By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — One of the best and worst words in football is turnover. If you get them, it’s great. If you don’t, it usually spells disaster.

The South Point Pointers were guilty of 3 turnovers and proved to be instrumental in a 21-7 loss to the Portsmouth Trojans in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.

The turnovers either stopped a South Point drive or gave the ball to the Trojans who cashed in for a score.

After a scoreless first quarter, South Point got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter as freshman quarterback Ethan Hunt — filling in for injured starter Xathan Haney — hit Eli Wilburn on a 30-yard scoring pass play.

Rece Craft kick the point after and the. Pointers led 7-0 with 1:12 left in the half.

But Portsmouth got its offense going in the second half and scored 14 points in the third quarter.

Chase Heiland ran 37 yards on the first series of the second half to the Pointers’ 23 and then went the final 3 yards to cap a 69-yard, 7-play drive.

Zach Roth kicked the conversion and the Trojans had tied the game with 8:33 left in the quarter.

Portsmouth (5-4, 4-2) quickly forced a 3-and-out and a short punt gave the Trojans the ball at the Pointers 30.

On second down, quarterback Camron Williams raced 24 yards into the end zone and Roth’s conversion kick put the Trojans on top for good with 6:03 left in the quarter.

South Point (5-4, 3-3) drove to the Portsmouth’s 7-yard line but was stopped on a fourth down run with 1:42 left on the third quarter clock.

The Trojans moved the ball out to the 25-yard line and then used an end around pass as J.T. Williams threw a 75-yard touchdown strike to Landon Malone with 10:27 to play.

Roth’s conversion kick put the lead at 21-7.

J.T. Williams was expected to be the Portsmouth quarterback this season but broke his hand and the junior turned the duties over to his freshman brother Camron Williams.

South Point didn’t quit as the Pointers drove to the Portsmouth 5-yard line only to have J.T. Williams come up with an interception — his first of 2 for the game.

The Pointers finished with 189 total yards with 88 coming on the ground. Blaine Freeman ran 8 times for 39 yards and Wilburn had 7 carries for 32 yards.

Hunt was 8-of-14 passing for 101 yards with a touchdown and 2 interceptions. The Pointers also lost a fumble.

Heiland ran 23 times for 123 yards and a touchdown as the Trojans got 211 yards rushing.

Camron Williams ran 15 times for 86 yards and a score while hitting 6-of-7 passes for 44 yards. J.T. Williams was 1-of-1 pass with the 75-yard scoring toss to give the Trojan 330 total yards.

Next Friday in the regular season finale for each team, South Point will host Gallipolis and Portsmouth visits Ironton.

South Point 0 7 0 0 = 7

Portsmouth 0 0 14 7 = 21

Second Quarter

SP — Eli Wilburn 30 pass from Ethan Hunt (Rece Craft kick) 1:12

Third Quarter

Prt — Chase Heiland 2 run (Zach Roth kick) 8:33

Prt — Camron Williams 24 run (Zach Roth kick) 6:03

Fourth Quarter

Prt — Landon Malone 75 pass from J.T. Williams 75 (Zach Roth kick) 10:27

SP Prt

First downs 8 11

Rushes-yards 23-88 52-211

Passing yards 101 119

Total yards 189 330

Cmp-Att-Int 8-14-2 7-8-0

Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-0

Penalties-yards 7-65 5-35

Punts-average 4-27.8 4-29.9

Individual Leaders

RUSHING–South Point: Blaine Freeman 8-39, Eli Wilburn 7-32, Corey Otzenberger 4-17, Ethan Hunt 3-0; Portsmouth: Chase Heiland 23-123 TD, Camron Williams 15-86 TD, J.T. Williams 14-2.

PASSING–South Point: Ethan Hunt 8-14-2 101 TD; Portsmouth: Camron Williams 6-7-0 44, J.T. Williams 1-1-0 75 TD.

RECEIVING YARDS–South Point: Brayden Hanshaw 15, Eli Wilburn 86 TD; Portsmouth: Chase Heiland 24, Noah Livingston 12, Colin Perry 8, Landon Malone 75 TD.

MISSED FIELD GOALS–None.