Murphy, Turner lead Hornets rout of Blue Devils
Published 2:03 pm Saturday, September 28, 2024
By JIM WALKER
jim.walker@irontontribune.com
COAL GROVE — Assistant coach: What do you want to run the ball on this play?
Head coach: Give the ball to Kaden/Caden.
Assistant coach: Kaden or Caden?
Head coach: Doesn’t matter.
The Coal Grove Hornets Dynamic Duo running backs Kaden Murphy and Caden Turner combined for 356 rushing yards in a 46-8 Ohio Valley Conference rout of the Gallipolis Blue Devils on Saturday.
Murphy carried 13 times for 232 yards and a pair of touchdowns while Turner ran 10 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Turner ran for four conversions and Murphy ran for one.
Coal Grove (4-2, 2-1) rushed for 362 yards and added 44 passing for 406 total yards.
Gallipolis (0-6, 0-3) was held to just 14 yards rushing but threw for 159 yards.
Braylon Rathburn was 8-of-20 passing for 145 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Parker Burris caught 5 passes for 81 yards and a score with Enoch Patterson grabbing 4 receptions for 78 yards.
After an onside kickoff went out of bounds, Coal Grove started the game at the Gallipolis 49. Three plays later, Murphy turned up the field off the left end and raced 34 yards for the score. Turner ran for the conversion and it was 8-0.
The Hornets fumbled the ball on their second possession and the Blue Devils recovered at the 20. On third down, Braylon Rathburn hit Parker Burris with an 18-yard pass in the end zone.
Rathburn threw to Enoch Patterson for the conversion and the game was tied.
But Coal Grove answered with a 51-yard, 10-play drive capped by Turner’s 4-yard run. Turner also ran for the conversion and it was 16-8.
The Hornets held the Blue Devils on a fourth down at the 12-yard line and two plays later Turner broke free and ran 83 yards for the score.
The conversion run failed and it was 22-8.
Although the Hornets have been almost strictly run-oriented, they went to the air as Leland McKnight hit Rylan Smith with a 39-yard touchdown pass play and Murphy’s conversion run pushed the lead to 30-8.
The Hornets weren’t quite finished as they got the ball back late in the half and went 73 yards in only three plays as Murphy broke free on an 82-yard sprint for the score. Turner added the conversion and it was 38-8 at the half.
With the running clock rule activated, the Hornets final touchdown came on the final play of the third quarter as Murphy bolted 67 yards for the touchdown.
Turner again added the conversion and it was 44-8.
The game was originally scheduled for Friday night but was moved to an 11 a.m. kickoff on Saturday due to the heavy rain and strong winds caused by Hurricane Helene.
Coal Grove has an open date on Friday and visits South Point the following Friday.
Gallipolis 8 0 0 0 = 0
Coal Grove 16 22 8 0 = 46
First Quarter
CG — Kaden Murphy 34 run (Caden Turner run)
Ga — Parker Burris 18 pass from Braylon Rathburn (Enoch Patterson pass from Braylon Rathburn)
CG — Caden Turner 4 run (Caden Turner run)
Second Quarter
CG — Caden Turner 83 run (run failed)
CG — Rylan Smith 39 pass from Leland McKnight (Kaden Murphy run)
CG — Kaden Murphy 82 run (Caden Turner run)
Third Quarter
CG– Kaden Murphy 67 run (Caden Turner run)
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GaCG
First downs 8 11
Rushes-yards 15-14 30-362
Passing yards 159 44
Total yards 173 406
Cmp-Att-Int 9-24-1 2-7-1
Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-1
Penalties-yards 7-45 6-55
Punts-average 3-27.3 0-00.0
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Individual Leaders
RUSHING–Gallipolis: Braylon Rathburn 6-8, Wyatt Warren 3-3, Bryden Howell 5-2, Enoch Patterson 1-1; Coal Grove: Kaden Murphy 13-232 2-TD, Caden Turner 10-124 2-TD, 4 1-7, Leland McKnight 1-1, 3 1-2, 2 2-3, 32 1-1, Team 1-minus 8.
PASSING–Gallipolis: Braylon Rathburn 8-20-1 145 TD, Parker Burris 0-1-0, Ely Sizemore 1-3-0 14; Coal Grove: Leland McKnight 2-4-1 44 TD, Case Webb 0-1-0, Chayce Murphy 0-2-0.
RECEIVING–Gallipolis: Enoch Patterson 4-78, Parker Burris 5-81 TD; Coal Grove: Rylan Smith 2-44 TD.
MISSED FIELD GOALS–Gallipolis 25.