Published: September 01, 2007 01:04 am      

Grundy wins back and forth affair

LICK CREEK, Ky. -- Grundy spent the first quarter building a lead, and the fourth quarter fighting to get it back.

A 10-yard option pass for a touchdown from tailback Ethan Owens to freshman wide out Cody Justus tied it with 35 seconds remaining and Josh McCowan’s two-point conversion run gave Grundy a dramatic, 26-24, win over East Ridge (Ky.) Friday night.

The Golden Wave took a quick 12-0 lead and were poised toadd more when the Warriors forced a fumble after a 70-yard pass from play from freshman quarterback Jonathan Kelly to Grundy senior Dustin Daugherty.

East Ridge (1-1) forced two more Grundy turnovers and turned them into touchdowns, both by Travis Bartley. Bartley returned a fumble 28 yards for one score. An interception return to the Wave 9-yard line set up Bartley’s 3-yard TD run as the Warriors claimed a 16-12 lead just before halftime.

The Warriors took advantage of good field position to extend their lead to 24-12 on a one-yard TD run by Caleb Epling with two minutes remaining in the third period, leaving Grundy (1-1) to have to scramble its way back in the final 14 minutes.

Behind the passing of Kelly and the running of Owens and McCowan, the Wave drove 75 yards to get within 24-18 on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Kelly to Daugherty.

Grundy then got key defensive stops from senior Josh Lee and two freshmen, Justus and Tanner McClanahan, among others, to set up the tying touchdown and game-winning conversion run.

“It was the mark of a young team,” Grundy coach Greg Rowe said. “We hurt ourselves, but a couple of our young guys stepped up and made some plays when we needed them.

“They’re still learning how to win football games. We’ve still got a long ways to go. But this was a good win for them.”

Grundy scored 12 seconds into the contest when Josh Lindsay returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. The Wave drove 89 yards in 18 plays for its second TD, a one-yard scoring run by Owens.

Kelly finished the game 14-of-21 passing for 161 yards. Daugherty hauled in five passes for 111 yards.



At East Ridge, Ky.

Grundy..............................12 0 0 15 — 26

East Ridge..........................0 16 8 0 — 24

First Quarter

G-Lindsay 85 kickoff ret. (pass failed)

G-Owens 1 run (pass failed)

Second Quarter

ER-Bartley 28 fumble ret. (Thacker run)

ER-Bartley 3 run (Branham run)

Third Quarter

ER-Epling 1 run (Rowe pass from Thacker)

Fourth Quarter

G-Daugherty 12 pass from Kelly (run failed)

G-Justus 10 pass from Owens (McCowan run)