Sports
Resilient Tri-Valley Gets Payback On Dover
By: Morgan Overbey
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Turnovers were a reoccurring theme throughout the back-and-forth match-up between Tri-Valley and Dover Friday night, but the Scotties did not let that get in their way defeating Dover in a tough non-conference win, 28-21.
The tone was set early on with a dropped punt by the Tornados that was recovered by the Scotties on their own 19 yard line. Quarterback Nathan Strock took advantage on the next drive with a touchdown pass to Trevor Krouskoupf to put them up early, 7-0.
Dover was unable to get anything going in the first, but they struck back in the second quarter with a huge combined drive by quarterback Mason Mamarella and Brant Rober that was capped by a 24-yard reception by Jonathon Fell. Trey Wallick then pushed it in from four yards out to claim the Tornado touchdown.
With just three minutes left in the first half, the Tornadoes looked to be stalled on a fourth down and eight, but Mamarella took control with a 13-yard drive up the middle to get the first down. Mamarella lead the Tornados all the way down to the five and Rober punched it in to put them up 14-7.
Austin Jones lead the Scotties with 25 carries for 201 yards and one touchdown, 108 of those being in the second half. Strock was 9-for-14 on the night for 78 yards and three touchdowns including a defensive pick-six. Tri-Valley had 239 total rushing yards compared to Dover’s 104. As for the Tornadoes, Mamarella was 20-for-33 for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Rober ended the game with six receptions for 75 yards and one touchdown as well.
Late in the second half, the two teams squared off trading possessions and turnovers. Strock had a pick-6 interception for a touchdown to tie up the game with just three minutes left in the third, but soon after the Tornados struck from 30 yards out to score and put them up 21-14. On the Scotties next possession they were at it again. Jones took them all the way down to the red zone and took the touchdown for himself, but the Scotties were still down 21-20.
Jones fumbled the ball with eight minutes left in the fourth, but fortunately for the Scotties they were able to stop the Tornadoes on their next possession to re-gain the ball. The most important play of the game happened with just a few minutes to spare with a huge Strock touchdown from 11 yards out, capped by a Jones two-point conversion to put the Scotties up 28-21. The game came to a thrilling conclusion after Dover fumbled the ball and Tri-Valley let the clock run out to take the win.
Tri-Valley returns to conference play next week and heads to Crooksville to take on the Ceramics.