Rockets Take Momentum, Win Over Barons

[clecinosu]

Morral Ridgedale 28, Delaware Buckeye Valley 7

DELAWARE -- The Ridgedale Rockets took the game's momentum early, rolled out to a 21-point halftime lead and finished with a 28-7 victory over the Buckeye Valley Barons Friday in Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference play.

Ridgedale (6-1, 5-1) opened with a 10-play drive and was stopped at the Baron 30, but quickly took the game in hand when the first Buckeye Valley (3-4, 3-3) drive stalled. Kyle Rehner's punt attempt was blocked at the BV 23 by the Rockets' Scott Dulebohn, who then jumped to his feet, picked up the ball on a bounce and ran it to the 20. Three plays later, Rocket quarterback Dan Denman carried over from four yards out to give Ridgedale its first score.

The Rockets even ended the half on a high. With time running out and pinned back at the Ridgedale seven-yard line on third-and-15, Denman threw a strike to receiver Josh Coldwell at midfield, and Coldwell outran the Baron secondary into the end zone for a 93-yard touchdown as the quarter expired.

Buckeye Valley had difficulty moving the ball in the first half, gaining just 63 yards of total offense. Ridgedale, who finished with 210 yards of offense in the first 24 minutes, scored again with just over three minutes left in the half, when Denman threw a pass into the far corner of the end zone and Coldwell made a leaping catch over Buckeye Valley's Tony Cain.

Baron coach Martin Tinkler insisted the 21-0 halftime deficit wasn't insurmountable and his offense endeavored to prove that in the third quarter. Tthe Barons' first drive of the half ended with an incomplete pass at the Ridgedale 25, but their second came to a close just 25 seconds into the fourth quarter when Kyle Rehner capped the 14-play, 58-yard march with a one-yard run.

Ridgedale slammed the door on any thoughts of a comeback on their next drive, however. A botched onside kick gave the Rockets the ball at the Baron 48, and Ridgedale used nine plays and just over four minutes of clock to seal the win. Fullback Sam Auld capped the drive with a one-yard plunge.

Auld, the Rockets' leading rusher, was held to just 45 yards on 16 carries, but back Curtis Bowman hurt the Barons all evening, leading all rushers with 71 yards on 12 carries. Denman completed 5-of-10 passes in the game for 140 yards, three to Coldwell for 124. Dulebohn had a strong night defensively and on special teams, blocking another Buckeye Valley punt in the fourth quarter and picking off Baron quarterback Nathan Roberts in the second.

Roberts completed just 2-of-8 passes for the Barons for eight yards and was helped off the field in the fourth quarter after a crushing hit by Ridgedale's Derek Collins. Roberts was examined on the field after the play but further medical treatment was not deemed necessary.

Rehner led the Buckeye Valley rushers with 64 yards on 13 carries while Ryan Smart added 55 yards on nine totes. Colt Brownstead also carried 10 times for 29 yards.

MOAC action continues next Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Barons play their final home game against River Valley while Ridgedale travels to Mount Gilead.

Ridgedale................14.....7.....0.....7..... ....28
Buckeye Valley...........0.....0.....0.....7..........7

SCORING SUMMARY
FIRST QUARTER
RIDGE - Dan Denman 4 run (Jeff Linstedt kick), 3:47. (3 plays, 23 yards, TOP 0:46)
RIDGE - Josh Coldwell 93 pass from Dan Denman (Jeff Linstedt kick), :00. (3 plays, 88 yards, TOP 1:26)
SECOND QUARTER
RIDGE - Josh Coldwell 23 pass from Dan Denman (Jeff Linstedt kick), 3:01. (12 plays, 60 yards, TOP 6:09)
FOURTH QUARTER
BV - Kyle Rehner 1 run (Jeremy Tiller kick), 10:35. (14 plays, 58 yards, TOP 6:23)
RIDGE - Sam Auld 1 run (Jeff Linstedt kick), 6:32. (9 plays, 48 yards, TOP 4:03)

STATISTICS........................RIDGE..........B V
First Downs..............................13...........13
Rushes-Yards.....................37-128....43-164
Passing Yards.........................140.............8
Com-Att-Int........................5-11-0.......2-8-1
Total Offense.....................48-268.....51-172
Punts-Avg...........................2-31.0.....4-17.5
Fumbles-Lost...........................1-0.........3-0
Penalties-Yards......................9-65........6-35
Possession Time...................21:53......26:07

RUSHING: Ridgedale-Curtis Bowman 12-71; Sam Auld 16-45; Dan Denman 6-9; Mike Tharp 2-2; Eric Meadows 1-1. Buckeye Valley-Kyle Rehner 13-64; Ryan Smart 9-55; Colt Brownstead 10-29; Chris Hughes 5-11; Nathan Roberts 6-5.

PASSING: Ridgedale-Dan Denman 5-10-0-140; Team 0-1-0-0. Buckeye Valley-Nathan Roberts 2-8-1-8.

RECEIVING: Ridgedale-Josh Coldwell 3-124; Curtis Bowman 1-8; Sam Auld 1-8. Buckeye Valley-Kyle Rehner 1-7; Adam Hall 1-1.

INTERCEPTIONS: Ridgedale-Scott Dulebohn 1-34. Buckeye Valley-None.