Hurricane falls to Midland 41-21

When trying to beat one of the best teams in WV you can not afford to make mistakes. The Redskins had too many to overcome last night, and paid for every error they made in an otherwise evenly played contest.

As has been the case in all 3 games this season, Hurricane fell behind early as Cabell Midland's QB Jovaun Light scampered 22 yards to paydirt on the game's opening drive.

However the Redskins has an answer.....almost. On the Skins first drive, Christian Hill ran strong behind Hurricane's Offensive line as Hurricane pounded Midland's defense into the Red Zone. However 2 incomplete passes left Hurricane facing a 4th down. Opting for a field goal, Coach Taylor sent Tom McCutchen out for the attempt. Perhaps what followed demonstrated that this might not be the Skins night. The Kick hit the upright, then the crossbar and bounced away.

For most of the remainder of the half, the Redskins defense frustrated Midland, holding the Knights on multiple 4th downs, and then causing a fumble in the red zone that J.T. Cooper recovered.

However one of the games turning points soon followed. On a QB sneak for a first down QB Nathan Roy lost his helmet and had to come out for a play. Austin Womack replaced Roy, and perhaps thinking back to last year when Womack had come in for a play and threw a TD pass versus Huntington, Taylor called for a deep ball. Unfortunately the pass was picked off and Midland was in business.

The Knights did not waste the opportunity. Ivan Vaughn, who has 256 yards rushing, scored from a yard out for the first of his 4 touchdowns on the night, and Midland went to halftime with a 14-0 lead.

Hurricane had chances during the half, but a holding penalty on a long Hill first down run hurt one drive, and Roy missing a wide open Curon Cordon cost the Redskins a would be score.

After Midland scored an early 2nd half TD to extend to a 20-0 lead, Cordon failed to cover the ensuing kickoff and Midland once again took advantage with a Light to Vaughn TD pass. However the Redskins finally got untracked and when Roy (8-19-102 yards and 2 tds) found Cordon from 35 yards out, Midland's lead was cut to 27-7 and Hurricane seemed primed for a comeback.

That lasted about 9.6 seconds as the Knights' Easton Petitt returned the ensuing Kickoff 88 yards to put a dagger into the Redskins heart.

However Hurricane showed guts and Christian Hill scored from 15 yards out to pull Hurricane within 34-14. But once again Midland answered on a 30 yard run by Vaughn. A 2nd Roy to Cordon (6-85) TD pass provided the final margin of 41-21

Hill had a huge game on the ground as he rushed for a tough 256 yards on 37 carries. He earned every one of those yards with his hard nosed downhill running style. Making his night that much more impressive is the fact that the Redskins played most of the contest without two of the starting lineman as Dalton Geter and Nick Goad left the game and did not return. Both Steven Shine and Tommy Butler came over from defense to replace Goad and Geter.

Defensively Cameron Kimble lead Hurricane with 13 tackles. Cooper had 12, Payton Lunsford 11 and Shine 10. Kimble, Cooper, Shine and Tommy Butler each had 1 tackle for loss. Cooper's fumble recover was the lone turnover that Hurricane registered.

CLASS ACT? Midland's coach Luke Salmons with a 20 point lead and less than 30 seconds on the clock, opted to throw a long pass rather than taking a knee. Really Coach?? Additionally since the Redskins left the field in pre-game rather than watch Midland's ridiculous trademark Haka dance. Salmons had them "perform" the dance after the game in front of the few Redskin players and coaches that had not yet made it to the locker room. Coach Taylor smirked, rolled his eyes and said "We might see them again." I'm sure he and the Redskins would relish that opportunity!