Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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  • Still searching... A pair of Lebanon defenders separates Tazewell’s Jalen Jordan from the ball during the Bulldogs’ 16-7 loss to the Pioneers on Friday night at Bulldog Stadium. Staff photo by Jon Bolt

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October 1, 2011

Lebanon spoils homecoming at Tazewell

By LARRY HYPES Bluefield Daily Telegraph

TAZEWELL, Va. — Opportunity knocked and the Pioneers answered.

Lebanon took advantage of key situations and soldiered past luckless Tazewell 16-7 Friday in non-district action despite another strong effort from Mikal Moore.

It was a cold, wet, and windy homecoming for the Bulldogs (0-5) who played hard right up through the closing seconds but again came up empty as Lebanon (2-4) made the big plays.

Chris Belcher was the workhorse runner the Pioneers rode to victory through some gale-force winds.

Belcher splattered his way to 156 yards on 30 carries and scored a 29-yard touchdown in the opening stanza. Belcher’s first quarter scoring run came on the first play following a Bulldog fumble with just :33 left. Trevor Owens booted the extra point and LHS opened a 9-0 lead.

The Pioneers had taken a 2-0 advantage on the opening series by blocking a punt and forcing a safety at the 10:04 mark.

Tazewell, working desperately to battle back, finally found the end zone in the third quarter. Malik Davis capped a short but dramatic drive with a five-yard burst for the score with 6:50 remaining. Andrew Murray drilled the point after to cut the margin to 9-7.

Two plays before, it appeared that Carter Rasnick had grabbed a misplayed Pioneer punt and gone in for the touchdown but the ball was ruled down. Tazewell then scored behind Davis two carries later.

Davis, alternating midway through the game with Cody McCann at quarterback, made a bid for big plays on a couple of passes but the receivers could not hold the ball in the rain.

Lebanon quarter back John Duty sealed the verdict on a 12-yard scamper, scoring the touchdown with 9:29 to go in the game. Owens’ kick gave the visitors a nine-point edge and they held off the Bulldogs the rest of the way.

Duty finished with 23 yards passing and Tazewell’s Davis passed for 30. Lebanon got 190 yards rushing and THS picked up 135.

The Pioneers totaled 231 offensive yards to Tazewell’s 165 overall.

Each team lost a pair of fumbles. Tazewell’s Mikey Wright recovered two Lebanon miscues in a solid defensive effort. Kyle Sheets was again solid on defense for the Dogs.

Eric Eads made a pivotal play for Lebanon when he intercepted a Tazewell pass on the three-yard line just before halftime which kept the Bulldogs out of the end zone. The Dog march was highlighted by Mikal Moore’s 22-yard run on a fake punt to keep the drive alive.

Murray had a pair of field goal attempts sail wide on the windy night, one from 24 yards away and the other from 38.

Moore had another good effort running the ball for Tazewell, gaining 106 yards on 16 carries. Lebanon led 12-7 in first downs and the Pioneers were penalized seven times for 55 yards while the Bulldogs four times for 50 yards.

Madison Fielder was crowned 2011 Homecoming Queen at halftime with Robbie Martin as Grand Marshal in voting by the students.

Tazewell’s next game is October 7 at Bristol against Virginia High.



At Bulldog Stadium/Witten Field

Lebanon..................................9   0   0   7  —  16

Tazewell..................................0   0   7   0  —    7

First Quarter

L-safety (ball out of end zone)

L-Belcher, 29 run (Owens kick)

Third Quarter

T-Davis, 5 run (Murray kick)

Fourth Quarter

L-Duty, 12 run (Owens kick)

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