Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth
WEST PORTSMOUTH — Knowing when to roll the dice can be the difference between winning and losing a ballgame.
West picked the perfect moment to bust out its dice on Friday, and the gamble worked like a charm.
After facing a double-digit deficit at halftime, the Senators (5-2, 3-0 SOC II) made a second half comeback and went all in at the right time, earning a 22-21 victory over Valley in SOC II action.
CREDIT: Erica Fike/SOSA
“If I’m being honest, we sort of took Valley really lightly and that’s on us,” West’s Mason Parker said. “But we’ve been in this situation before having to make a comeback, so we knew what we had to do and got the job done.”
After forcing a stop on the game’s opening possession, Valley (1-6, 1-3 SOC II) wasted no time grabbing the lead. Aidan Waughtel aired it out, finding Braxten Conaway on the Indians’ third play from scrimmage, and Conaway galloped 81 yards for a score to give Valley an early 7-0 lead.
However, West responded with a heavy dose of Parker and Anthony Bishop on a long 14-play drive. That ended with Brody Hall airing it out to Parker for a 21-yard touchdown strike, cutting the lead to 7-6 after the first 12 minutes.
The second quarter was all Valley.
The Indians forced a turnover on downs and, using that momentum, found the end zone thanks to a one-yard plunge from Zach Whitt to go ahead 14-6.
Valley’s defense then made a huge play on West’s next drive when Conaway intercepted a pass, leading to Waughtel scrambling into the end zone for a six-yard score, making it 21-6 at halftime.
“[West] Coach [Todd Gilliand] gave us a huge halftime speech, and that brought us all together,” Bishop said. “Even during halftime, we knew we were in the game. We just had to work it out on the field.”
After a scoreless third stanza, it was now or never for the Senators and they were driving.
Continuing a long drive that spanned from midway in the third quarter into the beginning of the fourth, West found the end zone when Parker rushed in from four yards out, trimming the deficit to 21-14.
Valley attempted to provide a counter, but missed a field goal try, giving the Senators’ offense more needed life.
“It’s all part of the brotherhood,” Parker said. “We all hang out together every day before and after school and work out together. We’ve built that bond and we have that chemistry.”
Momentum was beginning to flip, and the Senators pieced together a 10-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a one-yard score from Parker.
With the fate of the game residing on the next decision, West took a gamble and Bishop scored on a two-point try, giving the Senators their first lead of the game at 22-21 with only 53 seconds left.
Valley was unable to provide an answer and the Senators placed their fifth win this year in their pockets.
“Making that comeback was truly amazing and a really great feeling,” Bishop said. “I’ve got nothing but 100 percent trust in Mason and I know he trusts me as well. I knew he was going to score that last touchdown, and he knew I was scoring that two-point try.”
West returns to action on Friday at home against Northwest, while Valley travels to Oak Hill.
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