As for the action on the gridiron in the midst of all of it, there were more good memories for Martins Ferry there, as the Purple Riders (4-2) treated their home fans to a 45-0 win over visiting Buckeye Local (2-5).

“You always want to get a win on homecoming and senior night,” Martins Ferry head coach Justin Kropka said. “Tonight, that had to be both for us after last week’s shenanigans. So, I’m thrilled for our seniors. You know, they’ve really been the glue of this program.

“When they were freshmen, we had 42 kids on the team and 20 of them were freshmen. So, they’ve been kind of the glue. I’m glad we were able to move this class all the way up through to today and I’m glad they’ve got to experience the amount of success they have. I’m thrilled for them.”

Five different players scored rushing touchdowns for Martins Ferry on Friday- including two from sophomore Walkquem Cox, both of which came in the first quarter. Cox rushed seven times for 72 yards and the pair of scores, sitting the whole second half along with the rest of the Riders’ starters.

Martins Ferry led 39-0 at halftime.

Cox started the evening’s scoring with a 18-yard touchdown on Ferry’s first drive of the night, a quick-hitting four-play sequence that put the Purple Riders ahead 7-0 at the 10:27 mark of the game’s opening quarter.

Senior Gavin Mulvey pulled off perhaps the most impressive play of the game, dropping into coverage off the line of scrimmage and cleanly reeling in a one-handed interception, returning the pick 42 yards to the end zone.

Later in the first, Cox scored from six yards out to put Ferry ahead 20-0, where the score stood going into the second frame.

Martins Ferry had 10 first downs in the first quarter alone, finishing with 22.

Senior fullback Luca Shane was next to the end zone for Ferry, diving in from two yards out less than a minute into the second quarter.

Buckeye Local put together their longest drive of the first half in the wake of Shane’s score, but the Riders’ Christian Shutler secured an interception in his team’s own end zone to deny the Panthers a score with 6:49 to play ’till halftime.

The very next play, Ferry’s Gunner Disher took his first touch of the game 80 yards to the house.

The Purple Riders found great field position once again after a Ricky Barr interception, and Javis Johnson Jr. capitalized with a four-yard touchdown run. Elijah Roby snagged another interception as the clock hit zeros on the half to take Martins Ferry into the locker rooms ahead 39-0.

Martins Ferry senior Kaden Holmes ran in a five-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to bring the game to its final score.

The game was played with a running clock the duration of the second half.

For Ferry, Walkquem Cox rushed for 72 yards and two touchdowns, Disher ran twice for 83 yards a score, and Javis Johnson Jr. turned 10 carries into 65 yards and a touchdown.

Junior Colby Kropka only attempted seven passes in his limited time, throwing for 78 yards. Maurice Barnett had two catches for 61 yards.

For Buckeye Local, senior quarterback Grant Dombroski was his team’s leading rusher with 33 yards, while Izaiah Hundley was the Panthers’ leading receiver with four grabs for 20 yards.

“Our guys play hard, but we just have to realize that other people want to win too on game night,” Buckeye Local head coach Chris Kiedaisch said. “We have to have that mentality starting in the summer to work day after day after day because other teams aren’t going to lay down for us. Credit to Ferry, they’re a really good football team and very well coached and played really hard.”

Kropka gave plenty of credit to his offensive line for his teams’ rushing success. Seniors across the o-line include Jaxson Leonard, Tayson Palmer, Ethan Palmer and Saquan Carthen.

“I think that this team has always started and finished with the offensive line,” Kropka said. “We have a veteran offensive line and a lot of those guys had to play when they were freshmen. It’s nice to come out and be able to do that. We have some depth, which is rare at a Division 6 school.

“We’re able to rotate guys in, and our senior group’s very unselfish. So it’s not a problem when we rotate guys in. It’s fantastic. I’m really happy for our seniors, and like I said, it always starts with our offensive line, which is senior-laden.”

Martins Ferry travels to Cambridge for their next game. Buckeye Local will host Union Local.