PROCTORVILLE — The Coal Grove Junior Hornets needed to bounce back. Unfortunately for the Fairland Junior Dragons they just happened to be standing in the way.

After suffering a tough loss to Chesapeake the previous week, the Junior Hornets rebounded with a 40-0 win over Fairland last Thursday in an Ohio Valley Conference Middle School game.

Coal Grove, 5-1 overall, is now 2-1 in the OVC and hosts Rock Hill this Thursday needing a win to earn a share of the league title. Rock Hill is 3-0 and has clinched at least a share of the title.

Coal Grove needed just four plays to score on its first possession as T.J. Barrett hit Jacob Pauley for an 18-yard touchdown pass. Bryan Steele caught the conversion pass and it was 8-0.

The lead went to 14-0 on a 59-yard pass from Alex Bare to Shawn Morrison.

Greg Bender broke loose for a 65-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second half and the Hornets led 20-0.

Bender ran 40 yards on the Hornets possession and it was 26-0.

In the fourth quarter, Coal Grove scored on a 6-yard run by Bare with Mike Nance added the conversion. Nance also scored the final Coal Grove touchdown.

Bender ran for 189 of the Hornets 280 rushing yards. Barrett was 4-of-4 and Bare hit his only pass as the Hornets added another 113 yards passing.

Bender also had 11 tackles and Kyle Estep and Brandon Hogsten had seven each. Steele had an interception and Bradley pierce recovered a fumble. The defense allowed only 78 yards.

Fairland falls to 3-3 and 1-2.

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