The Chillicothe Middle School 8th Grade Hornets Football team came away with a 30-14 victory over the Spoofhounds on Wednesday. The 7th grade team led off the night by topping the visitors 36-22. Both middle school teams are now 2-0 on the season.
Maryville got the scoring started on their opening drive with a touchdown and a successful 2-point conversion to take an 8-0 lead. On Maryville’s next possession, Hornets defender Howie Donoho recovered a Spoofhound fumble.
On the ensuing play, Copper Robinson hit Logan Murrell on 55 yard TD pass. Henry Hurtgen ran in the two-point conversion to tie things up at 8.
On the following kickoff Robinson recovered a loose Maryville football on the Spoofhound 42 yard line. This led to a short drive with Murrell barging into the end-zone from 9 yards out. Hurtgen scored on the two-point conversion again to give the Hornets a 16-8 advantage.
On the Hornets’ next drive they found the end-zone on a Hurtgen run from 3 yards out to give Chillicothe a 24-8 halftime lead.
Both teams were scoreless in the third quarter, but the Hornets struck first in the fourth with a Hurtgen touchdown run from 9 yards out. The PAT was no good, so the Hornets held a 30-8 lead.
Maryville scored with 3:48 remaining to bring us to our final score of 30-14.
Head Coach Reid Stephens talked about his team after the game.
“It was a great team effort. The whole team deserves credit for the victory. They practiced hard all week and made each other better,” Stephens said. “Our running backs, Robinson, Murrell, Shoop, Hurtgen, Mak Dickerson, and Brennen FitzPatrick ran extremely hard behind our offensive line of Howie Donoho, Jayden Martin, Trent Manconi, Harrison Costner, Kyler Eichler, Max Probasco. Robinson was 5 for 5 passing, and Donoho and Probasco made key catches in the game.”
Stephens also praised his defense’s effort, “For the second week in a row our defense played great. They are tough, hard nosed kids that take pride in their job. They might bend but they won’t break!”
The Hornets are back in action when they travel the St Joe next Tuesday.
