PIKETON -- They say good things must always come to an end. The good things came to an end a little too soon for the Coal Grove Hornets.

Every time Coal Grove got a drive going, something happen to bring it to an end Friday night as the Hornets lost their season opener 14-6 to the Piketon Red Streaks to spoil the coaching debut of Steve Cook.

"It seemed like every time we got something going, we should ourselves in the foot," said Cook.

Piketon recovered a Coal Grove fumble at the 49-yard line and drove 51 yards in eight plays for its first score. Keith Shanks capped the drive with a 12-yard run. The conversion failed and it was 6-0.

The drive was aided by a 15-yard personal foul on the Hornets.

Coal Grove had a drive to the Piketon 37, but penalties halted the drive and it end on the Hornets own 46.

The Hornets had another drive that reached the Piketon 34, but the 16-play drive that began in the third quarter ended in the fourth quarter when a fourth down pass fell incomplete.

Coal Grove had two other drives into Piketon territory falter.

"I was pleased with our effort. We showed some improvement. I saw some positives tonight," said Cook.

Freshman Gary Moore got the Hornets on the scoreboard with 2:12 left to play when he returned a punt 54 yards for a touchdown. The conversion run failed.

"We played a lot of freshmen and sophomores and it showed. Piketon has a lot of kids back from last year, and we hurt ourselves with mistakes that young people make," said Cook.

Each team rushed for 95 yards, but Coal Grove had just 20 yards passing and Piketon 49.

Matt Spears led a balance Hornets offense with 39 yards on eight carries. Danny Salyers had 28 yards on seven attempts. Spears and Aaron Field combined to complete 2-of-3 passing for 20 yards.

Ryan Burkitt led Piketon with 82 yards on 13 carries. Joseph Chebet hit 4-of-6 passing attempts for 49 yards as Piketon won after going 0-10 last season.

The Hornets host Gallipolis next Friday.

Coal Grove0006--6

Piketon6800--14

First Quarter

Pik -- Keith Shanks 12 run (run failed)

4:41

Second Quarter

Pik -- Eric Farmer recover fumble in end zone (Ryan Burkitt run)

3:01

Fourth Quarter

CG -- Gary Moore 54 punt return (run failed)

2:12

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CGPik

First down109

Rushes-yards9595

Passing yards2049

Total yards115144

Passes3-5-04-6-0

Fumbles-lost2-12-1s

Punts-average3-24.71-25.0

Penalties-yards5-359-65

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Individual Leaders

RUSHING -- Coal Grove: Matt Spears 8-39, Danny Salyers 7-28, Cody Chaffins 20-25, Ben Fyffe 3-15, Justin Hyland 1-6, Aaron Fields 5-minus 18. Piketon: Ryan Burkitt 13-82, Keith Shanks 6-27, Joey Brewster 2-6, Joseph Chebet 5-minus 16, Bub Hubbard 2-minus 4.

PASSING -- Coal Grove: Matt Spears 2-3-0 10, Aaron Fields 1-1-0 10. Piketon: Joseph Chebet 4-6-0 49.

RECEIVING -- Coal Grove: Jimmy Lemon 2-18, Gary Moore 1-2. Piketon: Ryan Burkitt 1-19, Adam Lamerson 1-12, Keith Shanks 2-18. Jim Walker/The Ironton Tribune