Winning Record
Colts move to 6-2 with win at Lewis
WESTON — Lewis County jumped out to a 10-0 lead over Philip Barbour early on in a Class AA Big 10 Conference matchup Friday, but the Colts responded to outscore the Minutemen 24-12 over the remainder of the contest to secure a 24-22 road win at LCHS.
Also secured for PB now is a winning season record, as Philip Barbour improves to 6-2 on the year, after going without a win for the two previous seasons.
On defense, Philip Barbour only surrendered one offensive touchdown by Lewis County, and picked up a trio of turnovers.
On offense, PBHS produced 418 total yards (354 rushing/79 passing) after minimal penalty yardage removed.
“I thought we played defense well at times, the wing-T is hard to simulate in practice,” PB head coach Russ Collett said. “It took us a series or two to start seeing it, and once we got down there near the goal line we were able to tighten up and keep them from punching in to force them to kick some field goals.
“I give Lewis a lot of credit, their backs ran hard, they played tough, and they have a heck of a good kicker. It was a hard-fought game by both teams,” he added.
Lewis County sophomore kicker Jared Griffith opened the scoring with a 37-yard field goal on the game’s opening drive. He went on to record a 32-yarder to increase the Minutemen’s lead to 13-6 in the second quarter. With 2:08 left in the third period, Griffith nailed a 42-yard attempt to give the lead back to Lewis at 16-14.
After the Colts fumbled a kickoff in their own territory, LCHS senior Joseph Rubio kept the special teams play alive by scooping up the turnover and barreling 25 yards back the other way to pay dirt to put the hosts up 10-0 less than half way through the opening stanza.
Damien Gonzales capped PB’s ensuing possession with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Matt McCoy for the Colts to trail 10-6 after a missed PAT. With the first half winding down, Hunter Mason gashed up the middle for 25 yards to set PB up at the LCHS 35-yard line. Mason capped the drive off with an 8-yard plunge past the pylons. Senior big man Jake McCord was then called into service as the middle running back in a 3 man power I formation, and ran it up the gut for a 2-point conversion to give the visitors a 14-13 halftime advantage.
The Minutemen’s defense tightened up in the third, and Griffith’s 42-yard go ahead field goal took the lead back at 16-14 with 2:08 left on a third period clock. In the fourth quarter, Christopher Volberg got on the good foot with a 30-yard boot through the uprights to put PB back on top for good at 17-16.
Mason crashed across the goal line from 4 yards out, and Volberg tacked on the PAT with 3:05 left in the contest. White helped Lewis get down the field in the final minutes, and Rohrbaugh found Aaron Beam for a 36-yard passing touchdown to cut the deficit to 24-22 with 1:40 left to go in the fourth. With no choice but to go for 2, Lewis lined up for the conversion attempt. The Colts dialed up a big blitz, forcing an interception taken in by senior Cam Kollo to seal the victory as PB ran out the clock on their next and final possession.
Chase Collier paced the ground attack for PB with 164 yard on 21 carries. Mason toted the rock for 104 yards and a score after 18 attempts, and Gonzales scampered for 80 yards on 13 running plays. Gonzales also threw the ball well going 4 out of 7 for 79 yards.
Hauling in catcheswas Hunter Gainer, with 2 receptions for 42. His dad Todd wore PB jersey No. 42 in the 1990s at the Colts’ Corral. Junior Noah Matlick’s late father Gene Matlick would also be proud as Matlick pulled in a crucial sideline catch late in the game to help the Colts seal the deal.
Next up for Philip Barbour is another Big 10 Conference clash next week at home against the AA No. 11 Lincoln Cougars, who survived 45-44 against a very competitive Elkins High School squad on Friday. Kickoff at George Byrer is set for 7 p.m.