Point Pleasant defeats Marietta in come-from-behind thriller
By: Ty Carpenter
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POINT PLEASANT, WV (WOUB)— Point Pleasant (3-4) defeated the Marietta Tigers (4-5) at home in a thrilling 47-41 victory.
Marietta received the opening kickoff, the Tigers then fumbled the ball, giving Point Pleasant possession at Marietta’s 45-yard line. Point Pleasant immediately capitalized, with Nate Bentz scoring a one-yard rushing touchdown. The fist of many on the night.
The Tigers bounced back on their next drive, passing and running the ball quickly down the field, culminating in a passing touchdown to Zane Wittekind to tie the game up, 7-7.
With the stage set for a potential shootout, Point Pleasant sought to stay on top. Their drive began in the first quarter and ended in the second, with a seven-yard touchdown run by Brody Bowen to put Point Pleasant back on top 14-7.
In their next drive, Marietta’s passing attack started to explode. The Tigers were set up with good field position thanks to a 33-yard completion to Elyjah Lieras-Kelley, and they would turn right back to him for a 25-yard touchdown pass to tie the game.
Marietta then forced a punt and scored another touchdown, this time going to Brandt Durham for a 43-yard touchdown on fourth down and 11. Heading into the second half, Nate Bentz would pick up his second touchdown of the night to tie the game, 21-21.
In the second half, Point Pleasant was forced to punt, and the Tigers would follow it up with a 43-yard touchdown run by Zane Wittekind. Point Pleasant also scored on their next drive with a touchdown run by Nate Bentz, tying the game 28-28.
Marietta followed it up with another touchdown of their own and then managed to hold Point Pleasant to a field goal. This set them up to take a larger lead, and Junior Smith would run it in from 80 yards out to give the Tigers a two-possession lead, 41-31.
Point Pleasant collected a field goal on their next drive, cutting the lead to a possession. With only five minutes remaining, they managed to hold Marietta to a punt. And on their next drive, they found a miracle, as Nate Bentz runs it in from 65 yards out to tie the game, 41-41.
On the Tigers next drive, disaster struck, as they fumbled, and Point Pleasant recovered the ball on the 27-yard line. Point Pleasant would burn the clock and score once again, as Nate Bentz scored his fifth touchdown of the night to take a 47-41 lead.
With only a minute left, Marietta took a shot on the hail mary, and would be intercepted by Andrew Schoon, icing the game as Point Pleasant won in a come from behind victory, 47-41.
Point Pleasant looks to next week’s matchup against Robert C. Byrd High School, while Marietta seeks to get back in the win column next week at home against the Warren Warriors.