Game Report: Wheelersburg 41 Portsmouth West 7

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Wheelersburg 41 Portsmouth West 7

Last night at Ed Miller Stadium, in Wheelersburg, Ohio the Southern Ohio Conference 2 title was on the line in a battle that pitted two undefeated teams. Portsmouth West came in 9-0 as did the home team Wheelersburg Pirates. I had posted on Southeasternohiopreps.com that I thought this would be a three to four touchdown win for the Pirates. A friend from West said he thought a 15 point win for the Pirates.
When all was said and done, neither of us came close to the final, because the Pirates exploded for a thirty four point win.

West would start their opening drive at their own 25-yard-line. On the first play from the line of scrimmage Dylan Bradford threw a short pass to Cody Staggs, who ran through three guys and then out ran the rest of the Pirates defense, for a 75-yard score. The giant size visitors' side erupted with cheers. Drew Cassidy used his powerful foot to make this a 7-0 game, with just 18-seconds going in the game. This was the longest pass play of the season for West.

The Pirates offense suffered a sack on their talented quarterback, Trent Salyers when Hunter Reed slung him down for a 6-yard loss. This was the third sack of the season for Reed and the 23rd sack for the team. Two plays later the Pirates were forced to punt the ball away.


West offense could not do anything on their next drive and they too would be forced to punt. Drew Cassidy hit a nice punt that Makya Matthews fielded on a bounce and headed up field, he was able to avoid two would be tacklers, but the third Gabe Skaggs put an end to the return as he wrapped him up and put him on the ground, with a loud thud, at the 7:58 mark of the opening quarter.


The clock read 2:24 when Joe Ignaz was able to get to Salyers and put the Junior quarterback of the Pirates on the ground for a 14-yard loss. Salyers got up and seemed undaunted by the sack and his offense slow start. That statement seemed to fit perfectly because at the 59.8 second mark of the quartered the calm, cool and collective quarterback dropped back to pass and found a wide-opened Avery Donini
for a 32-yard gain. Then with 22.9 seconds left Salyers again dropped back to pass, this time he looked down field and threw a beautiful looking pass to a wide opened Tanner Holden, who galloped into the end zone. The pass play covered 41-yards. The point after by one of the best kickers in the state, Jalen Miller locked this one up a seven apiece.Holden was able to break a diving tackle attempt by Cole Staggs to get into the end Zone.

On the ensuing kickoff Cole Staggs fielded the ball at his own 1-yard line and he broke several tackles before he was stopped by Evan Horsley, at the Pirates 30-yard line, with just :11 seconds to play in the exciting opening quarter. West had all of the momentum back on that side with the big return. On the first play of the drive Bradford scrambled around looking for anyone to get opened and when that did not happen, he tried to run but was taken down hard by Jeremy Cooper and C.J. Hall. Cooper won't have the stats to show it, but he had one heck of a first half.

Just :20 seconds into the 2nd quarter West attempted a reverse like play to Cody Staggs, that was stuffed by Cole Lowery for no gain. The Pirates defense swarms to the ball as well as any defense that I have watched this season. The first three plays of the drive netted just one-yard. On fourth down Bradford threw a sideline pass to L.T. Maynard, who almost made a great catch on the ball. With the Incompletion the ball went back to the sleeping giant offense of the Pirates.

At the 10:23 mark of the 2nd quarter Salyers connected with Cole Lowery for a 17-yard gain.
With 9:38 left in the half and the Pirate lined up in punt formation Xander Carmichael acted like a quarterback and threw the ball to a wide opened Holden for a huge Pirate first down. This might have been the beginning of the end for the Senators, only the sellout crowd had no clue at the time. Salyers would find Makya Matthews for a gain down to the West 12-yard-line, at the 9:08 mark of the quarter. Just eight seconds later Salyers hit Matthews again for a gain, that took the ball to the West one-yard-line. From there Salyers hammered in for the score. The point after gave the Pirates a 14-7 lead, with 8:26 left in the half.

The Pirates offense was back at it again, with 6:39 left on the clock, when Salyers found Cole Lowery for another 17-yard gain.
Then with 5:53 left the same combo hooked up for a 5-yard touchdown to make this a 20-7 game. The Pirates must have picked up something on film because they were able to throw the ball to their right side all night long, without any trouble for the West defense.
The Pirates tried to run a two-point conversion, but a double hand off,, with a pitch to the holder, Dustin Darnell was easily stopped by Cody Staggs, to keep this a 2-7 game.

The West offense would get a 54-yard gain on a Bradford to Garrett Hurd pass play. Hurd made the catch, a Drew Pearson like catch even though interference was called on the Pirates.
The drive would fizzle out and the Senators lined up to kick a 41-yard field goal, but after two timeouts West opted to go for it and that decision was made out to be a huge mistake when, Bradford was sacked by Avery Donini, with 2:26 left in the half. Bradford had Hurd opened on the play, but opted not to throw it. He was under heavy pressure as he rolled to the right and the throw would have had to been right on the money. One cannot fault the quarterbacks decision on the play. He more than anyone had the best view under the circumstances and knows his own ability to make most likely the toughest throw in football. As most know, throwing on the dead run is not an easy thing to do.

Salyers would avoid the tackle attempts from Brandon Weaver and Hunter Reed before going down to the turf on a hit from Jakeb Guilkey with 2:09 left in the half.
With 1:29 left in the half the Pirates would get a 60-yard pass play from Salyers to Matthews ,then a Salyers found Matthews for a 10-yard touchdown. Matthews showed he can be a force in the passing game. Salyers had scored a touchdown a play before, but a penalty was called on the Pirates to negate the score. The Point after kick made this a 27-7 games, with 25>9 seconds left in the half.

There would be no scoring in the 3d quarter as both teams played defense at a very high level.
Cody Staggs would block a field goal attempt by Jalen Miller, with 9:43 left in the quarter.
With 6:39 left Bradford was held to a short gain on 4th and , when he was tackled by Justin Salyers, giving the ball back to the Pirates offense.

Time ran out after Bradford was sacked for a five-yard loss by Chris Bailey.
Bradford throws a nice ball, but he, at times, seems very hesitant in his decision making. If he ever overcomes this, he is going to be a legit threat as a multi dimensional quarterback.

With 8:39 left in the game Salyers was sacked by Brandon Weaver.
Just twenty-five-seconds later Salyers would get the last laugh on the drive, as he ran through a gigantic hole opened up by his hard working offensive line, with the end result being a 50-yard score. The point after made this a 34-7 game and sadly, many of the West fans started leaving the game. To be honest a good amount of them had already his the exit gates.

Fitting as it was the last score of the game came from the Pirates offense, when Matthews picked off a Bradford pass and took it to the house from about 70-yards out. The point after kick made the final score 41-7 Pirates.

VERY UNOFFICIAL STATS

Portsmouth West
64 plays, 239 yards(94 in 2nd half)
Passing 12-22 1 int

Wheelersburg
57 plays, 393 yards
passing 16-23 3 TD'S

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Link to pics

https://www.facebook.com/DavidLewisBurn ... 834&type=3

[wobycat]

Jay Holsinger does not start. He out ran Xander from pursuit.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Thanks I was going off of the jersey numbers.
I must have made another mistake.

[Proud_Pirate63]

LC Fan, what did you think of your first trip to Ed Miller Stadium?

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

LC Fan, what did you think of your first trip to Ed Miller Stadium?

Awesome.
Had the double burger for dinner that they sold at the concession stand and a mt. Dew.
Seating was great(Set on the visitors side, with a friend who got my ticket/Yes, I paid him for it.
Will be back at some point.
The part of the drive on 53 stinks.(LOL)

[Proud_Pirate63]

LC Fan, what did you think of your first trip to Ed Miller Stadium?

Awesome.
Had the double burger for dinner that they sold at the concession stand and a mt. Dew.
Seating was great(Set on the visitors side, with a friend who got my ticket/Yes, I paid him for it.
Will be back at some point.
The part of the drive on 53 stinks.(LOL)

Glad you had a great experience. We do our best to create a good atmosphere. I think we do need more seating on both sides though.

[greygoose]

Everyone kept saying, I don't know why everyone is comparing West to Jackson.
Portsmouth West
64 plays, 239 yards(94 in 2nd half)
Passing 12-22 1 int

Those stats say why, Jackson didn't run the ball but had what 57 yards in the 1st half. This game went exactly as I figured so much so I went to another game I figured would be closer. West struggles with the pass and that was proven once again tonight. Hats off to both teams on an excellent season and good luck in the playoffs.

[greygoose]

LC Fan, what did you think of your first trip to Ed Miller Stadium?

Awesome.
Had the double burger for dinner that they sold at the concession stand and a mt. Dew.
Seating was great(Set on the visitors side, with a friend who got my ticket/Yes, I paid him for it.
Will be back at some point.
The part of the drive on 53 stinks.(LOL)

Glad you had a great experience. We do our best to create a good atmosphere. I think we do need more seating on both sides though.

Yeah I'd love to see them add another section to both home and visitor side and on the visitor side if they were able to go higher and up the hill more would be perfect. My 1st game at the facility I had thought this exact thing.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

More seating would be a great addition.

I am one who thanks reserve seating at a high school game should not be allowed.

Just me.

[greygoose]

More seating would be a great addition.

I am one who thanks reserve seating at a high school game should not be allowed.

Just me.

Amen especially when you go to games and not all of the seats are sold or people aren't at the game for different reasons. They're trying to make more money off the reserve part. Jackson has such a large reserve section it really sucks with the views you have, and Burg I've gone to games where not all the reserve section is filled, Jackson same way.

[Level1dartchampion]

Really enjoyed this game report and pictures.
Looking foward to the next few weeks for more excitement from the games and your reports.
Westside Bill see you at a upcoming game soon.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Really enjoyed this game report and pictures.
Looking foward to the next few weeks for more excitement from the games and your reports.
Westside Bill see you at a upcoming game soon.

Thank you. Would have more pics but the camera and I did not get along very well for the first quarter.

[PirateBB]

Great article!

Thanks for coming and writing the recap!

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Great article!

Thanks for coming and writing the recap!

Thanks. Wish I had more/better pics.

[noreply66]

Watch this game on rerun and West didn't really play that bad of ball. They had a few really outstanding players.

[ohwkGREATNESSyrio]

More seating would be a great addition.

I am one who thanks reserve seating at a high school game should not be allowed.

Just me.

Not just you!

[ohwkGREATNESSyrio]

You got fair weather fans or fans who buy just cause they have the money and can. and then when a team sucks or something they do not show up and there go's a seat

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

More seating would be a great addition.

I am one who thanks reserve seating at a high school game should not be allowed.

Just me.

Not just you!

Good to know.