Indians get past Rebels for playoff slot

By SUSAN WHALEN/Correspondent

The Rural Retreat Indians assured themselves a spot in the Region C playoffs with a 39 to 13 win over the Patrick Henry Rebels Friday night at Community Stadium. Rural Retreat finished the regular season with a 7-3 record.
Justin Stoneman took Frye’s kick at the five and returned the ball to the 28 to begin the game. David Harrison, Stoneman and Michael Mills churned up yards on the ground before Stoneman took to the air. He hooked up with Bryan and Aaron Ryder moving the ball to the PH 3.
Stoneman called his own number and took it in for 6. Wyatte Pickett’s kick put RR up by 7 with 6:39 left in the first.
The Rebels had good field position, beginning their first drive from their 38. An off sides penalty gave them 5 free yards. Terry Mutter quickly ended the possession snagging Johnson’s pass at the RR 49.
The Indians could not capitalize and David Harmon punted the ball away.
Both teams traded fumbles for the next two plays.
Marcus Montgomery gained a few for PH before a false start and Jared Dix tripping up Johnson backed them up.
PH recovered two of its own fumbles before punting to the RR 35.  Harrison, Stoneman and Mills moved the ball down the field with Harrison going in from the 4 to add another 6 for the Tribe. The two-point conversion failed. RR led by 13 when the first quarter ended.
Kestner took Wright’s kick. Jeremy Cregger stopped PH for a loss on the first play of the series. Harmon ended the drive for PH when he picked off Johnson’s pass at the RR 44. The Tribe took over less than 2 minutes into the second. Fields, Harrison and Stoneman carried the ball down the field with Stoneman taking it in from the 1. The two-point conversion was again denied. With 3:30 left in the half RR extended the lead to 19.
The Rebels turned the ball over on downs, giving RR less than two minutes before the half. The Indians started at their own 43. After two incomplete passes, Stoneman connected with Ryder, advancing to PH’s 9.
A screen pass to Harrison upped the lead by 6. Pickett added the PAT to up the score to 26. Wright’s kick was taken by Widener at the 15. Tyler Hash dropped him at the 23.
PH had 1:10 left in the half to work with. Montgomery added a few on the ground. A bad snap took the gain away. Dix and Harrison sacked Johnson for a loss. An incomplete pass ended the half.
The Rebels ate up 4 minutes of the third with the first series of the third quarter. Andrew Sult, Daniel Baggerly, Michael Smith, Cregger, Stoneman and Harrison came out strong for the defense, forcing the Rebels to turn the ball over on downs.
Rural Retreat’s possession was short-lived with PH recovering a fumble on the first snap. Hash, Fields, B. Ryder and Harrison had some nice tackles, but Montgomery, Mullins and Johnson took the ball down the field with Montgomery scoring for PH. The PAT was no good. With a little under 5 left in the quarter RR led 26-6.
The Rebel’s on side kick went right into the hands of Dix at RR’s 44. The Tribe advanced to the PH 35 before T. Cannon picked off a Stoneman pass. The Indians recovered a fumble on fourth down at their own 27.
The forth quarter found the Indians making good of the drive with Harrison and Fields eating up yards. The drive resulted in a 13 yard TD run for Harrison. A bad snap hindered the PAT. RR led 32-6 with 9:12 left in the third. Montgomery scored for PH on the next series. Frye added the PAT the give PH 13. With 4:41 left in the game, PH tried another on side kick. Fields picked up the ball at mid field and went untouched to the end zone.
Pickett added another PAT to boost the Indians’ total to 39. Hash, Smith, Josh Kaulfuss,
A. Ryder and Tyler Hilton along with several penalties ended the Rebels hope. PH turned the ball over on downs at their own 35.
Jake Whalen took over the quarterbacking duties. Eric Reasor. Hash and Blake Holman went in as running backs for the last plays of the game. The Indians came away with a nice victory, giving them a huge boost to begin the Region C playoffs.

Patrick Henry 0 0 6 7 – 13
Rural Retreat 13 13 0 13 – 39

Scoring:
RR – Harrison 4 run (pass failed)
RR – Stoneman 1 run (run failed)
RR – Harrison 14 pass from Stoneman (Pickett kick)
PH – Montgomery 13 run (kick failed)
RR – Harrison 14 run (Pickett kick))
RR – Fields 50 kickoff return (kick failed)

Stats PH RR
First downs 11 18
Yards rushing 37-170 46-307
Yards passing 500 78
Comp-Att-Int 3-12-2 4-10-1
Fumbles-lost 4-2 2-2
Penalties-yds 8-50 3-20
Punts-avg 1-40 1-30