AYERSVILLE: Sometimes the margin of victory can come down to just a few inches, and nothing was more evident on a perfect night for football in the battle for the ever coveted Victory Bell.

After chasing Dominic Graziani all night, the Pilots had the Rams facing a fourth down and two at their own 35-yard line with just over two minutes remaining, and the Pilots clinging onto an 8-7 lead. Tinora’s Graziani would take the snap, and wiggle to his left. After being within inches of being brought down by a Pilot defender, Graziani somehow snuck out of the jam, like a slithering snake, darting to the right for a Tinora first down, what would follow will now go down as one of the greatest drives in this long series history.

The 48th edition of the River Rivalry saw the 3-3 Rams travel into Craig McCord Field to take on the 5–1 Pilots, teams were 2-1 in the Green Meadows Conference standings.

Both teams traded punches through the first 18 minutes, neither team moving the ball, nor was either threatening to score.

Tinora would finally break the ice at the 7:15 mark of the second quarter. Dominic Graziani would cap a 14-play 77-yard drive with a 5-yard TD run, and Jacob Bishop would add the extra point, giving Tinora a 7-0 lead.

The Rams would have another scoring opportunity right before the half, however, the Pilots Abe Delano would block a Bishop field goal attempt from 40 yards out as time expired, and the Rams would take a 7-0 lead to the half.

The Tinora defense limited the Pilots to just five first downs in the half on just 69 total yards. Graziani and the Rams offense gained 132 total yards while gathering 11 first downs.

Ayersville wasted little time getting going as the second half started, the Pilots Jacob Miler would return the kickoff to the Tinora 45-yard line. Lucas Fishpaw and the Pilots attack would take 7:24 off the clock, finally getting on the board as Fishpaw would hit Ray Wolfrum with a 15-yard TD strike, the Rams led 7-6 at the 6:36 mark of the third.

Coach Mickey and the Pilots would go for the two-point conversion and convert it as Abe Delano ran it off the left side of the Pilot offensive line to give Ayersville an 8-7 lead over Tinora.

Things were getting interesting as the second half progressed with each team having just two possessions in the third period and Ayersville still grasping that 8-7 lead.

Tinora had a chance to grab the lead as they drove the field to end the third quarter. Dominic Graziani had an 11-yard TD scamper called back because of a holding penalty to start the fourth quarter. Tinora had to settle for a field goal attempt after the penalty, unfortunately, a 22-yard field goal was no good at the 9:48 mark of the final quarter.

The Pilots looked to control the game with one of their patented drives. The Tinora defense would step up to the challenge and force a Pilot punt at the 7:15 fourth-quarter mark.

As the Tinora offense was trying to mount a drive, the Rams would fumble the snap at the Pilots 40-yard line with just under five minutes remaining in the game, Ayersville would recover and attempt to run the clock out.

The Rams would use all three timeouts on defense in an attempt to save time on the clock. The Pilots would face a fourth and five from the Tinora 23-yard line. The Pilots chose to pass, looking to catch the Rams sleeping, however, a Fishpaw pass intended for Ray Wolfrum was broken up by the Rams Owen Ackerman.

Graziazi and the Rams now faced a first and 10 at the Ayersville 24-yard line, out of timeouts and seeing the game clock at 2:33 remaining, still trailing 8-7.

After the above-mentioned 10-yard fourth down scramble by Graziani gave the Rams a first down at the Tinora 42-yard line with 2:05 remaining in the game, Ayersville still was clinging to the 8-7 lead.

Graziani would then hit Grady Gustwiller on a great catch on the sideline down to the Ayersville 43-yard line with 1:56 left for another Tinora first down.

Tinora’s Carter Guillium would next haul in a Graziani pass over the middle, taking the ball down to the Pilots 17-yard line, still with 1:41 remaining on the fourth quarter clock.

Graziani would next take 15 yards himself down to the Pilots 2-yard line with 1:30 on the fourth quarter clock.

After an Ayersville timeout with 50 seconds left, the Pilots defense would stop the Rams on two straight runs by Graziani.

Dominic Graziani would drop back to pass on a key third down attempt, again using his legs, Graziani would run it in for a 2-yard TD with 43 seconds on the clock, giving Tinora a 13-8 lead. Bishop added the extra point for a 14-8 Rams lead.

Ayersville would have one last chance, having a single timeout and the ball at their own 35, the Pilots looked to drive the field with limited time remaining.

On a second down and 10 play, Tinora’s Dominic Graziani would step in front of a Fishpaw pass, ending the Pilots threat and giving Tinora a hard-fought road win.

Tinora improves to 4-3 with the win, 3-1 in the GMC. The Rams will host Paulding
Friday night is homecoming for the Rams.

The Pilots fall to 5-2, 3-1 in conference play. Ayersville travels to Antwerp next Friday in a huge GMC contest for both.

The Higbea Embroidery Player of the Game went to Dominic Graziani, great game, Dominic!

Per coach Becker, “This one is for the community”.

Tinora 0-7-0-7=14
Ayersville 0-0-8-0=8

Tinora Ayersville
First Downs 21 12
Rushing 34/154 32/96
Passing 14-24-133 5-13-55-0-1
Total yards 58/287 45/151
Penalty 7/36 4/16
Fumbles/lost 2/1 2/0

Tinora passing: Graziani 14-24-133-0-0
Tinora rushing: Gustwiller 11-47; Guisinger 5-20; Graziani 16-81-2 TD; Guillium 1-7; Radzik 1- -1
Tinora receiving: Bishop 1-6; Ackerman 2-15; Gustwiller 4-40; Radzik 3-23; Roesti 3-23; Guillium 1-26

Ayersville passing Fishpaw 5-13-55-0-1
Ayersville rushing: Knueven 20-48; Delano 5-24; McConnell 5-27; Fishpaw 2- -3
Ayersville, receiving: Delano 2-7; Wolfrum 3-45

Rams bring home the Bell!