By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
Eleventh-ranked Calhoun enjoyed its homecoming with an easy 45-28 victory over Tygart's Valley Friday night, the final score notwithstanding.
The Red Devils defense was dominating throwing a shut out at the Bulldogs before pulling its first unit early in the final period. After that Calhoun played its subs while the Bulldogs left the first team in scoring 28 points after the outcome was decided.
As a matter of fact the Bulldogs got 211 yards of its 283 yards total offense and seven of its 11 first downs against the junior varsity.
But before Calhoun called off the dogs it had totally dominated the game.
Casey Ritchie rushed for four touchdowns, Ethyn Miller caught to 40-plus yard touchdown passes and returned a kickoff 85 yards for a score and Cole Ritchie rolled up 150 yards rushing. All the while the defense was holding Tygart's Valley to a mere 72 yards total offense.
Calhoun got on the board at the 6:45 mark of the first quarter when Casey Ritchie scored from four yards out with Jazz Holcomb adding the extra point.
Ritchie scored again a few minutes later when he rambled in from 15 yards out.
Calhoun added another first quarter touchdown when Casey Ritchie connected with Miller for a 41 yard score making it 19-0.
Miller added another touchdown reception - this one from 43 yards out - and Casey Ritchie ran in the extra points making it 27-0 at the half.
Early in the fourth quarter Casey Ritchie's 15 yard touchdown run put the Red Devils on top 33-0 before Tygart's Valley finally got on the board.
The Bulldogs scored suddenly as P.J. Lanham tallied on a 59 yard run. Lanham would scored from 59 yards again with about two minutes to play. On the game he rushed for 220 yards with 145 of those coming in the fourth quarter.
But as quick as Lanham's touchdown was it didn't take long for Calhoun to get that back with Casey Ritchie scoring his fourth touchdown of the night on a 25-yard run making the score 39-8.
Tygart's Valley then scored on a 36-yard run by Marcus Reynolds.
But that score was offset on the ensuing kickoff when Miller rambled 85 yards to make it 45-14.
Tygart's Valley scored twice more as starters Hunter Parks and Lanham overwhelmed the Calhoun substitutes making the game appear closer than it actually was.
Calhoun will attempt to keep winning when it takes to the road next Friday night at Tyler Consolidated, 2-2. Tygart's Valley, 0-3, is home to second-ranked East Hardy, 4-0.
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