PORTSMOUTH — Chase Heiland rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown and sparked a second-half comeback to lead the Portsmouth Trojans to a 21-7 Ohio Valley Conference football win over South Point on Friday night at Trojan Coliseum.

“Going into halftime, coach (Portsmouth head coach Bruce Kalb) wanted us to fix some things offensively,” Heiland said, about the South Point 7-0 lead at the break. “Me and the O-line sat in the film room, and we talked about what they were giving us up front and we made some adjustments. “

On the first series in the third quarter, the junior running back dashed 37 yards up the gut to the South Point 23.

He later capped off the seven-play, 69-yard drive with a nifty cutback move, and went in from three yards out for the score with 8:33 to go in the third.

Zach Roth’s extra-point kick tied the score at 7-7.

“I got off to a slow start, but after we talked at half, we came out angry with something to prove,” Heiland added.

The Trojans defense shoved the South Point offense back to its own two-yard line, and forced a punt to give the Trojans good field position at the Pointer 30.

Two plays later, Portsmouth quarterback Camron Williams outran everyone — and went 24-yards into the end zone.

Roth’s boot gave the Trojans a 14-7 lead with 6:03 left in the third period —just two-and-a-half minutes after their initial score.

Williams finished the game with 44 yards in the air, and 86 yards rushing with one touchdown.

“At halftime, the boys were kind of frustrated,” Portsmouth head coach Bruce Kalb said. “I told them we have 24 minutes. Let’s go out and battle and I thought we did a great job shutting them down it the second half.”

Portsmouth’s defense again rose to the occasion, and stuffed South Point on a fourth-down run attempt at the PHS 7-yard-line — with 1:42 left in the third quarter that set up a game-clinching drive.

“That is something we really work on with our big guys up front,” Kalb added about the defensive stand. “They take it personally when you try to run the ball on them near the goal line. That was evidence there on that goal line stand.”

On the sixth play of the next drive, junior J.T. Williams took a toss on and pulled up with the ball — firing downfield and connecting with Landon Malone for a 75-yard touchdown strike with 10:27 remaining.

“Coach knew I still had it in me to throw the ball,” J.T. Williams said.

The 5-6 junior was moved from quarterback to wide receiver by Kalb.

“We knew they would go off on Chase (Heiland) because he’s a stud and they would focus on him,” Williams added.

Before the play, Kalb called a timeout to discuss options for the third-and-three at the PHS 25-yard line.

“We can go for it or punt the ball away on the next play if we don’t get it. Why not?” Kalb said. “When those plays work like they are drawn up, you look like a genius. But that play was pulled off perfectly.”

The reception was Malone’s only catch on the night.

“I knew we needed something, and I had to do it,” Malone said. “He threw it, I caught it and whatever was done was done. I had an idea the defense might catch me, but I was too fast.”

South Point responded and drove to the PHS five-yard line, but J.T. Williams stepped in front of an Ethan Hunt pass — and picked off the quarterback’s first of two interceptions.

“I had to go back in my coverage and coach said it would be there,” J.T. Williams said. “And it was there alright.”

Kalb said he knew turnovers were going to be a big factor in the outcome, and the Trojans forced a Pointer fumble and two picks.

“That one helped seal the game for us,” he said.

The victory puts the Trojans at 5-4, and at 4-2 in the OVC.

Portsmouth plays at 8-1 Ironton (6-0 OVC) on Friday night in the second-oldest rivalry in the state, as a Trojans upset assures them a Division V Region 19 playoff spot.

However, a loss leaves the Trojans waiting and watching whether they qualify for the state playoffs.

* * *

South Point 0 7 0 0 — 7

Portsmouth 0 0 14 7— 21

SP — Eli Wilburn, 30-yard pass from Ethan Hunt (Reece Craft kick), 1:12, 2nd (7-0 SP)

P — Chase Heiland, 2-yard run (Zach Roth kick), 8:33, 3rd (7-7 tie)

P — Camron Williams, 24-yard run (Zach Roth kick), 6:03, 3rd (14-7 P)

P — Landon Malone, 75-yard pass from J.T. Williams (Zach Roth kick), 10:27, 4th (21-7 P)

Team Statistics

SP P

First downs 8 11

Passing yards 101 119

Cmp-Att-Int. 8-14-2 7-8-0

Penalties-yards 7-65 5-35

Punts-Ave. 4-27.8 4-30

——

Individual Leaders

RUSHING —South Point: Blaine Freeman 8-39, Eli Wilburn 7-32, Corey Otzenberger 4-17, Ethan Hunt 3-0; Portsmouth: Chase Heiland 23-123 TD, Camron Williams 15-86 TD, J.T. Williams 14-2

PASSING — South Point: Ethan Hunt 8-14-2-101 TD; Portsmouth: Camron Williams 6-7-0-44, J.T. Williams 1-1-0-75 TD

RECEIVING— South Point: not available; Portsmouth: Chase Heiland 3-24, Noah Livingston 2-12, Colin Perry 1-8, Landon Malone 1-75 TD