Wheelersburg wins fourth straight conference title
By: Andrew Carr
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WEST PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WOUB) – Wheelersburg comes into a hostile home stadium of Portsmouth West and walked out with a dominant 31-13 victory in a heavy rushing attack lead by Canaan Arthur 175 yard night.
Wheelersburg and Portsmouth West were supposed to be a defensive matchup and it followed that script for both teams first drives ending in punts, but Wheelersburg gets the scoring starting as quarterback Graer Woodward huge 50-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brew Hanzel to get the party started.
Portsmouth West would answer back on the first play of the second quarter as running back Tilton Rapp punches it in from the goal line to tie it up at 7-7 a piece following the point after.
Wheelersburg looking to take back the lead march down the field and cash in on the quarterback keeper by Graer Woodward to take the lead back. The point after kick makes it 14-7 in favor of the road team.
Portsmouth West got so close to tying the game back up but a turnover on downs on their own 20-yard line would end that chance, but the next play Tilton Rapp makes a one handed interception and runs it in for six. The point after kick was no good so Wheelersburg remains in the lead by just one point.
Wheelersburg responds to the pick six by a massive house call by Canaan Arthur as he takes the rock and rushes 82 yards to the house to pad the lead. The kick was good and the Pirates led 21-13.
Wheelersburg following a short punt by Portsmouth, would run the clock out and kick a 30-yard field goal to take a 24-13 road lead going into the half.
The second half was like the game we were promised as the ball was almost impossible to move as teams traded three and outs repeatedly.
Eventually the Wheelersburg offense was able to scrape together a drive in the fourth quarter and Canaan Arthur would find himself in the endzone for the second and final time of the night as that touchdown would run the score up to 31-13 where it would remain as the game went final.
Both teams await playoff polling, but they want to see their seasons march on into November where they will both hope to move on.