Wheelersburg dominates Portsmouth West to take SOC-II crown
By: Sam Nolan
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WHEELERSBURG, Ohio (WOUB)- The Wheelersburg Pirates were hungry heading into their game of the week matchup against heated rival Portsmouth West. With a conference title on the line, they showed just what they are made of. Last year, the Senators got the best of them, and that was clearly on the minds of this Pirates squad.
On the first play of the game, Creed Warren took the ball for a 77-yard rushing touchdown, putting the Pirates up 7-0 right away. Shortly after, Wheelersburg kept the tempo alive, with Warren scoring again from one yard out. 14-0 Wheelersburg.
Finally, Portsmouth found some life as Mason Parker took a big 25-yard carry into the endzone. A much needed score made it 14-7, but Wheelersburg wouldn’t let them get too close before half. On their fourth attempt at the one-yard line, Landon Hutchinson reached in for the score, putting Wheelersburg ahead 21-7 at the half.
Following a quiet third quarter, Creed Warren yet again showed who he was, scoring from seven-yards out and putting his pirates ahead 28-7. After Portsmouth coughed up a crucial fumble, Creed Warren took the screen pass 65 yards for another Wheelersburg score. A score of 35-7 made things even more out of hand for the Senators.
Jeffery Bishop was turning heads leading up to this game, but struggled to find his stride tonight. The Wheelersburg Pirates were relentless in the trenches, making it impossible for Portsmouth on both sides of the ball.
The rivalry felt one-sided tonight with the final of 35-7. The Pirates would not let up in conference play this year, finishing 5-0. They showed up when it mattered, and as a result, they got the honors of hoisting the SOC-II title trophy. It should be an exciting playoff season for both teams, and this game will have big implications on their respective seedings.