Golden Knights lose heart-breaker
Mount View (12) vs. Tug Valley (18)
Written: Sep 14, 2013
By GARY DOVE
for the Daily Telegraph
WELCH — Friday night’s football game between the visiting Tug Valley Panthers and the host Mount View Golden Knights was a match of two different offensive styles.
The Panthers, now 2-1, used a brutal ground attack to capture an 18-12 decision over the Golden Knights at Vic Nystrom Stadium.
Mount View, on the other hand, relied on its quick-strike offense that netted scores of 50 and 76 yards in the effort.
In fact, it was a 50 yard Chris Muncy-to-Marquis Bonds on the first snap of the game that not only gave the Knights a 6-0 lead, but provided the initial points of the season for the View.
Related Golden Knight head coach Todd McCoy of his team’s effort, “This was the best we’ve played together all season.”
The Panthers, from Mingo County, answered with a 9 play, 62 yard drive that sophomore quarterback Tyler Conley capped with a 16 yard scoring strike to a wide open Aaron Copley.
Tug Valley took the lead with 11:12 showing in the second quarter on a Conley 16 yard toss to Austin Baisden. That scoring march took 10 plays and covered 89 yards.
Three snaps into the Knights’ ensuing possession, senior speedster LaQuell Martin took a handoff, darted left around end and raced 76 yards for the second deadlock of the contest, with 9:41 on the first half clock.
To open the second half, the Mount View defense held the Panthers to four plays for the only time of the night, and took charge in great field position at the Tug Valley 43.
A pair of first downs moved the pigskin to the Panther 22, where Jamari Perry picked up four yards and Mount View picked up another first down on a personal foul that moved the ball to the nine.
An incompletion on first down was followed by Perry picking up a pair on the actual second down. However the chain crew showed that play as third, bringing up a fourth-and-goal from the seven. An incomplete pass gave the ball back to the controlling Panthers.
Conley engineered a 19 play, 93 yard drive that saw him score the winning points on a keeper off the left side of his line with 9:37 remaining in the game.
Mount View picked up one first down, but punted the ball away, from the Panther 44, with 5:49 left in the game.
Running out the clock from there was a piece of cake for Conley and the Panthers, who ran 11 plays to secure the win.
Analyzed Tug Valley head coach Tony Clusky of his team’s style of offense, “It’s the type offense we have to run right now, with our two big backs (senior David Runyon and sophomore Phillip Lucas. Runyon weighs 192 and Lucas tips the scales at 208).”
The difference in the styles was highlighted by three more statistics, besides the number of plays in each scoring drive:
Tug Valley ran 74 plays from scrimmage in the game to only 32 for the Knights. The Panthers amassed 353 total yards, while Mount View netted 174, and first downs favored the visitors 27 to 6.
The View, now 0-3, will visit Liberty-Raleigh Friday night, while Tug Valley will travel to Haysi, Va.
Continued Coach McCoy, “Our defense just couldn’t get a three-and-out, but I’m encouraged by the way we played together.”
At Vic Nystrom Stadium
Tug Valley..........6 6 0 6 — 18
Mount View..........6 6 0 0 — 12
First Quarter
MV - Marquis Bonds 50 yd pass from Chris Muncy (PAT run failed) 11:40
TV - Aaron Copley 16 yd pass from Tyler Conley (PAT pass failed) 7:07
Second Quarter
TV - Austin Baisden 16 yd pass from Conley (PAT pass failed) 11:12
MV - LaQuell Martin 76 yd run (PAT run failed) 9:41
Fourth Quarter
TV - Conley 5 yd run (PAT run failed) 9:37
|