— Three years after going 0-10 as freshmen, a group of Midland Trail seniors closed out a 6-4 football campaign with a 43-22 conquest of PikeView Friday night.

One of those seniors, Jake Grimmett, enjoyed a stellar outing to lead the Patriots past the Panthers in a game that was changed from Thursday to Friday and played at Greenbrier East High School instead of the original Hico location.

Grimmett rushed 20 times for 226 yards, including scoring runs covering 67, 12, 4 and 89 yards, and completed 8 of 11 passes for 88 yards and one score, a 10-yard aerial to Devon Steele in the second period. He also registered an interception and a fumble recovery on defense and punted three times for a 51.3-yard average.

“Jake played a whale of a game,” said Midland Trail coach Joe Dean. “(Overall) these kids did a very good job, especially for the week we had.

“I’m very pleased. This group of seniors started out 0-10 and they did a wonderful job (of not giving up and finishing out strong).”

Also for Midland Trail Friday, Glenn Neal scored on a 5-yard run and Ryan Wilson kicked a 35-yard field goal.

For the Panthers (0-10), Jordan Hardin completed 5 of 17 passes for 136 yards. He threw touchdown passes of 79 and 13 yards to Logan McKinney and was intercepted twice. Adam Holdren supplied a 5-yard scoring run, and Hunter Moses rushed 21 times for 96 yards.

Dean praised Greenbrier East High officials such as Principal Jeff Bryant and Athletic Director Jerry Bradley for the use of their school facilities and their hospitality when the Patriots’ field was unplayable.

Also Saturday, Fayetteville ended its campaign with a 24-12 loss to Independence at Fairlea.

The setback left the Pirates with an 0-10 record — Frank Spangler’s first winless campaign in 32 years as head coach — and snapped a string of consecutive postseason appearances at five.

For Fayetteville, Aaron Krise rushed 12 times for 118 yards, and Jake Alton (2 yards) and Hunter Pullens (36) provided touchdown runs.

Oak Hill closed its regular season with a 72-42 thumping of host Lincoln County.

— Steve Keenan



Midland Trail 43, PikeView 22

PV (0-10)   8     0     0     14 — 22

MT (6-4)    9     15    7     12 — 43

First Quarter

MT: Ryan Wilson 35 field goal

PV: Logan McKinney 79 pass from Jordan Hardin (Hunter Moses run)

MT: Jake Grimmett 67 run (run failed)

Second Quarter

MT: Grimmett 12 run (Garrett Coleman pass from Grimmett)

MT: Devon Steele 10 pass from Grimmett (Wilson kick)

Third Quarter

MT: Grimmett 4 run (Wilson kick)

Fourth Quarter

PV: McKinney 13 pass from Hardin (Moses run)

MT: Glenn Neal 5 run (pass failed)

PV: Adam Holdren 5 run (run failed)

MT: Grimmett 89 run (run failed)

Individual Statistics

RUSHING — PV: Moses 21-96, Ryan Roberts 7-43, Joseph Jennings 6-33, Trevor Shannon 2-6, Holdren 1-5-1. MT: Grimmett 20-226-4, Steele 5-6, Wilson 3-6, Paul Cooper 2-13, Neal 4-11-1.

PASSING — PV: Hardin 5-17-2-136-2, Chris McBride 0-1-0-0-0. MT: Grimmett 8-11-0-88-1.

RECEIVING — PV: McKinney 2-92-2, Bradley Flinchum 3-44. MT: Steele 3-41-1, Wilson 1-1, Coleman 2-26, Austin Burdette 1-13.

TURNOVERS — PV: None. MT: Grimmett (INT, FR), Wilson (FR), Tristan White (INT).