Russell uses variety of players to get win over Pointers

Published 3:05 am Saturday, September 7, 2024

By RYAN WALKER

For The Ironton Tribune

FLATWOODS — As if the heavy rainfall and game delay wasn’t enough, 5 different Russell players scored to help the Red Devils defeat the South Point Pointers 35-13 on Friday night at Henry R. Evans Stadium.

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The Red Devils got touchdown runs from Jayden Frasure, Ben Totten, Jordan Lowe and Elijah Hankins, as their running back-by-committee combined to rush for 238 yards in the win.

Not to be outdone, the Pointers got superb effort at the running back position, as Landon Vance carried the ball 9 times for 87 yards and 2 touchdown runs.

However turnovers and costly penalties plagued the young Pointers, as one turnover directly lead to Russell’s first score and the South Point was flagged 10 times for 68 yards.

Both teams exchanged punts to begin the game, but Russell’s kick was able to pin the Pointers at their own 5 to begin their second drive.

But the Red Devils forced a fumble on the Pointers first play and Totten recovered the loose ball at the Pointers 4.

On the next play, Frasure surged into the end zone behind the left side of his offensive line for the games’ first score. Totten added the extra point to give the Red Devils a 7-0 lead with 7:25 left in the opening quarter.

During the Pointers next possession, the game was suspended until 10:33 P.M. due to severe storms. When the teams picked back up, South Point lined up and punted to Russell.

In the second quarter, the Red Devils (1-2) took advantage of favorable field position, as they set up shop at the South Point 47.

Russell used 11 plays and covered 47 yards on the scoring drive. The final play came on a a 5-yard touchdown run by Totten, who powered his way into the end zone to extend the Red Devils lead to 13-0 with 5:03 remaining before half.

The Pointers (0-3) responded with a big play of their own on their following possession.

On a 2nd-and-10 play, Vance took a handoff straight up the middle and found nothing but green grass in front of him, and outran the Russell defense for an 80-yard touchdown dash. Israel Schneider added the extra point to make it 13-7.

But the Red Devils were able to respond with a quick-strike of their own on their following offensive possession, as Hankins hit Caden Pennington in stride on first down for a 60-yard touchdown strike to stretch Russell’s lead back out to 19-7 with 4:29 before halftime.

Russell added to its lead in the final seconds of the half on a 16-yard touchdown run by Lowe with 5 seconds left on the clock to make it 25-7 at the break.

Hankins found the end zone on Russell’s first possession of the second half, scoring from 9 yards out on a designed quarterback run and made it to the pylon to extend the lead to 32-7.

South Point blocked its second punt in as many weeks. Just like last week, Tavarion Cabarrus was able to get a hand on the ball again and block his second punt of the season and give the Pointers the ball at the Russel 41.

And again like last week, the Pointers converted the blocked kick into points. During the drive, Brayden Hanshaw found Steeler Waulk for 32-yard gain to convert a 4th-and-15. Then on the very next play, Vance slipped to the outside on a run for a 14-yard score to make it 32-13.

Hanshaw finished the night 7 of 22 passing for 93 yards and ran for 23 yards. Davon Lewis caught 3 balls for 50 yards to lead the Pointers in receiving.

South Point will host Symmes Valley next Friday. The Red Devils will be at Magoffin County.

South Point 0 7 0 6 = 13

Russell 7 18 7 3 = 35

First Quarter

Rus — Jayden Frasure 4 run (Ben Totten kick), 7:25.

Second Quarter

Rus — Ben Totten 5 run (kick failed), 5:03.

SP — Landon Vance 80 run (Israel Schneider kick), 4:44.

Rus — Caden Pennington 60 pass from Elijah Hankins (pass failed), 4:29.

Rus — Jordan Rowe 16 run (kick failed), 0:24.

Third Quarter

Rus — Elijah Hankins 9 run (Ben Totten kick), 8:37.

Fourth Quarter

SP — Landon Vance 14 run (pass failed), 6:44.

Rus — Ben Totten 21 field goal, 1:53.

———

SP Rus

First downs 6 18

Rushes-yards 16-110 44-238

Passing yards 93 108

Total yards 203 346

Cmp-Att-Int 7-22-2 3-12-0

Fumbles-lost 3-0 1-0

Penalties-yards 10-68 2-25

Punts-average 4-31.25 1-43.0

———

Individual Leaders

RUSHING–South Point: Landon Vance 9-87 2TD, Brayden Hanshaw 3-23, Steeler Waulk 3-minus 6, Davon Lewis 1-4, Team 1-minus 2Russell: Ben Totten 7-39 TD, Jayden Frasure 8-34 TD, Jordan Rowe 9-42 TD, Kaden Benge 11-53, Elijah Hankins 8-46 TD, Caden Mitchell 1-24.

PASSING–South Point: Brayden Hanshaw 7-22-2 93; Russell: Elijah Hankins 2-11-0 92 TD, Jayden Frasure 1-1-0 16.

RECEIVING–South Point: Davon Lewis 3-50, Landon Vance 2-7, Steeler Waulk 2-34; Russell: Jayden Pennington 1-16, Cayden Pennington 1-60 TD, Ben Totten 1-16.