Colts use potent running attack, strong defense in second half to hold off Cougars
Mountain Lions keep playoff hopes alive
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SHINNSTON -- A potent running attack and strong defensive effort in the second half lifted No. 7 Philip Barbour to a 39-36 win over No. 9 Lincoln Friday night at Stydahar Field.
The victory should secure at least one home playoff game for the Colts (7-3) when the official ratings are released this weekend by the WVSSAC.
Quarterback Robbie Jones and Landyn Carpenter combined for over 300 yards rushing and each found the end zone twice as Philip Barbour overcame a 28-21 halftime
Trailing 28-21 at halftime, the Colts took the lead for good in the third quarter on a 27-yard field goal by Ayden Thorne, who was perfect on the night in his conversion kicks, and Jones' 1-yard sneak, along with a Carpenter 2-point conversion run, making it 32-28.
Carpenter then found the end zone with 8:10 left in regulation on a 4-yard scamper to treat Philip Barbour to an 11-point lead, at 39-28.
The Cougars answered, however, on a Connor Rice 1-yard TD run, with Bear Saab hitting Trent Moore on the two-point conversion, to cut the deficit to 39-36 with four minutes left in regulation.
But the Colts used the running of Robbie Jones, Carpenter and Mason Jones to run out the clock.
Philip Barbour struck first in a high-scoring initial two quarters on a 9-yard run by Carpenter.
Lincoln tied the game at 7-7 with a long drive on its ensuing possession capped off by a 2-yard run by Rice.
Robbie Jones then used his arm to give the Colts the lead back, 14-7, when he found Kent Rowan for a 35-yard connection :34 into the second canto.
The next 14 points belonged to the hosts as Saab hit Jacob Bart for a 78-yard score and Colton Edwards returned an interception for paydirt to make it 21-14.
Robbie Jones then broke free from 50 yards to tie the game with 7:18 left in the first half.
Again the Cougars put up another score when Rice went in from two yards out with less than a minute left in the second quarter to allow the hosts to take a 7-point edge into the intermission.
Rice, who burnt the PB defense for 120 yards in the first half, was limited to just 15 yards rushing over the final two quarters as the Colt defense made key halftime adjustments.
Robbie Jones finished with 173 yards on the ground in the win, while Carpenter added 140 on 29 totes.
Saab was nearly perfect in the passing game hitting 15 of 17 attempts for 193 yards in the loss.
Bart had over 100 yards receiving and Edwards hauled in eight catches for 60 yards for the Cougars, who are now 6-4.
Tucker County 36, Madonna 20
PARSONS -- Tucker County kept itself in the running for a fifth straight Class A playoff berth with a 36-20 win over Madonna Friday night at R.H. Armstrong Memorial Field at Class of 1984 Alumni Stadium.
The Mountain Lions (4-6) entered the game 15th in the latest playoff ratings.
They will learn their fate when the WVSSAC announces the official field this weekend.