Bears fall to Red Riders in OT

WEIRTON-Justin Horstman, Weir High's junior kicker, was having a bad night. That is until the Red Riders scored an overtime touchdown to tie arch rival Oak Glen 12-12. Horstman's extra point kick was perfect giving his Red Riders a thrilling 13-12 come-from-behind victory last night at Jimmy Carey Stadium.

The win gave the Red Riders five straight over the Golden Bears and with that goes retirement of another Carl R. Hamill Memorial Trophy - the ninth time Weir High has put the trophy away since the series began in 1963. Oak Glen has retired the trophy three times.

The Golden Bear defense had yielded 97 points in its first two games, both losses; but came to play last night. While they gave up 301 yards rushing to the Red Rider offense, the Oak Glen defense stood tall when it had to.

Meanwhile, Weir High went to it's version of a jumbo backfield. In the two earlier games this season, the Red Riders used a lot of one-back, spread offense. Last night Coach Eric Meek inserted senior Derrick Rovira at 230 pounds and sophomore Billy Perkins at 190 pounds on either side of 205-pound senior quarterback, Bryant Davidson and pounded the center of Oak Glen's defensive front relentlessly.

Rovira finished with 158 yards rushing including sprints of 50, 23, 19 and 16 yards among his 13 carries. Perkins was used primarily as a blocking back and logged just three carries, but on one he broke through for a 30-yard gain. Davidson, Weir Highs workhorse, lugged the wet pigskin 29 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

Dividsons second touchdown, a one-yard blast over center from the shotgun formation tied the score at 12-12 in the overtime.

You have to give Oak Glen credit and our kids credit as well, said a pumped up Meek after the game. We moved the ball well, but couldnt get it in, but the bottom line is we won and we are 3-0.

The victory was Weir Highs third in as many games while the Golden Bears were losing their third straight.

We took a chance in overtime and went for two, said a dejected Tony Filberto, who is in the first year of his second stint as the Oak Glen coach. We just didnt get it in.

The kids played hard and I am proud of them. It was a great high school football game and both teams came out of it with their heads held high.

Horstman had missed a kick for an extra point when Weir High scored its first touchdown in the first quarter to tie Oak Glen. Later, he was unable to get field goals of 25 and 31 yards. His boot went wide on the 31-yarder and the snap on the other went array.

The Golden Bears, whose offense has been scoring points despite the lopsided losses, drove 57 yards on the first series of the game to take a 6-0 lead when junior quarterback, Seth Barnhart hit tight end Eric Stipec over the middle from six yards out.

Barnhart hit two big passes to senior wide receiver, Jacob Porter, for l9 and 16 yards during the drive.

Weir High senior, Brendon Sadler, returned a Barnhart punt 16 yards to the Red Rider 49 to initiate the touchdown drive that tied the game late in the first period.

After Perkins was stopped for no gain on first down, Rovira lumbered 19 yards to the Oak Glen 32. Perkins got the call again and this time broke through the middle for 30 yards to the Golden Bear two.

From there, Davidson blasted over left guard for the touchdown.

The two teams battled on even terms from there until the overtime.

The deepest threat by either team was a Weir High drive from its own 24 to the Oak Glen nine that was highlighted by Roviras 50-yard run. The Oak Glen defense rose up and stopped the Red Riders with a fourth-and-three at the Golden Bear nine-yard line.

Meek sent Horstman on the field to kick what would have been a 25-yard field goal, but the snap was fumbled and Horstman had to fall on the loose pigskin.

Two possessions later and still in the second period, Weir High drove to the Oak Glen 20. Rovira plowed through the line for five yards, but fumbled the football. Oak Glen junior Tyler Reed alertly pounced on the loose ball to thwart the Red Rider drive.

Then, late in the fourth quarter, Weir high put together a 10-play drive that was halted by the Golden Bear defense on their own 15. Thats when Horstman tried a 31-yard field goal that went wide to the right with 1:32 left in the game.

The Oak Glen defense came a long way since last week, Meek exclaimed. We made some mistakes with the fumble, missed extra point and two field goals missed, but you have to give them credit.

But a year or two ago we might have lost a game like this. Our kids have worked hard to get to the point where we have the experience to win a close one like this.