By Loretta Hathaway
On a warm Fall evening Coaches' Jeff Houchin and Adam O'Harrow's Calhoun Red Devil Junior Varsity began the 2007 season with the Ritchie County Rebels at Ellenboro on Monday.
Ritchie took the opening kickoff but quickly turned the ball over on a fumble deep in its own territory. The Red Devils quickly lit up the scoreboard on a scamper into the end zone by tailback Ben Laughlin for a 6-0 lead. The two-point conversion attempt was stopped.
Tyler Bennett and Ben Laughlin brought down the Rebel ball carrier on the ensuing kickoff in Rebel territory.
The Ritchie possession ended in a three and out and a quick punt to that Calhoun took at the 45 yard line.
The Red Devils then moved the ball down-field on the running of Sean Gungle, Ben Laughlin, and Nick Stevens. Stevens covered the final 12 yards on a sprint around the left side for a Red Devil 12-0 lead.
Daniel Sims carried into the end zone for a two-point conversion to take the lead to 14-0 halfway through the 1st Quarter.
Calhoun's Caden Arnold kicked off for the 3rd time in the 1st Quarter with Aaron Yoak making the stop at the Rebel 38-yard line.
After a run to the 45-yard line, Ritchie quarterback Shawn Bowman hit wide-out Ryan Richards on a slant pass and he took it to the house for a 55-yard scoring play. The two-point conversion failed and the Red Devils led 14-6.
Calhoun wasted no time in scoring its 3rd touchdown of the evening when Sean Gungle returned the kickoff from his own 10-yard line to the Rebel 8.
Daniel Sims finished off the drive by taking the ball in from the 8-yard. A Gungle to Aaron Yoak pass was good for the 2-point conversion and a 22-6 lead with 9:14 remaining in the 2nd Quarter.
The Red Devil defense stopped the Rebels after the kickoff and forced a punt from the Rebel 28-yard line with the Red Devils taking over at the Calhoun 39-yard line.
The Red Devils were unable to score on the drive and turned the ball over on downs inside the Rebel 30-yard line. The Rebels could not move the ball and punted again with Calhoun getting the ball at its 22-yard line.
On the 1st offensive play Gungle was picked off by Ritchie's Nathan Lanham at the Red Devil 22. Richards carried the ball in from the Devil 12 for the score, the conversion failed and Calhoun led at halftime by a score of 22-12.
The Red Devils again wasted no time in extending its lead on the 1st possession of the 2nd half beginning its drive at the Calhoun 41-yard line.
Laughlin, Stevens and Gungle covered the 59 yards on the ground with Gungle getting the touchdown from one yard out. Laughlin's run added the two-point conversion and a Calhoun 30-12 lead at the 7:41 mark of the 3rd Quarter.
Ritchie quickly answered the Red Devil score on a touchdown pass from the Calhoun 15; the conversion was stopped and the score was 30-18 at the 5:32 mark of the 3rd Quarter.
Calhoun's next drive began at its own 40. Nick Stevens broke loose to the Ritchie 5, and Laughlin followed with a run into the end zone and a 36-18 Red Devil lead. The conversion attempt was stopped.
Ritchie return man Joey Schoefield then broke the Red Devil kick by Caden Arnold, but Arnold was able to knock him out of bounds at the Devil 43-yard line.
Ritchie fumbled on the 1st play and the ball was recovered by Calhoun's Zach West at the Red Devil 37. Calhoun did not move the ball and turned it over on downs early in the 4th Quarter.
Red Devil linebacker Caden Arnold intercepted a Rebel pass on the 1st play and Calhoun had the ball at the Calhoun 25. The Red Devils moved down-field on the ground to and got the score on a Laughlin run at the 3:16 point of the 4th Quarter. The two-point conversion was good and the score went to a 44-18 Red Devil lead.
Calhoun stopped the ensuing Ritchie drive on another Arnold pick with 1:35 to go, and the final was 44-18 Calhoun.
The Red Devil defensive front of Chris Mace, Ray Phillips, and Drew Williams gave Ritchie fits the entire evening.
Next game for the JV is Monday, September 10 at the Calhoun Middle High School against Doddridge at 6:00 p.m.
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