also added a pair of two-point conversion runs.
At Lick Creek
Hurley.................6 8 0 8 — 22
East Ridge.............0 8 0 6 — 14
H-Gibson 10 run (run failed)
H-T. Stacy 1 run (Bailey run)
ER-R. Mullins 41 run (J. Skeens run)
ER-M. Fields 67 run (kick failed)
H-Jones 49 run (Bailey run)
———
TEAM STATISTICS
First Downs: H 10 ER 5; Rushes-Yards: H 47-201, ER 37-195; Passing Yards: H 32, ER 0;
Comp-Att-Int: H 2-8-0, ER 0-9-2; Fumbles-Lost: H 4-2, ER 3-0; Penalties: H 12-97, ER 4-20; Punts-Average: H 4-32.0, ER 4-37.5.
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