Portageville throttles Chaffee 74-13 in homecoming victory

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. — The offensive juggernaut known as the Portageville football team continued to roll, notching an impressive 74-13 victory over Chaffee at Vic Reaves Athletic Field on Friday, September 29, in a spectacular display on homecoming night.

It was the most points the Bulldogs (5-1) had scored since an 89-0 win in 2016.

“The team played well and executed efficiently on both sides of the ball,” said Portageville coach Ian Penrod.

Portageville’s defense showcased its dominance by making stops and forcing turnovers on four of Chaffee’s first five possessions.

The Bulldogs quickly established a 14-0 lead as Huston Partin capitalized on a fumble recovery, returning it for a touchdown, while on the next drive, Xayvion Bogan intercepted a pass and took it to the end zone for another score.

“We had two big defensive touchdowns to start the game,” Penrod said.

After the defense set the tone, it was the offense’s turn to take center stage. The Bulldogs extended the lead to 28-0 later in the first quarter with a pair of short-yardage rushing touchdowns.

Portageville's Jamarion Smith (24) runs during a 74-13 win over Chaffee at Vic Reaves Athletic Field on Friday, September 29, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Brittany Dawson)

Then, in the early stages of the second, Jamarion Smith stole the spotlight with an extraordinary 47-yard touchdown sprint. Displaying finesse and evasiveness, Smith darted through the defense, leaving defenders in his wake as he gracefully weaved his way to the end zone.

The Bulldogs demonstrated its utter dominance, amassing a staggering 60-0 lead at halftime. Smith led the charge, accumulating 15 carries for 201 yards and five touchdowns in the first half.

Portageville increased the lead to 68-0 after a 49-yard touchdown run by Antonio Hickenbottom in the third quarter.

“A big standout besides our varsity players was our young players on offense,” Penrod said.

Hickenbottom finished the game with six rushes for 124 yards and a touchdown.

The Red Devils were able to score a couple of second-half touchdowns after some big runs.

Portageville's Max Warren (7) runs during a 74-13 win over Chaffee at Vic Reaves Athletic Field on Friday, September 29, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Brittany Dawson)

The Bulldogs’ final scoring play was a 15-yard touchdown run by Rylan Partin in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Mason Adams finished 4-of-5 for 59 yards and also rushed for 37 yards and a touchdown.

Portageville asserted its control by outgaining Chaffee 429 to 141, successfully converting its only third-down attempt while the Red Devils struggled at 2-of-10, and securely protected the ball with a turnover-free performance, while Chaffee yielded possession four times.

The Bulldogs’ top defensive players were Bogan (two interceptions and three tackles), Aaron Dunlap (three tackles and a forced fumble) and Connor Jefferies (five tackles).

Portageville boasts the second-highest scoring offense in the state so far this season, averaging 54.2 points per game, trailing only Bowling Green (61.2).

Portageville will travel to Malden (0-6), while Chaffee will host Scott City (4-2) on Friday, October 6.