Russellville runs through Brewer, fog to get region win over Patriots
RHS improved to 6-1 on the season and 4-0 in region play with their victory over the Patriots. The Golden Tigers led 42-13 at the half before a dense fog made the playing field extremely difficult to see during the game’s final two quarters.
The first scoring drive of the contest was a short one for Russellville that was set up through an interception of a Brewer pass by Richard Scott. Three Cam Phinizee runs followed with the third resulting in a two-yard touchdown carry to make the score 6-0 because of a failed try for two on the PAT attempt.
Brewer returned the ball right back to RHS on the kickoff with a fumble that was recovered by Michael Scofield. Phinizee ran five times on the following possession that culminated with a seven-yard touchdown run, and this time, the try for two was successful as Brock Reathford pitched the ball to Reece Carson to make the score 14-0 halfway through the first quarter.
The Patriots drew to within seven points with a 86-yard touchdown pass with 13.5 seconds left in the opening period. Russellville answered on the next drive as standout sophomore Phinizee scored again on a 26-yard carry. Manny Martinez added the extra-point kick to make the score 21-7 at the 9:17 mark of the second quarter.
After the defense of the Golden Tigers forced a punt, Phinizee finished another scoring drive with a 9-yard run, but Brewer quickly answered with a 70-yard touchdown pass to make the score 28-13. On the next drive, Phinizee scored his fifth touchdown of the half on a 40-yard carry.
RHS grew the lead just before the half when quarterback Harrison Burch threw to Cash Crumpton on a throw-and-catch for a 36-yard scoring strike.
The Burch-to-Crumpton connection worked again about halfway through the third quarter as the two combined efforts on a 40-yard touchdown passing play. Brewer then used an 11-yard touchdown pass to make the score 49-19.
The final quarter of action featured a Reece Carson fumble recovery on defense and a 98-yard touchdown run through the fog by Russellville’s Malachi Duncan on offense.
The win by RHS came a week after the Golden Tigers fell in a close battle at Mars Hill. “Coming off a big week and maybe an emotional week, we made a lot more mistakes than I really wanted to see, but I thought we did a lot of good things, too,” Russellville head coach John Ritter said about the game at Brewer.
With an off-week on the schedule coming up next for RHS, Ritter shared that the team “needs to use the time to get healthy.”
“We’ve got to take advantage of the bye week and get better and then go into Ardmore and take care of business again,” he said.
The Golden Tigers will host Ardmore for Homecoming at RHS Oct. 20.
