HUNTINGTON -- No matter what league of football a team is in, turnovers are hard to overcome.
Huntington spotted Erie a 24-0 cushion on Saturday night and could not rebound, falling 52-31 to the RiverRats in American Indoor Football Association action at the Big Sandy SuperStore Arena.
"We turned the ball over way too many times tonight. We have to take care of the football better," Huntington head coach Carlos Clayton said. "Tonight, we didn't play Huntington Heroes football."
In the course of seven offensive plays, Huntington fumbled twice, turned the ball over on downs and threw an interception with three of the turnovers giving the RiverRats possession in Heroes' territory.
Erie quarterback Rod Rutherford capitalized on each possession, taking care of the football and methodically leading his team downfield. Rutherford threw for a pair of first-quarter scores and ran for another to push the lead to 21-0 at the end of one period.
Huntington trailed 31-7 at the half, but got a key defensive stop near its own end zone just before the break to take a little bit of momentum into the locker room.
The response was a strong defensive effort to open the half as a safety and a 7-yard touchdown run by Darnell Kennedy cut the lead to two scores.
Each time that Huntington made a run, Rutherford answered offensively and the defense clamped down to ensure that no comeback would ensue.
Rutherford said his defense was able to make adjustments in practice after defeating Huntington in Erie last week and they made it easy on his offense to put points on the board.
"If you see it one week and you get to see it again the next, there isn't much you can do," Rutherford said. "You can try and switch some things up but there still isn't much you can do."
Huntington also had to battle through a night when fumbles and mishandled snaps ended up in the arms of Erie. The Heroes had five turnovers on the evening and put the ball on the ground six times, losing four of the fumbles.
Kennedy, the Heroes' quarterback, also had trouble finding receivers as he finished 7-of-23 for 60 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He ran the ball well, rushing for 46 yards on seven carries and a score.
Rutherford finished the game 16-for-34 for 180 yards and five total touchdowns -- four through the air and one on the ground. Huntington limited Rutherford to just 4-of-12 passing in the second half. Darmel Whitfield also had a pair of touchdown catches for Erie.
ERIE 21 10 7 14 -- 52
HUNTINGTON 0 7 16 8 -- 31
E -- Rutherford 1 run (kick failed)
E -- Jackson 17 pass from Rutherford (Cipra kick)
E -- Cipra rouge
E -- Butler 6 pass from Rutherford (Cipra kick)
E -- Cipra 31 FG
H -- Rollins 5 pass from Kennedy (Cherry kick)
E -- Whitfield 9 pass from Rutherford (Cipra kick)
H -- safety (ball kicked off lineman, through end zone)
H -- Kennedy 7 run (Cherry kick)
E -- Barlow 1 run (Cipra kick)
H -- Frederick 8 pass from Kennedy (Cherry kick)
E -- Whitfield 8 pass from Rutherford (Cipra kick)
E -- Watkins 23 fumble return (Cipra kick)
H -- Bryant 13 pass from Kennedy (Kennedy run)
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