Photo by Kristin Mazgaj St. Clairsville's Jacob Walker runs against Independence Friday.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE – It can be said that a character of a team isn’t shown in victory, but how they react to defeat. Coming off of its worst regular-season loss since the 2017 season, St. Clairsville bounced back, taking a 30-20 victory over Ohio Division II Columbus Independence in the friendly confines of Red Devil Stadium.

When asked how important it was for his squad to bounce back, vet Devils grid boss Brett McLean stated: “It was huge! I’m proud of the kids. It was a mental week, we were physically healthy after the Wheeling Park game, but we weren’t real mentally healthy, so we needed to get a charge like this and a win.”

McLean continued, “I think that we played well tonight against a very good team. They (Independence) were coming off of the ball like a big school should. I knew after talking to (76ers) Coach (Maurice) Douglas this spring that anytime you strap it up with a school their size, they have played against some of the top-tier competition in the state . We had YouTube films of them playing Massillon, and DeSales and Hilliard Davidson, so you are stepping into a whole other league, and we needed to be prepared for that.”

The hosts opened the game with the ball and mounted a nine-play, 60-yard drive that covered all of 3:52 on the clock, and while six of the plays were runs, the drive was capped off when quarterback Andrew Vera found Cole Thoburn on the left-hand side. The junior dandy made a nifty move to deke a defender and found the end zone for the first time in his career from 22-yards out. Jacob Meager was true on the PAT for a 7-0 lead.

The visitors struck right back, however, as the 76ers ran 12 plays over the next 4:16, chewing up 60-yards. The visitors mixed the pass and run, but it was the two-headed monster of quarterback Antonio Harris and tailback De’vaughn Bufford that proved to be an issue for the hosts, both this drive and throughout the evening. The Red Devils defense pushed Independence to a fourth down, and the visitors were able to punch it in with Harris lugging the leather from the two. The conversion run failed, leaving the hosts up, 7-6.

The 76ers defense stopped St.C on its ensuing drive, forcing a turnover on downs at their own 10, but the Devils’ defense came up big as well forcing a three-and-out.

St. Clairsville took little time to light the scoreboard up again, this time needing just three plays and 45 seconds to cover 48-yards. Vera floated a pass to junior receiver Colt Westlake, who was able to pull a double-move on the defensive back, doubling back to get under the ball, then juking the would-be defender and eluding him en route to a 44-yard score. Meager was true again, leaving the hosts with a 14-6 lead just over two minutes into the second quarter.

St. Clairsville’s defense stood tall again in forcing another punt, and the hosts put together a long march, covering over six minutes of the quarter. The drive was highlighted by a pair of strikes by Vera, hitting Tyson Pastor for a 30-yarder and Grant Swider with a 23-yard dart to chew up real estate. When the drive finally stalled on the Independence seven, Meager drilled a 22-yard field goal for a 17-6 lighting that stuck through halftime.

The Franklin Countians opened the second half at their own 21-yard line and utilized 13 plays, most of them runs by Bufford and Harris, to get down to the Red Devils’ 14-yard line, but Tearyn Dukes came up huge for the hosts, stepping in front of a would-be Independence touchdown and snaring an INT while getting both of his feet in bounds at the St.C five. Unfortunately for the Devils, their good fortune was not something that lasted, as four plays later Tymere Richards got the ball back for the Sixers, picking off Vera at the 50 and returning it to the 41.

With the Devils D forcing another three-and-out, St. Clairsville bridged their next drive over the end of the third and beginning of the fourth, finished off by Vera taking the ball around the right side of the line and scampering in untouched from the two. Meager’s PAT was again good, putting St. Clairsville up by a 24-6 margin.

Independence showed a lot of moxie, refusing to go down without a fight. The Sixers fired off nine-straight runs on their next drive, finding holes and covering 66-yards in just three minutes. Harris used some trickery, running into the middle of his offensive line to draw the defense in, then bouncing outside and charging 18-yards to pay dirt. Bufford converted the two-point run to close the gap to 10, 24-14.

St. Clairsville had some tricks of their own, however. After running the ball on their first three plays of the ensuing drive, Vera took off on a bootleg around the left side, appearing to tuck the ball and run. With coverage closing in, the savvy senior pulled up at the last minute and found Pastor wide open on the left hashmarks, leaving the sophomore with nothing but moonlight and turf on the way to a 48-yard score. Meager’s PAT was wide, but the hosts held a 30-14 advantage with seven minutes left.

Independence used the same tactics as their previous drive, including their scoring play, as Harris stuffed the pile, then bounced out and scored again, this time from seven-yards out. The conversion pass sailed above a would-be receivers hands in the back of the end zone, leaving the score as a 30-20 showing for the hosts.

The visitors attempted an onside kick, which they had tried on their previous kickoff as well, but the ball barely covered two yards. The hosts accepted the penalty and took the ball on their 42, running out the clock to secure the victory.

Vera finished the game with a nifty line of 11-17 for 232 yards, three scores and a pick. Pastor led all receivers on the evening, snagging four passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Walker finished the game with 62-yards on 13 totes. The 76ers did manage 281 yards on 43 carries, led by Harris, with 14 carries for 126 and three touchdowns, and Bufford (27 for 115).

When discussing his offense’s performance, McLean noted; “They have a real nice team, and I think they executed really well. I’m real proud of our offense expanded some things tonight. I think we have been a tale of different tapes, running and throwing, but it’s whatever it takes. We will continue to evaluate our kids as the season goes along, and tonight it was more on the air than on the ground.”

St. Clairsville returns to action next week when they host rival Martins Ferry.

St. Clairsville 30,

Independence 20

Independence 6 0 0 14 20

St. Clairsville 7 10 0 13 30

S — Thoburn 22 pass from Vera 1 (Meager kick)

I — A. Harris 2 run (pass failed)

S – Westlake 44 pass from Vera (Meager kick)

S – Meager 22y field goal

I – A. Harris 18 run (Bufford Run)

S – Pastor 48 pass from Vera (kick failed)

I – A. Harris 7 run (pass failed)

Rushing: Independence 43-281-3TD (Richards 1-34; Weaver 1-6; Bufford 27-115; A. Harris 14-126-3TD); St. Clairsville 40-165-TD (Walker 13-62; Burk 10-17; Zebbs 4-20; Vera 10-51-TD; Thoburn 1-5; Bush 2-10).

Passing: Independence 7-12-40-X (all by A. Harris); St. Clairsville 11-17-232-3TD-X (all by Vera).

Receiving: Independence 7-40 (Richards, 3-21; Sellers 1-8; Weaver 2-8; N. Harris 1-3): St. Clairsville 11-232-3TD (Westlake 3-61-TD; Thoburn 3-48-TD; Pastor 4-100-TD; Swider 1-23).

First Downs: Independence 19; St. Clairsville 18

Penalties: Independence 5-25; St. Clairsville 4-30

Fumbles: Independence 1-0; St. Clairsville 1-0