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HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
Midland gets thrilling win over defending state champ
Midland senior Tyler Bartley looks over the defense before the snap during the Cabell Midland game vs Parkersburg on Friday August 29, 2008.
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ONA -- A long night came down to one play. Make the 2-point conversion and win. Come up short and be prepared to answer why you made that call.
Brad Jenkins scored on a 3-yard run in overtime to get Cabell Midland within a point of defending West Virginia Class AAA champion Parkersburg. After a timeout, Knights coach Chip McMillian elected to go for a two-point conversion and the win. Quarterback Tyler Bartley, after making a fake to Jenkins, followed the back and his line to the left, found a seam and cut up inside and made it to the end zone to give Cabell Midland a thrilling 35-34 victory and touch off a wild celebration on the Knights' home turf.
"We were going for two," McMillian said before heading into the raucous Knights lockerroom. "It's Parkersburg and a chance to win against 'Titletown.' There's nothing like that. It caps off a great night."
Cabell Midland once led 20-7, only to see the Big Reds charge back to take a 27-20 lead in the fourth period.
Jenkins got the Knights even on a 96-yard TD run with 8:45 left in the fourth. It was the longest TD run in school history.
Parkersburg, which has won two straight state titles, got the ball first in overtime and put the pressure on when Christopher Row went over from 2 yards out.
McMillian found out what his Knights had when they went out for what would be the final possession.
"It was a fake and the quarterback follows and finds the hole," McMillian said of the 2-point call. "Tyler's a winner. He's still rusty. He's coming off that broken foot. It was a typical Parkersburg-Cabell Midland game. It was like a heavyweight fight. Two teams go toe to toe. This time we delivered the final blow."
Jenkins piled up 233 yards on 19 carries, scored three times and threw a key block on the winning conversion.
"I'm so proud of him," McMillian said. "He deserves what he got."
"I'm happy we gave him the ball," Jenkins said. "I made my block. When I glanced back, I saw him cross the orange (goal) line. Time to celebrate."
Bartley and Jenkins said there's nothing like taking down the Big Reds.
"Everybody had Parkersburg beating us," Bartley said. "We'd lost some close ones. This was the best game of my life. Nothing compares to beating Titletown.
"We said since August take down Titledown," Jenkins said. "I'm tired of hearing about them."
For Jenkins, this was his first game on offense for the Knights. On the second play of the game, he ripped off a 62-yard romp over the same left side he scored the TD.
"This means the world. I couldn't have done it without them," he said, talking about tackles Cole Bowers and Justin Houck and the rest of the men up front. "On that run (TD) I saw nothing but daylight. You get that feeling and that extra burst of speed."
Cabell Midland returns to action next Friday at Capital and the Big Reds travel to Beckley.
Big Reds coach Bernie Buttrey said his team gave it all they had. Very few players returned from the past two state winners.
"I told the kids they've got a big heart," he said. "We got down 13-0 and 20-7 and could've let up. They didn't. They showed grit. That's a big, physical, pretty talented team (Knights). They've got some studs."
Buttrey said he thought the Knights would go for two at the end.
"The way they'd been kicking made the decision a lot easier," he said. "They're at home. It takes guts to make that call. We thought we had it stopped. In the end we didn't have an answer for it."
PARKERSBURG 0 20 0 7 7 -- 34
CABEELL MIDLAND 13 7 0 7 8 -- 35
CM -- Paul 3 run (Adkins kick)
CM -- Jenkins 3 run (kick failed)
P -- Row 1 run (Lantz kick)
CM -- Bartley 3 run (Molina kick)
P -- Wenzel 74 kickoff return (Lantz kick)
P -- Roush 1 pass from Wenzel (kick failed)
P -- Row 5 run (Lantz kick)
CM -- Jenkins 96 run (Molina kick)
P -- Row 2 run (Lantz kick)
CM -- Jenkins 3 run (Bartley run)
PARK CM
First downs 17 16
Total Net Yards 265 365
Rushes-yards 44-179 46-324
Passing 86 41
Comp-Att-Int 8-16-1 3-12-2
Fumbles-Lost 2-0 1-1
Penalties-Yards 12-77 9-61
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Parkersburg, Wenzel 8-45, Ong 5-19, Roush 2-8, Ruddlesden 1-9, Settle 9-13, Row 16-76, Newlon 1-0, Phillips 2-9. Cabell Midland, Brumfield 1-10, Bartley 18-40, Jenkins 19-233, Paul 8-41.
PASSING--Parkersburg, Wenzel 8-14-0, 86 yards; Newlon 0-2-1. Cabell Midland, Bartley 3-12-2, 41 yards.
RECEIVING--Parkersburg, Roush 5-70, Nedeff 1-7, Ankrom 2-9. Cabell Midland, Hughes 1-7, Brumfield 1-12, Jenkins 1-22.
