By Steve Keenan
SUMMERSVILLE — In the playoffs for the first time in seven years, Ripley wanted to make the experience last as long as possible.
The Class AAA No. 9 Vikings took a solid first step Saturday night, scoring touchdowns on their first possession of each half en route to a 21-14 conquest of No. 8 Nicholas County in a first-round playoff game at Memorial Stadium.
“I’m tickled to death,” Ripley coach Jimmy Frashier said. “Our kids have been battling all season.
“Getting a team in the playoffs is big, huge; then to extend it another week, to spend at least one more week with these guys, is great.”
Ripley got a 9-yard touchdown run from Adam Rutter in the first quarter, and teammate Jordan Hamric staked the Vikings to a 14-0 cushion with a 22-yarder with 8:28 left in the third.
The Grizzlies, making their third consecutive playoff appearance, then crept within 14-7 on a 27-yard scoring pass from Jordan Ramsey to Jordan Hogan with 5:13 remaining in the third.
At that point, though, Ripley’s special teams provided a huge lift. With Nicholas County’s J.P. McClung punting late in the third, big Ripley lineman William Derenberger broke through the line, blocked the punt, retrieved the ball and lumbered about 20 yards to set the Vikings up with a first-and-goal at the Nicholas 9.
Three plays later, fullback Ronnie Mullins scored from 2 yards out, and Justin Sorrell’s PAT kick made it 21-7.
“That blocked punt was a big play for them,” Nicholas coach Gene Morris said, “but we kept battling. We were just a touchdown short.”
“A blocked punt in any game, especially a playoff game, can lead to something good. Our special teams were big for us tonight and we won the field position battle for most of the night,” Frashier said.
Nicholas, which saw a five-game win streak snapped in its first-ever home playoff game, responded with a 7-yard scoring pass from Ramsey to McClung following a Justin Foster fumble recovery. The PAT pulled the Grizzlies to within 21-14 with 4:59 to go, but they could never get over the hump.
Morris said Ripley’s size hurt Nicholas all night. “Between the tackles, we couldn’t get anything going; they controlled the line of scrimmage. We couldn’t get anything generated in the first half especially.”
In that half, Nicholas never penetrated inside Ripley territory.
“We had an absolutely phenomenal season,” Morris said. “We lost a lot of folks and many didn’t think we would get back here, but the kids worked their tails off to do just that.”
The Vikings (9-2) advance to a second-round showdown with No. 1 Brooke. The day and time will be announced today.
Nicholas finished 9-2.
— E-mail:
skeenan@register-herald.com
