River Valley Raiders ground the Wellston Rockets 42-22

Tagged under: Beyond The Keystone, Game Photos, Gameday Hub, News

David Burnworth | September 24, 2022

Last night I made the 100-mile trip to Bidwell, Ohio to catch River Valley host Wellston. The Rockets came to town hoping to pick up their first win of the 2022 season, while the Raiders were not only hoping to earn win number two on the season but also win their homecoming game. The crowd on the home side was large with the bleachers being close to full across the field the small away side bleachers also were close to full. The crowd though was church-like quiet throughout the entire game.

Johnny Scott would get the visitors started with a nice 15-yard quarterback run. Then he completed a pass to Braley Thompson for 13-yards. The 6-play, 41yard drive came to a close on a 1-yard run by Thompson to make this a 6-0 game, with 9:25 left on the first quarter clock. The Rockets did not look very much like a winless team on this drive.

The Raiders would need just 7-plays to go 52-yards to score their first touchdown. Michael Conkle would use a nice block from Wyatt McPherson to go 2-yards for the score. Justin Stump hit Andrew Loveday to make this an 8-6 game with the successful two-point conversion. Conkle was just getting started on what would be a record-tying night for his school.

The Rockets offense would fly high again with Scott finding Thompson for 35-yards but the drive would close without any points being scored as the Raiders defense would right the ship after the long gain. This would become a 14-6 game with 1:31 left when Scott hooked up with Breton Breech for a 35-yard touchdown that was followed by a two-point run from Scott. The quarter would give one more big play before it came to a close with Stump finding Andrew Huck for a 27-yard gain.

The Raiders would continue to move the ball in the second stanza starting with 16-yard run from Conkle to keep the drive going and then ending the drive on anoer Conkle run one of 18-yards for the score to make this a 14-14 game. A bad snap on the point after try forced an errant pass that was only caught by the grass. On the ensuing Wellstone drive Corey Litchfield scooped up a fumble by the Rockets and looked to have a touchdown but a flag on the home team negated the scoop and score, but the Raiders did keep the ball, with 9:28 left in the half. Conkle would set up the next score with another hard run. The kid seemed to use his blockers as well as any runner I have got to see lay this season, he also seemed to run like he was in a fould mood. Stump would find Loveday for the 4-yard score then he hit Andrew Huck for the two point conversion to make this a 22-14 game, with 6:28 left on the clock. Stump would connect with Loveday for 21-yards and then find Huck for 15-yards before the half ended. The Raiders defense would come up with the last big play of the half when #22 (Not on the roster I was given from the guys in the pressbox).

Early in the third quarter Scott would find his way for a 13-yard run. The kid seems like he would be a force from the tailback postion if he wasn’t playing quarterback. Conkle would show his skill on both sides of the ball, first he would sack Scott for a 9-yard loss and then he picked up 15-yards with another nice run. At the 6:14 mark the Raiders convert the first of three fourth down tries with Stump using his feet to go 8-yards. The second one would see a fourth and five converted on a nice Stump to Huck pass. The fianl one was a fourth and seven that seen Stump hook up with Huck again, at the 3:08 mark. Loveday kept the long drive going with a 16-yard grab. The 17-play, 92-yard drive ended on a 4-yard run from Mr. Touchdown (Conkle), with 2:12 left in the quarter. Mitch Browning caught the two point conversion pass to make this a 30-14 game.

The fourth quarter would get started with Stump finding Huck for 30-yards. Stump throws a good ball when he gets time to set up and scan the field. In this game the big guys upfront did an admirable job in protecting him. River Valley would have another score but Browning, who ran a nice route had himself wide opened but was unable to come of with another well thrown Stump throw. Stump was was back at it at the 9:37 mark of the quarter when he connected with Gary Truance for a 25-yard gain. A few seconds later Conkle was back at it with a 5-yard touchdown run to make this a 36-14 game.

The Rockets, who never showed signs of quitting would put together one final drive that totaled 6-plays, 72-yards and ended on a 23-yard touchdwon pass from Scott to Mason Collins. Collins a Sophomore I.M.O. could be an area star in the next year or two, if he has it in himself to dedicate the time needed in the film room, the weightroom, and at preactice. After the two-point conversion on a Scott to Thompson pass the score was narrowed to 36-22, with 6:47 left in the game.

Stump would find Huck for 16-yards at the 4:16 mark but the drive would fizzle out with no points being scored. The Rockets defense was still giving it all they had even though this one had long been determined. I hope their quiet crowd was able to apperciate this as much as I did. Those kids could have quit very early in this one.

Rier Valley would end this one with three nice plays. First, we got back to back sacks on Scott from Gary Truance and then on one of the best touchdowns runs I have got to see this season Conkle ran 25-yards for his fifth and final score. He went up the gut of the defense took a couple of hits saved him self from hitting the ground with a Walter Payton like move kept his balance and waltzed into the endzone giving us the final score of 42-22.

Unofficial Stats

Wellston

57 plays

231 yards

Passing, 7-21 2 TD’S

River Valley

82 plays

443 yards

Passing, 17-30 1TD

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