By Dave Helmick
TuckerCountySports.Com
PARSONS – The Tucker County hosted Tygarts Valley for their first home game of the season on Friday September 3rd. The Mt. Lions battled through multiple turnovers to pick up their first win of the season over Tygarts Valley by the final score of 16-14.
The first score of the game came from the visiting Bulldogs with 1:46 left in the first quarter on a 7 yard touchdown run. The extra point kick was good to put Tygarts Valley up early 7-0. After the first quarter the score remained the same with Tygarts Valley leading 7-0. In the second quarter both teams struggled to move the ball on offense and turnovers stalled drives for each team. Late in the second quarter Tucker County recovered a Tygarts Valley fumble deep in Bulldogs territory. The Mt. Lions could not capitalize as they turned the ball over on downs at the Tygarts Valley 4 yard line. Then with 16 seconds left in the second Tucker County’s Dom Mullenax make a great play on defense. The Bulldogs dropped back to pass and Mullenax tipped the pass into the air and then dives to make the interception in the endzone for the Mt. Lions touchdown. The 2 point conversion was good as Ethan Rosenau connected with Blaike Adams for the conversion to make the score 8-7 Tucker County at halftime.
In the third quarter Tygarts Valley received the kick and their offense went to work. The Bulldogs marched the ball down the field on a 3:28 drive that was capped off on a 7 yard touchdown run. The PAT kick was good and with 8:32 left in the third quarter the score was 14-8 Tygarts Valley. The Mt. Lions were forced to punt on their next possession and the Bulldogs took over on offense from their own 45 yard line. Tygarts Valley picked up one first down, but the offense stalled into a punt situation. The Bulldogs long snapper then snapped the ball over the punters head to give Tucker County the ball at the Tygarts Valley 13 yard line. The Mt. Lions were then backed up on a penalty and on a 3 down and 17 Rosenau connects with Adams on a 21 yard touchdown pass. The 2 point conversion was harder than expected as the Mt. Lions had a pair of false start penalties that backed the ball up to the 13 yard line. Then Rosenau found Jared Reall for a 13 yard pass play to get the 2 point conversion to make the score 16-14 Tucker County with 2:17 left in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs drove the ball into Tucker County territory early in the fourth quarter, but a holding penalty forced a punt by Tygarts Valley. The Mt. Lions then started to drive the ball from their own 25. Tucker County marched the ball up to midfield, but a Mt. Lions fumble was recovered by the Bulldogs at the 50 yard line to give the visitors hope with 3:21 left in the game. However, the Mt. Lions defense stepped up again as Tygarts Valley could not move the ball and Tucker County got the ball back after a failed fourth down play with 1:23 left in the fourth. Tygarts Valley could not stop the clock and the Mt. Lions ran out the clock to preserve the victory by the final score of 16-14.
Tucker County’s Ethan Rosenau finished the game 7 of 21 passing for 75 yards and Blaike Adams had 3 receptions for 37 yards receiving. Adams also led the Mt. Lions in rushing with 8 carries for 31 yards and Jared Reall chipped in with 3 carries for 21 yards rushing. Reall led the attack on defense for Tucker County with 7 tackles while Dom Mullenax and Jakob Barrett added 4 tackles each for the Mt. Lions on defense.
Tucker County(1-1) will travel to East Hardy this Friday September 10th with kickoff scheduled for 7pm. For more info go to TuckerCountySports.Com.
