On a night packed full of events at Tinora High School Justin F. Coressel Stadium, the one thing coveted by the Tinora football team was keeping the Victory Bell at Tinora for one more season.

On a near-perfect Friday for football, the Rams welcomed in their across-the-river rivals, the Ayersville Pilots, in another edition, the 49th, of the River Rivalry dominated by the Rams, 18-5 Tinora, since 2000.

Ayersville head coach Andrew Mickey, known for always having a trick up his sleeve, pulled one out on the Pilots initial drive as he tried a fake punt on the Pilots opening possession. Facing a fourth and six from their own 30-yard line, the Pilots tried to catch the Rams special teams unit sleeping. Unfortunately for Ayersville, Tinora was wide awake, stopping the conversion attempt. The Rams would take over at the Pilots own 33-yard line.

The Rams could not capitalize on the excellent field position on their first drive. A Jacob Bishop 44 field goal attempt was knocked down by the wind at Tinora High School, and the game remained scoreless at 8:01 in the opening quarter.

The Pilots defense stopped another Tinora drive, this one right before the end of the first quarter. Tinora drove to the Pilots 28-yard line, but an Owen Ferrell pass over the middle was intercepted by Ryne Maag as the initial quarter came to an end.

The Tinora Football program honored its 2014 team during the quarter break. The ’14 team finished 13-1 and advanced to the OHSAA Final Four.

The Rams also celebrated the district bowling team and coach Noah Pickering for their run to the Districts in the second stanza.

The Tinora defense came up with another fourth down stop, this one to start the second quarter. Facing a fourth and inches from their own 39, the Tinora defense stopped the Pilots, taking over in Pilots territory.

The only score of the half came at the 8:26 mark when Owen Ferrell hit Trenton Delarber out of the backfield for a 25-yard touchdown. Jacob Bishop’s XP gave the Rams a 7-0 lead.

After a battle throughout the first 24 minutes, the teams headed to the locker room, with Tinora holding a 7-0 lead.

The Pilots controlled the ball in the initial half, playing keep away from the Rams. Ayersville ran 32 for 91 yards.

Tinora ran just 16 plays for 101 yards. The Rams were held to 3 rushes for minus 12 yards in the opening half.

Out of the half, the Rams offense used a short passing game to march down the field, ending with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Owen Ferrell to Josh Lieb. Bishop’s XP pushed the Rams’ lead to 14-0 with 7:19 remaining in the third quarter.

Ayersville continued to chew up yardage on the ground in the third quarter, but
the vaunted Tinora defense was up to the challenge, holding the Pilots out of the endzone through three quarters.

Tinora took a 14-0 lead into the fourth quarter. Hoping to register their third straight shutout, the Rams Mason McQuillin intercepted an Ayersville Alex Sigler pass, taking it down the left sideline for a 48-yard interception return for a score. Bishop tacked on the XP, increasing the Tinora lead to 21-0 with 6:40 on the fourth quarter clock.

The Pilots could not muster anything on the scoreboard over the remaining six minutes. Still, the Tinora Rams kept the Victory Bell with a 21-0 win over the Pilots.

The victorious Rams ran 40 plays for 226 total yards, while the Pilots, in defeat, ran 53 plays, accumulating 180 yards, all on the ground. Taurean Knueven ate up the Rams defense for 145 yards on 33 carries.

Coming into the contest, over the previous 3 games, the Rams defense had allowed -5 yards rushing on 65 attempts.

Ayersville dropped to 1-7 on the season, 1-4 in the GMC. The Pilots will host Antwerp next Friday.

The Rams improve to 5-3, 5-0 in conference play. Tinora will have another test as they travel to Paulding to take on the Panthers. (6-2, 3-2 GMC)

The Higbea Embroidery Player of the Game went to Owen Ferrell, congratulations.

The Patriot Outdoors Play of the Game went to Mason McQuillin. Great job, Mason!

Ayersville 0-0-0-0=0
Tinora 0-7-7-7=21

Ayersville passing: Sigler 0-1
Ayersville running: Knueven 33-145, Sprow 12-48, Sigler 5 (-18), Johnson 2-5

Tinora passing: O. Ferrell 19-28-249-1 int 2 TD
Tinora rushing: Luellen 3-6, Graziani 2-1, Bishop 1-1, Delarber 1-0, Replogle 3 (-8), O Ferrell 2 (-23)
Tinora receiving: Graziani 4-82, Bishop 6-62, Lieb 5-54, Delarber 4-51

Pics of the 2014 team – Sarah Harris:

Below pics: Tinora Rams Live

Watch back the Rivalry, click below: