Sports
Recap: West Muskingum Picks Up First MVL Win Since 2011 With 21-7 Victory Over Morgan [VIDEO]
By: Anthony Allocco
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After three years of waiting, the West Muskingum Tornadoes are back. Back in the conference win column that is.
West Muskingum spent eight weeks of the season fighting the Morgan Raiders over who would finish at the bottom of the MVL. On a rainy and cold Halloween night, the Tornadoes and Raiders were able to battle it out on the field. West Muskingum was able to get the best of the Raiders with a 21-7 victory.
The Tornadoes (2-8, 1-6 MVL) ran away with it at the end but it did not start out that way. The Raiders had the first possession of the game and tried to establish dominance on the ground with five straight run plays. The weather conditions did their part to limit the passing games for much of the first quarter.
When West Muskingum was able to stop the Raiders’ first drive, running back Jaden Gianettino took over for the Tornadoes and ripped off a 27-yard run. The promising start for West Muskingum was quickly put in check when Morgan (0-10, 0-7 MVL) forced a fumble on the next snap. This two play drive resulting in a fumble would be the only two offensive snaps the Tornadoes would have in the entire first quarter.
What appeared to be shaping into a defensive struggle would rapidly shift gears. The second Morgan drive resulted in a punt that Gianettino caught at the five-yard line. After picking up some key blocks, Gianettino would take the punt 95 yards for the score that swung the momentum in favor of West Muskingum as they took the lead 7-0.
In response to the big play from West Muskingum, the Raiders put together a 8:03 minute drive to score. Quarter back Brayden Hoskinson started off the lengthy drive for Morgan with a 22-yard scramble on 1st and 20 to erase the holding penalty one play prior. After a false start on 4th and 2 from the 4-yard line, Morgan elected to go for it again.
Hoskinson scrambled and found Michael Apperson for the nine-yard score to even up the game 7-7. This would be his only touchdown pass on the night, as the Raiders mainly used him as a runner on speed options to the outside.
Gianettino continued to have a big night with another touchdown, and Tornado quarterback Seth Mirgon added a passing touchdown to Drew McKenzie from 34 yards out to round out the scoring at 21-7 West M going into the half.
As the rain continued, field conditions worsened halting offensive production on both sides. Neither team managed to score a point in the second half.
The West Muskingum Tornadoes finished the season on a strong note winning the last two games gathering momentum heading into the offseason. Morgan on the other hand looks to turn things around after going winless on the 2014 campaign.