WEST ALEXANDRIA — Twin Valley South scored 22 straight points on its way to a 22-16 win over visiting Tri-Village in a rare Thursday (Oct. 4) night high school football game that was the feature game on ABC/Fox 45.
South, winners of three of its last four games, improved to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in the Cross County Conference with the win
Both teams had drives deep into enemy territory in the first quarter but were held scoreless. The Patriot defense held on a fourth-and-3 on their own 6 to deny the Panthers. But the Panthers likewise halted a Patriot drive on their own 38 to end the first quarter scoreless.
South was able to score late in the second quarter and tie the ball game.
Tri-Village took an 8-0 lead on a 2-yard run by Austin Bruner and 2-point conversion in the second quarter.
South’s Michael Crews scored on a 2-yard run and added the 2-point conversion to tie the game at 8-8 at halftime.
South passed sparingly after two early interceptions and seemed content on running between the tackles the remainder of the night. With a bigger line, South was able to control the ball for a good deal of the second half. Between that and turnovers, the Patriots had a tough time getting their defense off the field.
The turnovers gave South a short field. They only had to go 35 yards for their first score of the second half — a 2-yard run by Isaac Clark — to take a 14-8 lead.
The next score came from a punt that put the ball at midfield.
Early in the fourth quarter South scored again to go up 22-8 on a 1-yard run by Cade Cottingim.
The Patriots offense sprung to life with about a minute left. Bruner caught a long pass and was tackled at the South 3-yard line. A play later he caught another pass for a score with 18 seconds left.
South recovered the onside kick and secure the win.
The Panthers will travel to Ansonia (5-2) on Friday.
(Editor’s note: The Greenville Daily Advocate contributed to this story)
