Skyhawks survive late Rio rally

Rio Grande Sports Information
     VALLEY, Ala. - So close, but yet so far.
     The University of Rio Grande's bid for a first football win came up short on the game's final play as Point (Ga.) University held on for a 21-14 victory, Saturday afternoon, in Appalachian Athletic Conference play at Valley High School's Ram Stadium.
     The Skyhawks improved to 3-5 overall and 3-1 in league play.
     The RedStorm slipped to 0-7 overall and 0-4 in the AAC as a result of the loss.
     Head coach Mark Thurston's squad, which had scored just 12 points for the entire season coming into the game, scored twice in the fourth quarter to erase a 14-0 Point lead.
     Sophomore quarterback Peyton Molter (Louisville, KY) capped a seven-play, 22-yard scoring march with a 3-yard scoring toss on fourth down to sophomore Beamer Walker (Cincinnati, OH) with 12:55 left to play to slice the deficit to 14-6.
     The short-field possession was setup by freshman Ahmed Samura's (Pataskala, OH) recovery of a fumble by Point quarterback Samir Wylie following a sack by Rio freshman Elijah Gay (Cincinnati, OH).
     Point took the ensuing possession after the RedStorm touchdown from its own 19-yard line to the Rio 12, but Harold Maloof's 29-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Rio's Pierre Ricks (Hollandale, MS) and returned by freshman Andy Meldick (Oak Hill, OH) 81 yards for a touchdown.
     Molter then connected with freshman Mikelle Moore (Cincinnati, OH) on the game-tying two-point conversion with 7:16 remaining.
     The Skyhawks responded, though, with a nine-play, 71-yard scoring march which culminated in a 4-yard TD scamper by TJ Howell and gave the hosts a 21-14 edge with 3:56 left.
     Rio Grande countered on the ensuing possession, quickly moving from its own 15-yard line to the Point 31, converting a pair of fourth downs in the process - the second and third such plays in the game for the RedStorm and just the fourth and fifth conversions for the entire season.
     The dramatic potential game-tying or game-winning drive appeared to end when Molter was intercepted by Point's Caleb Wade at the Skyhawks' 12-yard line, but a pass interference penalty negated the interception - and a personal foul markoff against the hosts - gave Rio the ball at the Point 10 with three seconds left for one last-gasp play.
     However, Molter's toss in the direction of Walker fell incomplete as time expired.
     Treyvon Copeland finished with 130 yards and a first half touchdown on 18 carries for Point, while Howell ran for 113 yards on 19 totes.
     Wylie added a TD run for the Skyhawks, who finished with 345 yards of total offense.
     Rio Grande, which hurt its own cause with 99 yards on 11 penalties, finished with 154 total yards.
     Molter, who didn't enter the contest until the final period, completed 13 of his 20 pass attempts for 91 yards. Moore and Walker both had six receptions each, for 40 and 38 yards, respectively.
     Freshman starting signal-caller Ayden Ludolph (Martins Ferry, OH) led Rio's ground attack with just 18 yards on 11 carries.
     Defensively, freshman Braylon Robertson (Bainbridge, OH) led a trio of double-digit tacklers with 12 stops. Sophomore Nathaniel Lopez (East Mims, FL) and sophomore Isaac McCory (Chillicothe, OH) had 11 tackles each and sophomore Hayden Kenney (Lexington, KY) also had a fumble recovery.
     Rio Grande returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Reinhardt (Ga.) University in its home finale. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Alumni Stadium in Jackson, Ohio.