By Ronald Hagood
For The Tribune
BIRMINGHAM — In their first road game of the 2016 season, the Pinson Valley Indians traveled to Lawson Field ia to face off with the Ramsay Rams. Both the Indians and Rams entered the game 1-0 after a pair of road wins to start the season, but Ramsay pulled ahead quickly and stayed on top throughout the night leaving with a 31-15 win.
Ramsay opened the scoring up in the first quarter when Jamarcus Ellison dove in from the one-yard line giving the Rams a 7-0 lead.
After a quick three-and-out by the Ramsay defense, Ellison then scampered 45 yards for his second touchdown of the opening quarter. The extra point was blocked, but recovered by Ramsay and taken in for a two-point conversion making the score 15-0.
The first quarter woes would continue for Pinson Valley when quarterback Jackie Matthews was sacked in the end zone for a safety giving the Rams a 17-0 lead.
Just before the half, however, Matthews found receiver LiAllan Daily in stride for a 36-yard touchdown, cutting the Ramsay lead to 17-7.
Pinson Valley edged closer in the third quarter when a safety was called on an illegal downfield pass. The penalty wiped away a 97-yard touchdown pass for Rams quarterback Baniko Harley. The final stanza was all Ramsay, however.
Ellison would finish off the fourth quarter like he started the game. A one-yard plunge gave Ellison his third touchdown of the night and Ramsay a 24-9 lead.
Matthews gave it his best shot to lead the Indians on a comeback, and he found Dilan Henderson for a 61-yard touchdown to cut the score to 24-15.
The Ramsay running game was just too strong for Pinson Valley, and a late turnover on downs would lead to the Rams finding the end zone one last time to make the final score 31-15.
Pinson Valley head coach Matt Glover was unhappy with his team or his coaches performance.
“We played exactly like we prepared this week,” Glover said. “We didn’t do a good job as coaches getting our guys ready. We’ve got a lot of growing up to do. Hopefully we do it before next week or it’s going to be a long year.”
Pinson Valley will travel to Minor next week in a region contest.