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October 17, 2009

Johnson trio leads Blues past Pioneers

By MIKE DAVIS

RICHLANDS, Va. — A rainy night in Richlands turned into a stormy night for the Lebanon Pioneers who came into Ernie Hicks Stadium /Emats Field hoping to upset the Blue Tornado.

Lebanon battled Richlands for four quarters and gave the Blues all they could handle before the Tornado turned the Pioneers away with a 46-32 non-district win.

“I think we came out offensively and did a great job,” Richlands head coach Greg Mance said. “We had two long drives, our checks were good, we got the ball where we were supposed to and we’re really tickled with the offense.

“Defensively, we gave up some plays and they were able to get guys in the end zone, but, overall, we’re tickled, we beat a good Lebanon team.”

Lebanon got the opening possession at their own 26-yard line and were forced to punt, but Richlands ran into the Pioneers’ punter to draw a personal foul.

Lebanon used the fresh set of downs to march downfield, rolling to the Tornado 6-yard line. The Pioneers gambled on fourth down and Andrew Jessee tossed a 6-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Widener, and Trevor Adams followed with the extra point to put Richlands in an unfamiliar seven-point deficit.

The Tornado came right back, led by an Austin Johnson 14-yard run and a and 11 yards from Devon and Cody Johnson before Cody Johnson hit Bradley Strong in the right flat as the Pioneer defense closed in. Strong spun out of Lebanon’s grasp and cut inside into the open field for a 45-yard catch and run. Reece Strong added the extra point to even the game at 7-7.

The Tornado took the lead with 1:27 left in the first quarter when Cody Johnson ran in a 5-yard touchdown, capping a 54-yard drive that took just five plays to complete. Reece Strong added the extra point for the 14-7 lead.

The Tornado added a score two minutes into the second quarter when Devon Johnson bolted in for a 44-yard score.

Lebanon answered by driving 55 yards, scoring on a 10-yard run by Jessee.

Richlands scored another touchdown before the end of thehalf when Cody Johnson used four plays to take the Blues 56 yards, and culminating with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Austin Johnson.

Lebanon was able to get into the end zone just before the end of the half when Jessee fired a 5-yard pass to Jerome Cobb at the goal line, capping a 76-yard drive.

The Tornado scored twice in the third quarter beginning with Cody Johnson hitting Brandon Call in the back of the end zone for a 30-yard line. The Blues faked the kick and Reece Strong tossed the complete pass to Will Lowe for the conversion.

Lebanon intercepted a Richlands pass in the third, but the hungry Blues’ defense took advantage of Lebanon’s poor field position and forced a fumble to get the ball inside the 10-yard line. Two plays later, Cody Johnson rolled in from the 2-yard line and the extra point put the Blues ahead, 43-19.

Lebanon came back with two unanswered touchdowns on runs of eight and three yards by Bush. However, the Tornado put it away with a 42-yard field goal by Reece Strong late in the fourth.

“We had a good mismatch on the outside,” Lebanon head coach John Adams said. “They called the pass interference one time. We knew we could score points on them.

“Those West Virginia players are pretty good,” added Adams, about the Johnson trio that transferred to Richlands from Big Creek before the season.

Devon Johnson led the Tornado in rushing with 156 yards on 13 carries and Cody Thomas had 10 tackles. Cody Johnson was 8-of-15 passing with 178 yards with three touchdown passes and one interception.

Justin Adams had 11 carries for 65 yards for the Pioneers who racked up 306 total yards against the Blues.

Richlands hosts Graham next week for a Southwest matchup for their homecoming, while Lebanon plays Lee.



At Ernie Hicks Stadium

Lebanon...................................7 12 7 6 — 32

Richlands...............................14 14 15 3 — 46

First quarter

L – Widener kick from Jessee (Adams kick)

R – B. Strong 45-yards pass from C. Johnson (R. Strong kick)

R – C. Johnson 5-yard run (R. Strong kick)

Second quarter

R – D. Johnson 44-yard run (R. Strong kick)

L – Jessee 10-yard run (kick no good)

R— A. Johnson 40-yard pass from C. Johnson (R. Strong kick)

L – Cobb 5-yard pass from Jessee (conversion no good)

Third quarter

R – Call 30-yard pass from C. Johnson (Lowe pass from R. Strong)

R— C. Johnson 2-yard run (R. Strong kick)

L— Bush 8-yard run (Adams kick)

Fourth quarter

L- Bush 3-yard run (kick no good)

R—R.Strong 42-yard FG

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