The Central Purple Pounders found themselves in a war of attrition with the East Ridge Pioneers on Friday night. The trouble was, the Pounders were the only team losing manpower along the way.
The host Pioneers needed a safety and a Traniel Moore touchdown in the fourth quarter to stagger away with a 13-6 victory. But the game ended under a cloud with an apparent serious injury to the Pounders' Jake Biddy with only 1:08 to play.
Biddy, a junior center, was taken away by ambulance after more than a half-hour delay during which both teams knelt together while they waited.
The Pounders also lost Michael McGhee in the fourth quarter after he ground out 108 yards on 24 carries to lead both teams. D.J. Baxter, who scored their only touchdown on a jet sweep, missed a chunk of the second half with a stubborn cramp, and versatile Colby McKinney injured an ankle early in the second half.
The Pioneers, who have been battling back from injuries all season long, were very happy with the win and very appreciative of the effort that first-year Central coach Courtney Braswell got out of his players.
"Our defense came up in a big way, especially in the fourth quarter," said Pioneers coach Tim James, now 3-1 on his return to East Ridge. "Our hat's off to Central."
Much has been made of Moore's gradual return to form after a serious knee injury threatened his season. But he and the Pioneers have an outstanding co-worker in the backfield with Kashawn Cosey. Each back carried the ball 11 times, Moore gaining 70 yards and Cosey picking up 45. Cosey scored the 2-point conversion after Moore put the Pioneers ahead with a 16-yard run with 9:45 to play.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Pioneers received a gift safety when a Central punt snap soared through the end zone.
East Ridge scored first in the game, Muhammad Hasan drilling a 27-yard field goal with 4:25 left in the first half. But the Pounders answered with a well-executed, meticulous 11-play drive that ate up all but 26 seconds of the first-half clock.
But without confidence in the kicking game, Central went for a two-point conversion and failed, leaving the patient Pioneers in easy reach.
James praised linebackers Trey Hubbard and Lorenzo Stewart with the defensive effort that kept Central out of the end zone for the final two quarters. The Pioneers also had a touchdown wiped out by penalty in the game - one of 14 they incurred in the game.
Contact David Jenkins at sports@timesfreepress.com.