Happy Valley falls at South Greene
Published 1:27 am Saturday, November 2, 2019
Star Photo/Cameron Jensen Will Tittle makes a 25 yard pass for a well-earned first down.
Star Photo/Cameron Jensen Matthew Bahn recives a hand off from Warrior quarterback Will Tittle and makes a run for a first down.
Star Photo/Cameron Jensen A Happy Valley defender tries to get a grasp on a South Greene runner.
Star Photo/ Cameron Jensen Will Tittle fakes a hand off to Jordan Campbell then makes a run down the side.
Star Photo/Cameron Jensen Happy Valley's Andrew Little almost makes an interception in the game Friday night.
Star Photo/Cameron Jensen Eli Phillips makes an important tackle for Happy Vally against South Greene.
BY ALLEN LAMOUNTAIN
STAR CORRESPONDENT
GREENEVILLE – Playing shorthanded is never a good option but it was the hand the Happy Valley Warriors were dealt with the loss of junior quarterback Eli Ayers on Friday night.
Ayers was injured in the 13-6 victory over Trinity Academy and they also lost Kamden Richardson as well.
Behind a strong run game, South Greene ended a six-game losing streak to Happy Valley dating back to 2008 with a 25-6 Mountain East Conference victory.
“I found out on Wednesday that I couldn’t go tonight,” Ayers said. “I will go back to the doctor and from everything I heard I should be able to play next week.”
The Rebels (9-1, 3-1 MEC) opened the contest by shutting down HV on a three-and-out and then went on a 67-yard scoring drive that took 15 plays with senior quarterback Levi Myers taking the ball in from the one-yard line.
After stopping the Warriors on the next possession South Greene once again went on a long drive of 51 yards on eight plays with senior RB Mark Crum scoring from two yards out for a 12-0 Rebel lead. The Rebels failed on both two-point conversion attempts.
South Greene rushed for 131 first-half yards with zero air yards while holding HV (7-3, 2-2 MEC) to just 52 yards on the ground and 30 passing yards. Those yards came on one play – a Will Tittle to Ty Pierce pass play.
The third quarter went by scoreless but South Greene opened the fourth period with a five-yard Luke Myers touchdown that with the point after kick from Jeff Higgins made it a 19-0 contest.
Tittle then took HV’s fortunes on his shoulders and led a 71-yard scoring drive with Matthew Bahn scoring from two yards out to make it 19-6 after the two-point pass fell incomplete.
“Will left it all out on the field,” Warriors head coach Jason Jarrett said. “He made a lot of plays out of nothing and we have used him in a lot of positions this year offensively and defensively. He has been our utility guy.”
Crum capped the scoring for the night with a five-yard plunge for the final margin of victory for the Rebels. Crum led South Greene in rushing with 118 yards and two scores while Tittle led all rushers with 135 yards on 15 carries.
Altogether South Greene amassed 283 ground yards but had zero pass yards for the game. Happy Valley rushed for 151 yards and had 29 passing yards.
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South Greene, 25-6
Happy Valley 0 0 0 6 – 6
South Greene 6 6 0 13 – 25
Scoring summary
First Quarter
S – Levi Myers 1 run (run failed) 3:36
Second Quarter
S – Crum 2 run (run failed) 10:46
Fourth Quarter
S – Luke Myers 5 run (Higgins kick) 11:50
H – Bahn 2 run (pass failed) 7:46
S – Crum 5 run (kick blocked) 4:49
