MARTINS FERRY — Entering Friday evening’s game on a rare two-game skid, the Martins Ferry Purple Riders found an opportune time to right the ship, taking a convincing 40-15 victory over invading Beaver Local. The victory gives the Riders much needed momentum headed into next Friday’s S.P.A.R.K.Y. game against rival Bellaire, which will have major playoff implications.

“Its huge,” Martins Ferry coach Chas Yoder said of snapping the two-game slide. “Football is all about momentum. We are starting to play our style of football again. For whatever reason, we couldn’t do it the last couple of weeks, partially because of the teams we played. We played two great teams. Everybody got out of the game healthy, the kids are excited and we are looking forward to the big rivalry next week.”

Concerning the Riders’ offense, which carried the ball 46 times for 250 yards and five scores, Yoder observed “It started with our O-line, everything starts with them and they were getting some movement up front and our guys were starting to get the ball downhill. We have a handful of guys who can run hard, its just the O-line and if they are driving them off the ball or not.”

“We have been inconsistent all year long on offense. It’s something that has plagued us all year long. We make plays, but then we jump offsides, or we have penalties We’re just inconsistent. We show flashes of what we are capable of being, but we just are not consistent enough with it,” lamented Beavers coach Mike McKenzie, whose team managed just 166 total yards and was guilty of four turnovers.

The Beavers (3-6) opened the game by recovering an onside kick, but the Purple Riders (6-3) got the ball back quickly with Logan Smith picking off Beavers quarterback Tanner Johnston. From there, the hosts marched 79 yards on a dozen plays with senior back Drake Dobson plowing up the middle from two-yards out for the score. Cody Olson’s PAT put the Riders up 7-0.

It didn’t take long for Martins Ferry to strike again. After recovering a fumble by the visitors, Martins Ferry went 31-yards in eight plays, this time capped by a two-yard burst by Trevor Hanson for the touchdown. Olson was true again for a 14-0 lead by the Purple.

While Beaver Local couldn’t get untracked, the Riders seemed to be finding their stride, bridging a drive from the first into the second quarter, this time covering 60-yards on nine plays, this time concerted by an 11-yard scamper to the right on a naked bootleg by quarterback Jake Probst from 11-yards out. The conversion kick was off, leaving Martins Ferry up 20-0.

Beaver Local was finally able to dent the scoreboard on their ensuing drive, set by a 43-yard dash by Cody Flowers on a screen pass from Johnston and finished by an 3-yard dive by senior back Garret Givens. Chase Flati’s kick closed the gap to 20-7 in favor of the hosts.

Ferry found the end zone one more time before the half ended when speedy sophomore back Chase Goff found a seam up the middle and out raced an array of would-be tacklers on a 53-yard scoring dash. The conversion pass failed, leaving the Riders up 26-7, which stood at the break.

With the rain coming down, the visitors found their next points on a special teams gaffe. The hosts were in punt formation on fourth-down when the snap, deep in Riders territory, sailed over Probst’s head and out of the end zone for a safety cutting the lead to 26-9.

Both offenses struggled to find footing in their third, but the hosts scored next taking advantage of an interception on the visitors’ one-yard line. On the next play Dobson walked in, and Olson’s placement pushed the Purple Riders’ advantage to 33-9.

Beaver Local scored one more time following a seven-play drive that went 48-yards. The Beavers used some creativity with Jacob Kane finding Donovon Garcia for 21-yards to set up deep in Riders’ territory, and Givens capped the drive with another three-yard score. Flati was true again putting the score at 33-15 in favor of the hosts.

Martins Ferry added a window-dressing touchdown with 1:06 left when Probst found Smith on an eight-yard post in the back of the end zone for the score. Olson’s kick placed the score at 40-15, which stood as the final.

Goff led the way for the Riders offense with 106 yards and a score on nine carries, while Dobson added 52-yards on 12 carries with a pair of scores. Johnston finished the game with 73 infantry stripes and 77-yards through the air. The Beavers cross the river to face Oak Glen in week 10, while the Purple Riders host Bellaire in the aforementioned S.P.A.R.K.Y. game.

Martins Ferry 40, Beaver Local 15

Beaver Local 0 7 2 6 15

Martins Ferry 14 12 0 14 40

M–Dobson 2 run (Olson kick)

M–Hanson 2 run (Olson kick)

M–Probst 11 run (Kick Failed)

B–Givens 3 run (Flati kick)

M–Goff 53 run (pass failed)

B–Safety

M–Dobson 1 run (Olson kick)

B–Givens 3 run (pass failed)

M–L. Smith 8 pass from Probst (Olson kick)

RUSHING: Beaver Local 28-68-2tds (Johnston 16-73, Givens 8-23-2tds, Kane 1-(-9), Salsberry 2-(-10), D. Jackson 1-(-9). Martins Ferry 46-250-5tds (Hanson 13-31-td, Dobson 12-52-2tds, L. Smith 1-1, Goff 9-106-td, Probst 4-27-td, Diloretta 7-33

PASSING Beaver Local 10-20-98-2x (Johnston 9-19-77-2x, Kane 121-21). Martins Ferry 9-16-106-td (All by Probst).

RECEIVING: Beaver Local 10-98 (Flowers 2-41, Lerussi 2-12, Garcia 3-34, Kane 1-0, Krulik 1-9, Rawson 1-2). Martins Ferry 9-106-td (Rice 2-27, Hores 4-47, Schrodes 2-23, L. Smith 1-8-td).

FIRST DOWNS: Beaver Local 9. Martins Ferry 22

FUMBLES: Beaver Local 7-2. Martins Ferry 4-2.

PENALTIES: Beaver Local 9-80. Martins Ferry 9-75.