RAYLAND, OH- The Beaver Local football team had developed an interesting pattern during the first 8 weeks of the 2019 football season. After a victory, the next game was followed by a loss, followed by a victory, then a loss, etc. So the season’s pattern up until tonight’s game was: win, loss, win, loss, win, loss, win, loss. But the visiting Martins Ferry Purple Riders altered that pattern on Friday Night as the Beavers lost 39-7.

But with how the game started with neither offense finding a rhythm, the game did have the feel of a one-sided victory by either side. The first quarter was scoreless. In fact, Martins Ferry did not register a single first down in the first quarter. Martins Ferry was set up by a Daniel Wirth fumble on the Purple Riders 5-yard line on the last play of the first quarter. To start the second quarter the Purple Riders finally started to move on a 10 play 95-yard drive. Quarterback Jack Probst & wide receiver Dasyn Hores connected on plays of 20 & 29 yards during the drive. The drive was capped off by a Chase Goff 1 yard touchdown run with 7:03 left in the second quarter, giving Martins Ferry a 7-0 lead. The Purple Riders would extend the lead when Cody Olson booted a 26-yard field goal with 45 seconds left in the second quarter, giving the visiting team a 10-0 lead at halftime.

The Beavers would get the ball first in the third quarter, but on the first play from scrimmage quarterback Tanner Johnston, fumbled the snap from center & Martins Ferry recovered on the Beavers 25. But on a 4th & 2 from the BL 17, Probst threw an interception to Ethan Lewis, who returned it to the MF 35. The Beavers would then embark on their only scoring drive of the night. The drive was highlighted by a Tanner Johnston 44 yard pass to Dylan Moore from the BL 49 to the MF 7. Two plays later on a third & goal from the 13, Johnston found Ethan Lewis in the end zone to make the score 10-7 with 7:44 left in the third.

But it was all Purple Riders after that, Martins Ferry would score two touchdowns before the end of the third quarter. On the next drive for the Purple Riders Chase Goff would score on his second 1 yard TD of the game to make the score 17-7 with 3:45 left in the third, Then after a Beavers three & out MF would score again as Jake Probst threw a 55 yard touchdown all to Logan Smith with 45 seconds in the third to make the score 24-7 Purple Riders at the end of three.

Martins Ferry would add on to the lead in the fourth quarter. With a 4th & inches on their own 19 early in the fourth, the Beavers went for the first down but Ethan Lewis, playing his usual QB position at this point, was stopped on a quarterback sneak, giving the Purple Riders the ball inside the BL 20. This led to a Cody Olson 36 yard field goal, making the score 27-7. Then on the Beaver’s next drive they were forced to punt from their own end zone, Chase Flati had his punt blocked & Richard McFarland recovered the ball in the end zone, 33-7 Purple Riders. On the Purple Riders final possession, George Hulsey scored a touchdown on a 7 yard run with less than a minute left, making the score 39-7.

For the Purple Riders Jake Probst was 9-20 for 184 yards with a touchdown & an interception. Wide receiver Dasyn Hores had 6 catches for 94 yards. Running back Logan Smith had 3 carries for 27 yards & 2 catches for 82 yards & a touchdown. Chase Goff had 16 carries for 39 yards & 2 touchdowns. Cody Olsen connected on 2 field goals of 26 & 36 yards.

For the Beavers Tanner Johnston was 5-9 for 77 yards & a touchdown as well as 15 carries for 50 yards. Ethan Lewis was 4-9 for 30 yards & had 2 catches for 24 yards & a touchdown. He also had an interception on defense. Dylan Moore added 3 catches for 51 yards.

The Beavers are now 4-5 on the season & will finish the 2019 season at home next Friday Night again Liberty. It’s Senior Night next Friday as all Senior athletes from the fall sports will be recognized before the game as well as Senior cheerleaders & Senior Marching Band members.

*Story contributed by YSN’s Beaver Local Beat Reporter, Jason Hannum

WINTERSVILLE, OH- The Beavers pattern of a win every other game and lose every other game continued, as they fell 37-7 to the Indian Creek Redskins Friday night.

It was a very entertaining game in the first half. The Beavers went three and out to start the game, and then recovered a fumble, which led to a missed field goal. Both defenses then were relentless until Creek got on the board towards the end of the first quarter. The Redskins held the lead for most of the first half. They had a 12-0 lead until Ethan Lewis connected on his 4th pass in a row to James Monte which cut the lead down to 12-7. That was the score at the half. It was all Redskins after that. They were only stopped twice on offense, as they scored on drive after drive. The Beavers tried to get some sort of run game going but weren’t able to against the stout run defense of Indian Creek. The Redskins won 37-7 on their senior night, establishing the run on offense and stopping it on defense. 

The Beavers fall to 4-4 and will face Martins Ferry back at home next week. Kickoff at 7:00, pregame at 6:40 on YSN Beaver Local.

RAYLAND, OH- The Beavers overcame a 13 point halftime deficit to defeat the Buckeye Local Panthers 21-20 in a very controversial ending.

The Panthers lead 20-7 at the half, as they controlled the entire first half. They had 2 TD receptions by Hayden Taylor, who also answered the Beavers first score of the game with an 82 kickoff return TD. Something Coach McKenzie said in the locker room at halftime ignited a spark in this team because the Beavers controlled the second half. They forced a Buckeye Local punt to start the half and proceeded to score on a 13 yard TD run by Jacob Kane. Nobody scored until 6:50 left in the game when Jacob Kane ran it in from 1 yard out to tie the game. Then, the accurate leg of Chase Flati knocked the PAT through to give the Beavers the lead. Both teams then punted once, and the Panthers got the ball last with 1:56 to go. They converted a 4th and 10 to get the ball to the Beaver 30 yard line and then spiked it with 4 seconds left, but an illegal shift penalty was called on Buckeye Local. That meant the clock will start when the ball is placed down. The Panthers were still deciding on a play when they realized the clock was running. QB Seth Richardson spiked the ball, but the scoreboard read 0:00. The clock manager that ran the scoreboard read 0.88 seconds more accurately, but even though the PA announcer said it over the speakers, the officials still called it a game.

The Beavers will take their 4-3 record to Indian Creek next Friday. Kickoff at 7:00, pregame at 6:40 on YSN Beaver Local.

*Story was contributed by YSN’s Michael McKenzie