Panthers claw Wildcats

Tug Valley QB Preston May (No. 3) runs for yards on a keeper against Logan. (Courtesy photo Karen Watts)

Tug Valley downs Logan 13-6

BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

LOGAN, W.Va. — It was Friday the 13th but the No. 13 proved to be lucky for Tug Valley. The Panthers improved to 3-0 on the season with a 13-6 win over the Class AA Logan Wildcats at Willis-Nisbet Stadium on Midelburg Island in Logan, W.Va.

Tug Valley led 7-0 after one quarter as sophomore quarterback Preston May connected with senior tight end Ashton Davis (by the way, he wears No. 13) on a 9-yard touchdown pass. The Aiden Bosserman kick was good.

Logan scored a TD in the second quarter, but the Panthers led 7-6 at halftime. Logan scored its first TD as Adam Baisden aired out a pass to Lucas Lambert with 7:32 left in the half. The extra point failed and the Panthers kept a one-point lead.

Tug Valley took a 13-6 lead over the Wildcats with 4:47 left in the third quarter as May scrambled to his left and threw a 1-yard TD pass to junior running back Bryson Elia on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line.

Bryson Elia (No. 28) once again led the Panther offense. Tug Valley is 3-0 on the season. (Courtesy photo Karen Watts)

That score held up and the Panthers headed back to Mingo County undefeated. TVHS was No. 2 in the Metro News Sports Power Index heading into the game.

Coach Hady Ford was pleased with the win and to be 3-0 so far this season.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game and playing another road game to start the season just added to that. It was good to go to Logan and come out with a win against a quality opponent,” Ford said.

Elia once again was the workhorse for Tug out of the backfield gaining 177 yards on the ground on 24 carries and one TD.

May gained 45 yards on nine tries. The QB was 12-of-26 passing for 105 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions.

Cameron Slone caught four passes for 45 yards, while Gavin Fitzpatrick hauled in three catches for 40 yards.

Gavin Fitzpatrick (No. 12) gains yards after a catch for Tug Valley. (Courtesy photo Karen Watts)

The Slone brothers led the Panthers on defense. Adam Slone had 10 tackles, one for a loss of yardage, while Cameron had five stops. Cane Thompson and Jacob Jones each had four tackles in a solid team defensive effort by the boys from Naugatuck. Thompson, a sophomore linebacker, had an interception, fumble recovery and a sack on defense.

Coach Ford was pleased with the defensive effort.

“Our defense is playing well. We are playing good physical football, which is what you need to be able to make a good playoff push,” the TV coach remarked.

The offense did just enough to pull out the win for the TVHS staff.

“We moved the ball pretty good most of the night. We got in the red zone about four times and didn’t score. We just have to quit making mistakes and shooting ourselves in the foot when we get down that close,” Ford stressed. “We still have a way to go and are not playing up to our expectations.”

He said the Panthers still need to clean up some penalties.

“We’re just proud of our guys and coaches for working hard and staying hungry to get better each week,” Ford concluded.

Lambert led Logan with 89 yards on the ground, while Zayden Sherrod had 68 yards.

Tug Valley has an early bye week Friday but will travel to Morgan County, Kentucky, next week.

Logan is now 1-2 on the season and will play host to the Poca Dots this Friday.

SCORE BY QUARTERS:
Tug: 7 0 6 0 -13
Logan: 0 6 0 0 – 6

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