BELPRE - Last year, the score was 39-0 at Paint Valley. Friday night at Belpre, the visiting Bearcats drubbed the Golden Eagles 54-14 in the their second straight season-opening matchup.
The 'Cats jumped on Belpre right from the start Friday. A blocked Golden Eagle punt on the game's first poessession resulted in a Paint Valley touchdown when Teagan McFadden picked up the ball at the one and tumbled into the end zone for a 7-0 lead just 2:04 into the game.
The Bearcats then went 85 yards in only five plays with Mark Clifford hammering a yard to paydirt at 7:04 of the first quarter for a 14-0 advantage.
Article Photos
Photo by Jeff Baughan
Belpre's Manny Tullius takes a handoff from Tavian Miller during the Golden Eagles' season opening loss to Paint Valley. The Golden Eagles lost, 54-14.
Kyle Kottenbrook, who rushed for 107 yards, tallied the next three TDs for the Bearcats from 4, 12 and 12 yards out and Clifford returned an interception 22 yards for a score as Paint Valley built a commanding 41-0 lead by halftime.
The visitors upped the margin to 54-0 by the 2:41 mark of the third quarter before Belpre finally scored. Golden Eagle freshman quarterback Tavian Miller connected with Tyler Martin on successive passes of 22 and eight yards to the Paint Valley 21, from where he found Manney Tullius with a swing pass that Tullius took in for a TD with 3:05 to play.
Robby Postlewaite added a 20-yard punt-return TD with just 2.7 seconds remaining with Adrienne Blair booting her second PAT of the night.
In all, Paint Valley from Bainbridge, Ohio piled up 371 yards, including 272 on the ground, to Belpre's meager total of nine yards - 68 passing, but minus 59 rushing.
Belpre only had three first downs and the Bearcats didn't have to punt until the fourth quarter.
The Golden Eagles go on the road next Friday, but not very far to Beverly to take on Fort Frye at 7 p.m.
