Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PROCTORVILLE — For the Fairland Dragons, they had to turn to their survival Kitts.

Defensive back Kam Kitts knocked away a potential game-winning two-point conversion pass as the Dragons held on to beat the Portsmouth Trojans 15-14 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.

Portsmouth (6-2, 3-1) scored with 1:12 to play on a 19-yard pass from quarterback Drew Roe to wide receiver Dariyonne Bryant to draw to within 15-14.

That set the stage for the big two-point play but Kitts jumped in the air and knocked the pass away to preserve the lead and eventually the win.

Fairland (6-1, 3-1) had just two first downs in the second half with the Dragons only score coming when Zander Schmidt return a kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown right after Portsmouth had scored and tied the game.

Roe hit Bryant on a 52-yard touchdown pass play and then hit Reade Pendleton on the conversion and it was 8-8 with 1:19 on the third quarter clock.

Fairland took an 8-0 lead in the second quarter on a 2-yard run by J.D. Brumfield. Zion Martin ran for the conversion with 9:56 left in the half.

Brumfield finished the game with 106 yards rushing on 20 carries as Fairland had 129 yards on the ground with quarterback Peyton Jackson just 4-of-13 for 79 yards and two interceptions.

Portsmouth struggled to run the ball on the muddy playing surface especially Roe who had his scrambling ability slowed. He carried 14 times for minus-1 yard but he was 20-of-30 passing for 201 yards and two touchdowns.

The Fairland defense held Portsmouth to minus-2 yards rushing as a team and 199 total yards.

Next Friday, Fairland goes to Coal Grove and Portsmouth will host South Point in OVC games.

Portsmouth      0          0          8          6          =          14

Fairland           0          8          7          0          =          15

Second Quarter

Fa – J.D. Brumfield 2 run (Zion Martin run) 9:56

Third Quarter

Prt – Dariyonne Bryant 52 pass from Drew Roe (Reade Pendleton pass from Drew Roe) 1:19

Fa – Zander Schmidt 84 kickoff return (Alex Bruce kick) 1:06

Fourth Quarter

Prt – Dariyonne Bryant 19 pass from Drew Roe (pass failed) 1:12

——

Prt       Fa

First downs     11        8

Rushes-yards  14-(-2) 35-129

Passing yards  201      79

Total yards      199      208

Cmp-Att-Int    20-30-0           4-13-2

Fumbles-lost   0-0       1-0

Penalties-yards            6-40     12-94

Punts-average  4-40.2  2-16.5

Time of possession     23:39   24:21

——

Individual Leaders

RUSHING — Portsmouth: Drew Roe 14-minus 1, Beau Hammond 1-minus 3, Amare Johnson 1-0; Fairland: J.D. Brumfield 20-106 Zander Schmidt 5-17, Kam Kitts 1-9, Peyton Jackson 8-3, Zion Martin 1-minus 2.

PASSING — Portsmouth: Drew Roe 20-30-0 201 2TD; Fairland: Peyton Jackson 4-13-2 79.

RECEIVING — Portsmouth: Darionne Bryant 5-114 2TD, Reade Pendleton 10-62, Jayden Duncan 3-16, Drew Roe 1-12, Beau Hammond 1-minus 3; Fairland: Zander Schmidt 2-64, J.D. Brumfield 2-15.