Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — The skies were clear but the was still lightning in the air.
The lightning-quick striking power of the Portsmouth Trojans was unleashed early as they build a 28-0 lead and went to down the Coal Grove Hornets 42-20 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.
Coal Grove (3-2, 2-1) dominated the time of possession 33:59 to the Trojans’ 14:01, but the Trojans didn’t need the ball for any log period of time to score.
Portsmouth (5-1, 2-0) scored at the 9:50 mark on a 32-yard pass from Drew Roe to Donavan Carr and a 7-0 lead.
The two hooked up six minutes later on a 56-yard scoring play and Zach Roth’s conversion kick made it 14-0.
Roe took care of the next score with a 10-yard run and it was 21-0 with 30 seconds left in the first quarter.
Roe tossed a short 4-yard TD pass to Jayden Duncan with 4:48 left in the half and it was 28-0.
Coal Grove got on the scoreboard with just 34 seconds left before the half on a 31-yard run by Steven Simpson and the Trojans led 28-6 at the break.
A 5-yard touchdown run by Amare Johnson kicked the lead to 35-6 less than two minutes into the second half.
But the Hornets responded with a 1-yard TD run by Chase Hall and it was 35-12.
Roe hit Reade Pendleton with a 15-yard scoring strike with 10:49 to play to make it 42-12.
The Hornets capped the scoring with 27 seconds to play on a 2-yard run by Hall. Whyatt Mannon passed to Jarren Hicks for the conversion.
Hall finished the game with 117 yards on 30 carries and two TDs while Simpson had 112 yards on 17 attempts and a score.
Roe led the Trojans with 50 yards rushing on 5 attempts but he did most of his damage through the air as he completed 16-of-20 passes for 214 yards and four touchdowns.
Next Friday, Coal Grove goes to Gallipolis and Portsmouth will host Chesapeake.
Coal Grove 0 6 6 8 = 20
Portsmouth 21 7 7 7 = 42
First Quarter
Prt – Donavan Carr 32 pass from Drew Roe (Zach Roth kick) 9:50
Prt – Donavan Carr 56 pass from Drew Roe (Zach Roth kick) 3:56
Prt – Drew Roe 10 run (Zach Roth kick) :30
Second Quarter
Prt – Jayden Duncan 4 pass from Drew Roe (Zach Roth kick) 4:48
CG – Steven Simpson 31 run (run failed) 0:34
Third Quarter
Prt – Amare Johnson 5 run (Zack Roth kick) 10:13
CG – Chase Hall 1 run (run failed) 2:13
Fourth Quarter
Prt – Reade Pendleton 15 pass from Drew Roe (Zach Roth kick) 10:49
CG – Chase Hall 2 run (Jarren Hicks pass from Whyatt Mannon) 0:27
CG Prt
First downs 15 13
Rushes-yards 65-222 13-75
Passing yards 2 214
Total yards 224 289
Cmp-Att-Int 1-4-0 16-20-0
Turnovers 1 0
Penalties-yards 2-15 4-41
Time of possession 33:59 14:01
Individual Leaders
RUSHING — Coal Grove: Chase Hall 30-117 2TD, Steven Simpson 17-112 TD, Gavin Gipson 7-30, Jarren Hicks 4-8, Whyatt Mannon 7-minus 45; Portsmouth: Drew Roe 5-50, Amare Johnson 3-38, Beau Hammond 5-minus 13.
PASSING — Coal Grove: Whyatt Mannon 1-4-0 2 Portsmouth: Drew Roe 16-20-0 214 4TD.
RECEIVING — Coal Grove: Chase Hall 1-2; Portsmouth: Donavan Carr 4-119 2TD, Jayden Duncan 6-38 TD, Reade Pendleton 3-31 TD, Dariyonne Bryant 3-26.