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Big Reds fall to Capital, 35-22

PARKERSBURG — No. 2 Capital didn’t have it easy here Friday evening at Stadium Field, but head coach Jon Carpenter’s Cougars left town with a 35-22 Mountain State Athletic Conference victory against host Parkersburg.

The No. 16 Big Reds, who dropped to 1-3 and play at 7 p.m. next Friday at Marietta, closed to within 28-15 at 9:30 of the third when Brenton Strange sacked Cougar signal-caller Kerry Martin Jr. in the end zone for a safety, but the two teams traded scores after that as Capital improved to 4-0.

“Three big plays is the difference in the game. Three big plays,” said second-year Big Red boss Mike Byus, whose defense held Martin to 44 rushing yards on eight totes as he went 8 of 11 for 161 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions thrown to Kionte Peacock and Hayden Morris. “That’s what I just talked to our kids about.

“Focused on every down, fly to the football on every down and when you get into a position to make a tackle you have to wrap up and gang tackle this speed. A couple times we lost contain and boom they are in the end zone. I mean, it’s just what I was worried about, but we did a good job most of the game. They are a good football team.”

Braeden Mason raced 73 yards to the 1 on the Big Reds fourth play from scrimmage and the hosts led 7-0 after quarterback Jake Johnson sneaked in from the 1 and Isaac Withrow booted the extra point.

Capital, though, responded with a 12-play, 74-yard scoring march. Martin looked to have a 20-yard scamper to paydirt, but a penalty wiped that out. However, on the next play Martin hit Deishawn Harper with a pass in the left flat. Although the Big Reds hit him, Harper avoided the would-be tacklers, raced all the way across the field and then made a spin move at the 5 for a 25-yard score. Logan Spurlock kicked the first of his five PATs and things were even with 4:58 left in the first.

PHS faced a fourth-and-7 at the Cougar 44 on its next series, but Johnson was intercepted by Deondray Thomas to thwart the drive.

Once again, coach Carpenter’s squad marched 74 yards, this time on 10 plays, as Martin took it in from the 5 to give the visitors the lead for good. On the first play of the drive, Big Red Brandon Braham stripped Deshaun James, who rushed for a game-high 175 yards, but Capital recovered.

Parkersburg responded on its next series when Johnson, who finished 23 of 35 for 231 yards and two interceptions, hit Dylan Shaver with a 23-yard catch-and-run TD strike. PHS trailed 14-13 with 4:0 left in the half after Withrow’s extra point drilled the left upright and fell into the end zone.

Needing a stop before the break, that didn’t happen as Chance Knox caught a quick hitter from Martin and then zoomed down the Cougar sideline 78 yards for a touchdown and a 21-13 advantage. He eluded a pair of Big Red defenders with a cutback just across midfield.

The Big Reds were unable to score before halftime despite having the ball first-and-10 at the Cougar 49 as Capital’s Breece Hoff and Kalani Hale registered back-to-back sacks.

On the first play of the second half, James went up the gut and housed it from 73 yards out for a 28-13 lead.

Following the sack and safety by Strange, who had seven catches for 63 yards, James found paydirt again, this time from 30 yards out with 1:13 left in the third.

Parkersburg, which got eight catches for 95 yards from Shaver, added its final six-pointer with 5 minutes remaining on a Mason 12-yard TD catch. Mason finished with six grabs for 54 stripes while Big Red tailback Tyler Moler had 18 rushes for 65 yards.

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