Valley Head too much for Wildcats
VALLEY HEAD — The host Tigers overcame a slow start to claim a 41-21 high school victory over Tharptown.
Valley Head’s Dallas Gregory led the Tigers with 184 yards on 24 carries. Joshua Gregory chipped in 93 yards on 12 carries.
The game was tied 21-21 at halftime before Valley Head (2-3) pulled away.
“We started slow in the first half and didn’t play good defense, but at halftime we made adjustments and we were able to stop them in the second half and put the ball in the end zone,” coach Rusty Higdon said.
Joshua Gregory ran for a 2-yard touchdown with 26 seconds left in the first quarter. Christian Gillo Marin’s kick made it 7-0.
Tharptown (0-5) answered with Kelby Hallmark’s 45-yard touchdown pass to Timothy Bryant. Edgar Bahena’s PAT made it 7-7 with :01 to play in the quarter.
Hallmark had a 40-yard touchdown run and 11-yard touchdown pass to Bahena in the second quarter. Valley Head scored on Benjamin Kirby’s 27-yard pass to Christian Henry and a 1-yard Dallas Gregory run.
Valley Head got the ball to start the second half and marched 62 yards in 10 plays, capped by Kirby’s 23-yard scoring pass to Jonathan Cuz-zort.
On Tharptown’s first play from scrimmage, Hallmark was injured on a 2-yard run. He didn’t return to the game.
Before he left, Hallmark had eight carries for 112 yards. He also completed 6-of-12 passes for 184 yards and one interception.
Bryant was the leading receiver for Tharptown with two catches for 46 yards.
In the second half, Tharptown quarterbacks were 0-for-8 with three interceptions. Michael Chambers returned one of the interceptions 62 yards for a touchdown, and Joshua Gregory added an 8-yard scoring run.