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BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
AKRON — Grady Moriarty ran 28 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, and the Tippecanoe Valley defense stopped John Glenn on downs on the ensuing possession to close out a 22-21 win at Smith-Bibler Memorial Field: Home of Death Valley Football Friday.
Wes Parker returned from injury and ran for 111 yards, including an 80-yard scoring run, and Owen Omondi returned the opening kickoff of the second half 85 yards for a touchdown for Valley, who improved to 6-2 overall and 2-2 in the Indiana Northern State Conference.
Parker also had a 23-yard reception.
Freshman quarterback Archer Rust threw for 184 yards and added another 84 yards and two touchdowns rushing
for the Falcons, who dropped to 1-6, 0-5.
Walter Drews had a team-high 85 yards rushing and a touchdown, and he added a 43-yard reception. Rust completed passes to five different receivers. Brayden Benwell had five snags for 83 yards.
Hunter Stage threw for a career-high 94 yards and completed passes to four different receivers for Valley. Omondi added 34 yards on three receptions to his kickoff return.
Gage Overbey banged a 31-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, which gave Valley a 16-15 lead.
John Glenn responded with Rust running 52 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-16, but they missed the two-point conversion.
Then came Moriarty’s run.
“Well, it was greater blocking, and I went off Brock’s amazing lead block, and that right side did an amazing job, and it was just me and the safety, and I got lucky and won it,” Moriarty said.
Moriarty said he has embraced the move to tailback on offense this year. He was a fullback prior to this year.
“At the beginning of the season, I was fullback, and they moved me to tailback due to injuries,” Moriarty said. “It was a big change, but I love it. It’s fun handling the ball, but I like blocking too.”
John Glenn would get down to the Valley 29 as Rust mixed passes with scrambling runs. But on fourth down, John Glenn coach Ron Brown decided to go for it rather than attempt a 46-yard field goal, and the Viking defense forced an incomplete pass.
Stage took a knee to drain the rest of the clock.
The defensive challenge was trying to contain Rust.
“He’s great already,” coach Stephen Moriarty said. “He does a good job of moving in the pocket. Even his fakes are good. Running the ball, he did well too, but he stayed so poised even when we started giving pressure to him. … He really does have a great arm, and we’ll have to see him for the next four years.”
Tippecanoe Valley 22, John Glenn 21
John Glenn 6 3 6 6 – 21
Valley 0 7 6 9 – 22
First quarter
JG – Archer Rust 42 run (kick failed)
Second quarter
JG – A.J. Putchio 20 FG
TV – Wes Parker 80 run (Gage Overbey kick)
Third quarter
TV – Owen Omondi 85 kickoff return (two-point conversion failed)
JG – Walter Drews 1 run (kick failed)
Fourth quarter
TV – Gage Overbey 31 FG
JG – Rust 52 run (two-point conversion failed)
TV – Grady Moriarty 28 run (two-point conversion failed)
