Dramatic finale inches Trojans past Falcons

   PARKERSBURG – The distance between victory and defeat was measured in inches on Friday night in Parkersburg.

   With time ticking away in the fourth quarter of Aplington-Parkersburg football's district opener with West Marshall, the Falcons were stopped less than a yard short of the end zone on fourth-and-goal, and the Trojans took over for what was a 99-yard game-winning drive and a 34-28 victory over the Falcons at Ed Thomas Field.

   "That's something we've preached all year, every inch matters," West Marshall head coach Cody Hackett said. "They were moving the ball on us down the field, it was a long drive. … Our guys stuck in there and made a very great play."

   Even after A-P's Lincoln Johnson was denied his second touchdown of the night by a hair, the Trojans still had to take over deep in their own territory with 1:32 left in the game.

   West Marshall was able to lean on the playmakers that had been so solid all game long, however, marching down the field with several passes and scoring with time to spare on Cameron Bannister's fifth touchdown pass of the night, a strike over the middle to Josh Larsen with 20 seconds remaining.

   After coming up empty-handed in the 16-play, nine-minute drive preceding West Marshall's victorious march, A-P head coach Alex Pollock couldn't help but feel opportunities had been left on the table.

   "We panicked a little bit," Pollock said of West Marshall's final drive. "We went away from our technique and had some guys trying to do other guys' jobs and that cost us. We had done so well in the three previous games concentrating on doing your job the best you can and trust the other guys around you a little bit."

   Read more in the Sept. 13 Eclipse.

Slideshow: A-P vs. West Marshall football (Click here to view all photos by thumbnail)