HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RIPLEY STYMIES
NITRO 41-13, IMPROVES TO 4-0
Publication: THE SUNDAY GAZETTE-MAIL
Published: 09/22/2002
Page: 7E
Headline: HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RIPLEY STYMIES NITRO 41-13,
IMPROVES TO 4-0
Byline: JIM WORKMAN
jworkman@wvspn.com
RIPLEY - Believe it or not, Ripley - which hasn't qualified for the state
playoffs in the past four years - is undefeated and a major player in the race
for this season's Class AAA state football championship.
The scoreboard got a workout at
No. 5 Ripley raised its record to 4-0, while No. 11 Nitro fell to 2-2.
By halftime, Ripley had already scored its 41 points, rolling up 323 yards on
just 27 offensive plays, more than 12 yards per down. The Vikings were
balanced, gaining 184 yards rushing and 139 passing. Ripley finished with 286
rushing yards and 186 passing for a total of 472.
Sayre led Ripley with 116 yards on nine carries, with Brandon Rogers adding 91
on 12 carries and two scores. Jeff McCoy grabbed five passes for 111 yards and
a TD and also scored on a 17-yard run.
Ripley coach Frank Marino, always known for his 3-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust
offense, has changed his philosophy to match this year's talent on the Vikings.
"In all my years here, I've never had a team this quick," said
Marino, who's in his 26th season at Ripley. "We're not that big, but they
love to play.
"We have four or five kids who can run a 4.5 40. When you have that kind
of speed, it can make up for bad coaching."
Derek Midkiff had a solid game for Nitro, completing
25-of-41 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown. Marshall Casto
caught seven passes for 121 yards and a TD for the Wildcats, and Chris
McGhee managed 42 yards on 11 carries.
Ripley's defense contained Nitro's powerful passing attack.
"Nitro really spreads the field," said Ripley defensive coordinator
Mike Reed, who's in his 25th year at Ripley. "They have a very
sophisticated attack. We wanted to put a lot of pressure on their quarterback
and play man-to-man. This year, we're talented enough to do that.
"This is the first year that we've had any speed. It makes it a lot easier
to coach when they can flat-out fly."
Sayre opened up the scoring by running in a 43-yard score for Ripley with 9:31
left in the first quarter.
Nitro put together an impressive drive of its own, moving from its own 40 on 12
plays, with McGhee diving in from a yard away for a Wildcat TD. John Evans'
extra-point kick narrowed the Ripley advantage to 14-7 with 11:15 left in the
second quarter.
But the Vikings would explode for 27 unanswered points. Rogers ran in a 1-yard
TD, Jeff McCoy took a reverse in from 17 yards away and caught a 62-yard
scoring strike from Corey Isner, and Rogers grabbed a
34-yard TD pass from Isner.
Nitro tacked on a TD with 16 seconds left in the first half as Casto hauled in a Midkiff pass
for a 6-yard score.
Ripley's defense held Nitro to minus-2 yards rushing in the first half. The Wildcats
did manage 132 yards passing in the first two quarters as Midkiff
completed 14-of-22 passes.
Each team mounted long drives in the third quarter but came up empty, as the
Vikings maintained their 41-13 lead into the fourth.
Ripley plays host to Hurricane Friday. Nitro plays host to No. 1-ranked
University the same night.