BETWEEN THE GOALPOSTS

Publication: CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL
Published: 01/01/1999
Page: P2B
Headline: BETWEEN THE GOALPOSTS
Byline: NOT AVAIALBLE

Nitro 28,

Ripley 20

(Nitro 3-2, Ripley 0-4)

Jason Ward helped put his Wildcats in a 20-13 hole, but redeemed
himself with two long fourth-quarter touchdowns.

Three plays after Morgan Clendenin's 2-yard run gave the host Vikings
their only lead, Ward found Jeff Clark for a 74-yard TD.

After a Ripley penalty on the extra point, Ward ran in the two-point
conversion to give the Wildcats a 21-20 lead with 10:30 left in the
game.

Late in the fourth quarter, Nitro faced a third-and-14 on its 23 and
needed a first down. Ward got the Wildcats much more, completing a
77-yarder to Clarence Joyner with 1:28 left. Ripley could only get to
the Nitro 45 in its last attempt.

Ward completed 5-of-12 passes for 190 yards, but he threw an
interception. Clendenin ran the errant third-quarter pass back 71
yards to knot the game at 13-13.

Clendenin gave Ripley the lead with 11:42 left in the game. The
go-ahead score was set up by a 48-yard Justin Southall run.

Clark stood out for Nitro, catching five passes for 135 yards and two
touchdowns, and throwing a pass for 52 yards. Defensively, he
intercepted a pass with 4:10 left and the score still at 21-20.

Southall led all rushers with 162 yards on 24 carries. Nitro's Chris
Creamer gained 135 on 26 carries.

Nitro 7 0 6 15 -28

Ripley 0 6 7 7 -20

N - Chris Creamer 4 run (Maddox kick)

R - Nathan Haynes 2 run (kick failed)

N - Jeff Clark 25 pass from Jason Ward (kick blocked)

R - Morgan Clendenin 71 interception return (Jasonn Cox kick)

R - Clendenin 2 run (Cox kick)

N - Clark 74 pass from Ward (Ward run)

N - Clarence Joyner 77 pass from Ward (Maddox kick)

TEAM STATISTICS

Nitro Ripley

First downs 19 15

by rush 11 13

by pass 6 1

by penalty 2 1

Rushes-yards 37-195 44-220

Passing yards 276 108

Total yards 447 318

Comp-att-int 8-19-1 4-5-0

Fumbles-lost 4-1 4-3

Penalties-yards 8-65 5-33

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING

Nitro: Chris Creamer 26-135, Clarence Joyner 4-40, Jason Ward 3-(-1),
Chuck Pauley 2-11, Chad Daniels 1-(-2), Derek Midkiff 1-(-12).

Ripley: Justin Southall 24-162, Morgan Clendenin 11, Nathan Haynes
5-13, Richie Jackson 2-0, Chad Spears 1-8, Adam Hall 1-(-3).

PASSING

Nitro: Ward 5-12-1, 190; Midkiff 2-6-0, 34; Jeff Clark 1-1-0, 52

Ripley: Clendenin 4-5-0, 108.

RECEIVING

Nitro: Clark 5-135, Pauley 1-12, Clarence Joyner 1-77, C.J. Stewart
1-52.

Ripley: Brandon Moore 2-74, Southall 1-27, Spears 1-11.