By: Gary Dove
WN Sports Writer
BRADSHAW – Homecoming events at the high school level are by definition happy ones, capped by a football game.
Last weekend’s festivities at River View, from all accounts, went well.
Although the aforementioned football game didn’t go as the home crowd would have liked, the Raider faithful can take conmfort in knowing the team has brighter days ahead with a plethora of under-classmen on the roster who will get better with time and maturity.
Friday evening the Hurley Rebels disappointed the River View fans by taking a 52-26 victory over the Raiders, however the home team refused to quit.
The Buchanan Countians took a 24-0 lead early in the second period that stretched to 46-12 late in the third before the never-say-give up Raiders battled back.
The Rebels rushed 35 times for 402 yards, or 11.5 yards per attempt, and six TDs on the ground on the way to their third win in four games.
Quarterback Landon Bailey and running backs Payton Hurley and Kevin Looney all tallied two scores apiece, while Looney added a third on a 77 yard kickoff return.
Bailey finished with 13 totes for 171 yards, followed by Hurley’s 102 yards on 7 rushes and Looney’s 10 runs for 94 yards.
While the Rebels did their damage on the ground, River View scored twice through the air, both times on passes from quarterback Mikey Picklesimer to Tyler Cooper, as well as on a pair of touchdown runs.
Senior Josh Proffitt lit the Raider side of the scoreboard first on a 20 yard sweep around right end with 1:02 left before intermission.
Hurley returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards to the RV 12 to set the stage for Bailey’s initial touchdown on the first play of that series.
Not to be outdone with a quick strike, Picklesimer returned the Rebel kickoff to the View 31 before scrambling to his left on first down and hooking up with a wide open Cooper on a 69 yard pass-and-run with 22 ticks showing before halftime.
Picklesimer scored on a one yard keeper with 3:36 showing in the game and again found Cooper with a five yard scoring toss with only a dozen seconds on the clock.
Proffitt led the Raider rushing with five attempts for 51 yards, while Picklesimer completed four-of-five passes for 99 yards and two scores.
The now 0-3 Raiders will entertain Van Friday night, while Hurley will return home to host Tug Valley.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
HURLEY 8 24 14 6 52
RIVER VIEW 0 12 0 14 26
SCORING
First Quarter
H: Kevin Looney 7 yd run (Alex Duty PAT run) 5:57
Second Quarter
H: Payton Hurley 5 yd run (Gavin Matney PAT pass from Landon Bailey) 10:03
H: Looney 13 yd run (Caden Mullins PAT pass from Bailey) 1:23
RV: Josh Proffitt 20 yd run (PAT run failed) 1:02
H: Bailey 12 yd run (Bailey PAT run) 0:42
RV: Tyler Cooper 69 yd pass from Mikey Picklesimer (PAT run failed) 0:22
Third Quarter
H: Bailey 3 yd run (Matney PAT pass from Bailey) 5:27
H: Hurley 10 yd run (PAT pass failed) 0:36
Fourth Quarter
RV: Picklesimer 1 yd run (PAT run failed) 3:36
H: Looney 77 yd kickoff return (PAT run failed) 3:21
RV: Cooper 5 yd pass from Picklesimer (Kaiden Newberry PAT run) 0:12
TEAM STATISTICS Hurley River View
Rushing Yards 35-402 34-108
Passing Yards 59 99
Total yardage 461 207
Hurley River View
Passing 3-8 4-5
First Downs 19 9
Penalties 14-113 1-10
Fumbles – Lost 2-1 2-1
Interceptions Thrown 0 0
Offensive Plays 43 42
Punts – Yds – Avg 0-0-0.0 4-131-32.8