Pirates rout Indians to take control of SOC race

LUCASVILLE — Billed as a showdown between undefeated Southern Ohio Conference teams, the Wheelersburg Pirates showed up and showed out on both sides of the ball in their 52-7 rout of the Valley Indians on Friday night.

The win moved the Pirates to 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in the conference. For Valley, the loss was their first of the season, making them 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the league.

"We've played some really tough games early on, and they've prepared us for the SOC. It gave us opportunities to make sure we're playing at a high level and we started from the get-go tonight," said Wheelersburg coach Rob Woodward.

Wheelersburg can now turn its attention to their highly anticipated showdown with Ironton. Normally scheduled as an opening week game, the two teams agreed to push the game back to week six to help both teams with filling out schedules.

The Pirates never trailed in the game, although the Indians did tie the game when Gabe McNeil took a short pass from Hunter Cunningham and turned it into a 58-yard touchdown score to tie the game up at 7-all with 8:56 in the opening quarter.

But that lasted one play, as the Pirates scored on their very next play from scrimmage when Kenyon Evans took a handoff on a jet sweep, slipped out of a tackle along the line of scrimmage, and left the defense in his wake with an 80 yard touchdown run to put the Pirates ahead for good.

Cunningham was forced to roll to his right after being flushed from the pocket and threw a pass into traffic, which was picked off by Elijah Brown around the 28.

The Pirates cashed in the on takeaway two plays later, as Brown ran a wheel route out of the backfield off play action and Rucker floated the ball into his hands for the 15-yard score.

The Pirates atoned for the missed extra point, by going for the gambling two-point play. Rucker rolled to his right, turned, and lofted a pass back to the left to Brady Doss for the conversion to push the Wheelersburg lead out to 21-7 with 5:30 in the first.

Rucker finished with 108 yards through the air and completed all three of his passes. His first touchdown pass came on the Pirates first offensive play of the game, as Rucker hit a wide-open Xavier Miller in stride for a 60 yard touchdown pass.

The defense came up with another turnover on the Valley's next possession, but this time they decided to turn it into points without the offense's help.

Hunter Henderson stepped in front of a Cunningham pass right on the 50-yard stripe and found nothing but green turd ahead of him, as the senior took it the distance for the touchdown. Heimbach added the point after to make it 28-0 after one quarter of play.

Another turnover would end the Indians next drive and the Pirates would turn that quickly into points.

McNeil would take a handoff and avoid a tackle in the backfield, but Luke Kouns would poke the ball free and Brew Hanzel would fall on the ball at their own 43.

Brown would add his second rushing score of night on the very next play. The senior back would take a handoff to his left, shed a tackler and dash his way into the end zone for a 57 yard touchdown run. Heimbach added the extra point to give the Pirates a 28-point lead.

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Hanzel would later block a Valley punt on the next possession after coming clean up the middle of the formation and take the kick right off his torso for the block. Valley's punter would fall on the ball to save the touchdown, but the Pirates would take over at the Valley 3.

Woodward praised his defense for playing hard and coming up with big plays.

"The kids flew to the ball, they gang tackled well. (Valley) had some miscues tonight, and we were ready to pounce on them when those situations arose."

Two plays later, Damian Brannigan negotiated the final 2 yards for the score. Heimbach added the extra point to extend the lead to 42-0.

Wheelersburg's special teams would continue to generate points, as Evans fielded a Valley punt from his own 43, make a cut back across the field towards the home sideline, and follow a convoy of blockers into the end zone for the score.

The Pirates finished out the scoring to end the half, as Heimbach connected on a 39-yard field goal.

The Indians were paced offensively by their senior running back Anthony Aaron, who was held to 57 yards rushing. McNeil lead all Valley receivers with 3 catches for 68 yards. Cunningham finished with 91 yards yards through the air on 10 of 18 passing.

Wheelersburg 28 24 0 0 = 59

Valley 7 0 0 0 = 7

First Quarter

Wh — Xavier Miller 60 pass from Braylon Rucker (Cooper Heimbach kick), 10:23.

LV — Gabe McNeil 58 pass from Hunter Cunningham (Jaylen Bender kick), 8:56.

Wh — Kenyon Evans 80 run (kick no good), 8:06.

Wh — Elijah Evans 15 pass from Braylon Rucker (Rucker pass to Brady Doss), 5:30.

Wh — Hunter Henderson 50 interception return (Cooper Heimbach kick), 1:43.

Second Quarter

Wh — Elijah Brown 57 run (Cooper Heimbach kick), 10:29.

Wh — Damian Brannigan 2 run (Cooper Heimbach kick), 7:19.

Wh — Kenyon Evans 57 punt return (Cooper Heimbach kick), 6:06.

Wh — Cooper Heimbach 39 field goal, 0:15.

———————

Wh LV

First downs 7 11

Rushes-yards 12-162 35-98

Passing yards 97 104

Total yards 259 202

Cmp-Att-Int 5-6-0 12-21-2

Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1

Penalties-yards 3-15 3-20

Punts-average 0-0.00 0-0.00

Time of Poss. 14:30 29:33

———————

Individual Leaders

RUSHING — Wheelersburg: Kenyon Evans 1-80 TD, Braylon Rucker 1-10, Jack Doerr 2-minus 4, Cannan Arthur 2-3, Elijah Brown 2-58 TD, Owen Wilburn 2-9, Damian Brannigan 2-6 TD; Valley: Braxten Conaway 2-3, Parker Robinson 5-7, Hunter Cunningham 8-35, Gavin Hannah 1-0, Anthony Aaron 18-57, Gabe McNeil 1-minus 4.

PASSING — Wheelersburg: Braylon Rucker 3-3-0 108 2-TD Jack Doerr 2-2-0 minus-8; Valley: Hunter Cunningham 10-18-1 91 TD, Braxten Conaway 2-3-1 13.

RECEIVING — Wheelersburg: Landon McGraw 1-30, Jay King 1-minus 4, Xavier Miller 1-60 TD, Jonah Collier 1-minus 4, Elijah Brown 1-15 TD; Valley: Braxten Conaway 1-7, xxx Hall 1-13, Blake Lundy 1-6, Isaiah Clark 4-11, Gavin Hannah 1-minus 2, Anthony Aaron 1-1, Gabe McNeil 3-68 TD.

MISSED FIELD GOALS — None.