Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS — When the Coal Grove Hornets decide to “cut to the Chase,” they mean they’re going to give the ball to Chase Hall.

The Hornets’ junior running back carried the ball 36 times for w30 yards and scored 3 touchdowns in a 34-25 Ohio Valley Conference win over the Gallipolis Blue Devils on Friday.

Hall was a key reason the Hornets ran the ball 52 times for 331 yards and finished with 376 total yards. Steven Simpson added 56 yards on 10 carries.

Gallipolis (2-2, 0-1) was playing for the first time in four weeks after sitting out the past three games due to COVID restrictions.

The Blue Devils started slow but finished the game with 357 total yards including 232 passing as quarterback Brody Fellure was 15-of-22. He also ran 18 times for 74 yards while Hunter Shamblin carried 12 times for 49 yards.

Coal Grove went on an 11-play, 66-yard scoring drive in the first quarter and followed that in the second quarter with a 14-play, 91-yard touchdown drive.

Hall scored from 3 yards out to cap the first drive at the 6:01 mark and he went the final yard with 4:12 left in the half.

Justin Newcomb kicked the conversion after each touchdown as the Hornets went up 14-0.

But Gallipolis — who lost All-Ohio tackle Isaac Clary in the quarter and he never returned — answered with a 58-yard, 6-play march that culminated on a 26-yard keeper by Fellure. Caleb Stout kicked the conversion and it was 14-7 with 1:47 on the clock.

But that proved to be plenty of time for the Hornets who used a 45-yard pass from Whyatt Mannon to Steve Easterling to go 77 yards in just 3 plays with Jarren Hicks running 26 yards for the touchdown with only 31 seconds on the clock.

Newcomb’s kick put the Hornets up 21-7 at the break.

The Blue Devils came out to start the second half with a 51-yard, 7-play drive that ended on a 1-yard run by Fellure and it was 21-13 with 8:08 on the clock.

The Hornets then went 58 yards in 9 plays as Hall ran 2 yards for the touchdown and it was 27-13 with 6:43 left in the third quarter.

With the feeling of a basketball pace, the Blue Devils answered by going 58 yards in 9 plays as Shamblin ran one-yard to cut the deficit to 27-19 with 1:57 on the clock.

The Gallipolis defense forced a loss of downs at their own 36 and then drove to the Hornets’ 9-yard line in 10 plays for a first-and-goal.

But the Hornets’ Brad Wheeler intercepted a pass with 6:50 to play in the game.

With the momentum swing, the Hornets went 84 yards in 12 plays capped by Simpson’s 11-yard run with 1:45 to play as Coal Grove took its biggest lead of the game at 34-19.

Gallipolis didn’t quit and scored on a 5-yard pass from Fellure to Kenyon Franklin with just three-tenths of a second to play to set the final score.

Next Friday, Coal Grove plays host to Ironton and Gallipolis goes to Rock Hill.

Coal Grove      7          14        6          7          =          34

Gallipolis         0          7          12        6          =          25

First Quarter

CG – Chase Hall 3 run (Justin Newcomb kick) 6:01

Second Quarter

CG – Chase Hall 1 run (Justin Newcomb kick) 4:12

Ga – Brody Fellure 26 run (Caleb Stout kick) 1:47

CG – Jarren Hicks 26 run (Jacob Newcomb kick) 0:31

Third Quarter

Ga – Brody Fellure 1 run (run failed) 8:08

CG – Chase Hall 2 run (run failed (6:43

Ga – Hunter Shamblin 1 run (run failed) 1:57

Fourth Quarter

CG – Steven Simpson 11 run (Jacob Newcomb kick) 1:45

Ga – Kenyon Franklin 5 pass from Brody Fellure (pass failed) 0:00

——

CG      Ga

First downs     20        17

Rushes-yards  52-331 31-125

Passing yards  45        232

Total yards      376      357

Cmp-Att-Int    1-2-0   15-22-1

Fumbles-lost   1-0       4-1

Penalties-yards            5-31     14-115

——

Individual Leaders

RUSHING — Coal Grove: Chase Hall 36-230, Steven Simpson 10-56, Jarren Hicks 3-29, Gavin Gipson 2-16, Whyatt Mannon 1-0; Gallipolis: Brody Fellure 18-74, Hunter Shamblin 12-49, Briar Williams 1-2, Paolo Jones 1-minus 2

PASSING — Coal Grove: Whyatt Mannon 1-2-0 45; Gallipolis: Brody Fellure 15-22-1 232.

RECEIVING — Coal Grove: Steve Easterling 1-45; Gallipolis: Mason Skidmore 5-92, Kenyon Franklin 5-64, Joey Darnbrough 2-40, Briar Williams 1-19, Hunter Shamblin 1-18. Paolo Jones 1-minus 2.