PURPLE RIDER RALLY STUNS ST.C

It was a forth quarter that won't soon be forgotten by either the Martins Ferry or St. Clairsville football followers. The visiting Purple Riders exploded for 22 unanswered points in less than four minutes, after following behind by a 22-7 count with just over seven minutes remaining, to hand a stunned bunch of Red Devils a 29-22 defeat at the Belmont County Fairgrounds. The game opened up in good manner for the home squad as a swarming defense sent Ferry's offense to the sidelines the first two times it touched the pigskin. Following Ferry's second punt St. Clairsville took the ball 68 yards on 10 plays to take the early lead. Freshman quarterback Marty Lucki was the big play man in the drive twice drilling aerials to Greg Hilling. The first one was for 10 yards, on a third and five call, and the second was a 14 yard strike that put the home team up.

Eric Keller added the PAT and with nine ticks remaining in the first quarter the Red Devisls had a 7-0 advantage.

Martins Ferry wasted little time in matching the score as they found paydirt on their next possession. Josh Luca hit a wide open Brian Peterson to take the ball into enemy turf.

After five running plays netted 17 more stripes and set up a third and three from the host's 25 Lucas, who finished the game a perfect 5-5, hit Tyrone Stewart for 16 yards and a first and goal at the nine.

Chuck Bell finished off the 10 play, 66-yard drive when he went off left tackle for the final yard at 6:47 mark of the second period. John McFarland's PAT knotted the score at seven-all.

After Ferry had held the Devils and forced a punt, fortunes quickly turned toward the scarlet and grey when Rich Speilvogel fumbled the punt and Scott Porterfield recovered the miscure at the Ferry 36 with 3:41 remaining untill the half.

When the first two plays netted only a yard, Coach Mike Young again turned to the wing of Lucki as the signal caller hit Steve Schafer on a third and nine play that gained 20 yards.

The next three plays could only net nine more and when Young decided to go for a first down on fourth and one from the six, Eric Keller took the ball off right tackle for four yards and the first and goal at the two. Lance Rice went the next two up the gut on second down for the Red Devil score and Keller added the conversion with :38 remaining in the half to send the Devils into the locker room up 14-7.

The third quarter started out quick when Rive took the kickoff at his 14 and returned it to the Martins Ferry 45. From there hard nosed back Micah Stidd, who led all rushers in the game ripped off 34 yards to set up a first down at the visitors' 11.

Following an illegal motion penalty and a Ferry defense that stiffened on three running attempts St. Clairsville elected to send place kicker Keller onto the field to drill a 24 yard goal a the 8:27 mark of the third quarter and the lead was extended to 10.

Martins Ferry appeared that they were going to answer the score with one of their own on its next possession. The visitors however saw their drive end when on a fourth and one from the Devils' 25.

St. Clairsville linebacker Jack Gilman and friends dropped Keith Walker for a yard loss and gave the ball back to Coach Young's forces.

As the fourth quarter started Lucki led St. Clairsville on a 79 yard, six play drive that saw the determined frosh display some excellent running skills in picking up runs of 23, and 29, the latter going for six points as he outran the defenders into the left side of the end zone.

However, when the PAT was missed it was a sign of the things to come with 7:53 remaining in the contest.

From this point on the visitors could do not wrong as the forced 3 turnovers with a rejuvenated, gang tackling group of purple and an offense the suddenly went beserk.

It took Martins Ferry only 43 ticks to match St. Clairsville's score as Speilvogel caught a Luca pass split two defenders and went 69 yards down the right sideline.

The two point conversion failed and the lead was cut to 23-13.

On first down from his own 20, Lucki was mauled from the side at the 26 by MacFarland causing the ball to bounce loose into the hands of Mikale Robey at the 28 and he retuned it directly to paydirt. And when, Lucas hit Erik Del Guzzo for the two point conversion we had a two point game with 6:57 remaining.

It only got worse from their for St. Clairsville.

On the Devils' next possession, Rice had apparently had the first down on a third down carry when he too dropped the ball and the Riders' Bell came up with the ball at the St. Clairsville 25.

Before the Martins Ferry faithful, who had hung around to see the improbable ending, could get seated the visitors were at it again. On first down Lucas sprinted around the left end to set up another first down at the 12. From their it took three rushes to take Ferry to it's first lead of the game. Walker went the final six yards off the left side and then tacked on the two point conversion to put Martins Ferry up 29-22 with 3:31 remaining.

The amazing comeback was completed when Speilvogel intercepted a Devil pass and the offense ran out the clock as a distraught and bewildered group of St. Clairsville fans slowly exited the fairgrounds.

After the game Martins Ferry head mentor reminded his team in a very spirited post game discussion the, "there is no such thing as no chance."

If you don't believe it, just ask the Martins Ferry football team.