Huntington upset by Covington in first home playoff game in history
By: Seth Lee
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CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (WOUB) — The Huntington Huntsmen hosted the Covington Buccaneers for the first home playoff game in Huntington history. The Buccaneers came back from behind to upset the Huntsmen 35-20.
The Buccaneers won the coin toss and elected to defer. L.J. Cooper caught two passes, the second a touchdown taken from a Covington defender’s hands to score the first points of the game. Huntington leads 7-0.
Covington would turn the ball over on the 50-yard line after failing to convert a fourth-down conversion. Cooper would then catch and fumble the ball in the red zone, giving the ball right back to the Buccaneer offense on their own one-yard line. Covington would punt to end the first quarter, giving the Huntsman the ball at midfield.
The first play of the second quarter would be a 50-yard rushing touchdown by Quarterback Frankie Hirsch to extend the Huntington lead to 13-0 after a missed extra point. Next drive, Covington QB Landin Cassel punched the ball into the end zone to put the Buccaneers on the board. After a fumbled snap on the PAT, Huntington held on to the lead 13-6. On Covington’s next drive, running back Jordan Miller broke free for a 55-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game 13-13.
Huntington would be forced to punt, but Frankie Hirsch would step up on defense, forcing a fumble and taking it to the house for another Huntsman touchdown, his third touchdown, 20- 13, which would be the score going into halftime.
The second half would see the Buccaneers find the endzone on a rushing touchdown from Trenton Hayber. Jordan Miller would find the endzone one final time on an interception turned pick-six. Covington would hold on and win 35-20. The Huntsmen end their year with a shared SVC title and 7-4 record. The Buccaneers will face Deer Park next Friday, November 6.