Dolphins, Steelers win in JFL action: Thrower runs for two TDs in fourth quarter

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard

Michael Thrower of the 9- and 10-year-old Warren County Junior Football League’s Dolphins tries to break through a group of Titan defenders during Saturday’s game at Nunley Stadium. (Dale Stubblefield photo)

Michael Thrower scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead the 9- and 10-year-old Dolphins to a 19-12 victory over the Titans in Warren County Junior Football League action Saturday at Nunley Stadium.

Tied at 6-6 at the half, the Titans’ Montrese Long gave his team the lead with an 11-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

But Thrower brought the Dolphins back, scoring on a 13-yard run in the fourth to tie the game. Dustin Rhea went in for the PAT, putting the Dolphins on top, then Thrower struck again, scoring on an 18-yard run on the game’s final play.

Dustin Rhea went in on a 7-yard run in the first quarter to give the Dolphins an early lead, but the Titans answered on the ensuing kickoff, as Austin Fisk went 70 yards for his team’s first touchdown of the season.

Thrower led the way for the Dolphins’ rushing attack, recording 154 yards on just nine carries, with two rushes of over 40 yards including a long run that set up Rhea’s touchdown. Rhea finished with 43 yards on the ground.

Long posted 33 yards on five carries, while Casey Locke had 15 yards and Frankie Martin Jr. had 12. Marcus Jones had 10 yards on two carries.

Defensively, the Titans’ Mack Thomas had seven tackles, while Martin recorded five. Long, Luke Crawford, Jones and Locke had three stops each.

Ken Clayton had a pair of sacks for the Dolphins defensive unit, while Nicholas Myers had a backfield tackle and Rhea recovered a fumble. Keifer Bain also had a good game defensively.

• In other 9- and 10-year-old action, the Steelers used a strong first quarter to hand the Panthers a 28-6 loss.

Connor Dixon returned the game’s opening kickoff for a 70-yard touchdown, giving the Panthers an early 6-0 lead, but the Steelers countered with 16 points in the quarter and added a touchdown in both the second and third period to seal the win.

Rob Parsley finished with 39 yards on five carries, including a touchdown, while Robert Burch ran for an extra point. Cody Rehvlen completed 3-of-4 passes for 50 yards, and ran for both a 20-yard touchdown and an extra point. Nathan Patterson had a 20-yard touchdown run, and recovered a fumble for another score.

Christian Martin led the Panthers in tackles with four, while Chase Heath had three and August Palombo finished with two.