By JOSH MORRISON

Tribune Staff

SOUTH POINT — The Minford Falcons used a balanced rushing attack and amassed 391 yards rushing en route to a 41-12 win over the South Point Pointers.

Minford took the opening kickoff and set the tone early on the ground moving 63 yards on 10 plays eating nearly six minutes off the first quarter clock.

Tyler Gaines got the Falcons on the scoreboard with a 10-yard touchdown run. Baylee Moore kicked the extra point, and it was 7-0 with 6:55 left in the first quarter.

South Point moved the ball effectively on the ground as well, but faced a fourth and less than a yard from the Minford 40. However, the Falcons defense turned the Pointers away for no gain on fourth down and Minford took over at their own 40 yard line.

The Falcons wasted little time on their second possession when, on the third play, quarterback Evan Howard found Zach Farrar for a 40-yard score. Moore added the extra point, and the score was 14-0 at the end of the opening stanza.

After a Pointers’ punt to open the second quarter, Minford would again cash in going 46 yards in nine plays with Gaines scoring his second touchdown of the night from three yards out. Moore added the extra point, and the score was 21-0 with 7:11 remaining in the second quarter.

After a South Point punt, the Falcons continued their see-saw scoring drives when Gaines broke through the defense for a 63-yard jaunt. Moore added the extra point, and the score was 28-0 with 4:09 in the first half. The drive covered 67 yards on just three plays.

Gaines finished the game with 154 yards on 16 carries with three touchdowns.

South Point got on the scoreboard using a four-play, 44-yard drive that was capped off by a 27-yard pass from quarterback Austin Majher to Josh Payne. The extra point was no good, and the score was 28-7 with 2:00 to go in the second.

The Falcons responded right back, moving 88 yards in six plays when Nate Caudill found the end-zone from 22-yards out. Moore added the extra point, and the score at the half was 35-6.

Minford scored on all five of its first half possessions.

After a South Point punt to open the second half, both teams turned the ball over on downs in the third. South Point took over at their own 33-yard line with 4:04 left in third, and the drive spilled over into the fourth quarter. The nine-play, 63-yard drive was capped off by a Larry Brandon one-yard run. The two-point conversion was no good, and the score was 35-12 with 8:26 remaining in the game.

Brandon finished with 80 yards on 14 carries for the Pointers.

After both teams traded turnovers, the final score was set when Nathan Compton found the endzone from 18 yards out. The Falcons took a knee on the two-point conversion attempt, and the final was set at 41-12. Compton added 71 yards on just six carriers.

Kyle Snyder added 92 yards on eight carries, and Caudill finished with 62 yards on nine carries with a touchdown for the Falcons.

Trey Campbell finished with 35 yards on 10 carries, and RJ McCarty added 24 yards on seven carries for the Pointers.

Minford 14 21 0 6 = 41

South Point 0 6 0 6 = 12

First Quarter

MF- Tyler Gaines 10 run (Baylee Moore kick) 6:55

MF- Zach Farrar 60 pass from Evan Howard (Moore kick) 2:07

Second Quarter

MF- Tyler Gaines 3 run (Moore kick) 7:11

MF- Tyler Gaines 63 run (Moore kick) 4:09

SP- Josh Payne 27 pass from Austin Majher (kick failed) 2:00

MF- Nate Caudill 22 run (Moore kick) 0:52

Fourth Quarter

SP- Larry Brandon 1 run (run failed) 8:26

MF- Nathan Compton 18 run (run failed) 0:27

MF SP

First downs 17 10

Rushes-yards 45-391 38-143

Passing yards 50 63

Total yards 441 206

Cmp-Att-Int 3-6-0 2-6-1

Penalties-yards 6-45 2-10

Punts/Avg. 0-0.0 2-22.2

Individual Leaders

RUSHING –Minford: Tyler Gaines 16-154 3-TD, Kyle Snyder 8-92, Nathan Compton 6-71 TD, Nate Caudill 9-62 TD, Josh Blevins 2-11, Tate Hall 1-5, Evan Howard 1- minus 1, Grant Piguet 1-minus 1, Kyle Wiseman 1-minus 2; South Point: Larry Brandon 14-80 TD, Trey Campbell 10-35, R.J. McCarty 7-24, Curtis Jackson 5-9, James Leonard 1-minus 1, Austin Majher 1-minus 4.

PASSING –Minford: Evan Howard 3-6-50 TD; South Point: Austin Majher 2-6-63 TD.

RECEIVING –Minford: Zach Farrar 3-50 TD; South Point: Trey Campbell 1-36, Josh Payne 1-27 TD.