GNADENHUTTEN — John Slusser walked off the field after halftime during his team’s showdown with unbeaten Indian Valley on Oct. 11 as proud as he had ever been of a Ridgewood football team.
It was quite a statement, given his Generals have made the playoffs 18 times and reached a Final Four in his 21 years as head coach.
That’s how much he respects Grady Kinsey.
“He’s the best football player I’ve coached against,” Slusser said following his team’s 42-14 loss, its first in 2025 after seven straight wins. “And that is without a doubt.”
The Generals held the Air Force commit and East District’s Mr. Football candidate to 58 yards on 10 carries in the first half of their Inter-Valley Conference-South Division clash. It came after he ran for 388 yards on 26 carries against Garaway in Week 7.
That was the good news. The bad? Kinsey’s less-heralded supporting cast did their own damage in a 21-point first half that provided more than enough breathing room.
Dual-threat quarterback Ryker Williams ran for a 6-yard score through traffic on IV’s opening drive, then had completions of 26 yards to Kinsey and 18 yards to Rowan Picin on its second. The latter, which converted a third-and-6, set up fullback Bradley Barr’s 7-yard scoring burst off left tackle.
Finally, Williams found a seam on a misdirection and sprinted 35 yards past multiple defenders for a third score in as many drives.
Suddenly, it was 21-0 with 6:37 left until halftime. This, with Kinsey — at least by his lofty standards — mostly contained.
It was yet another example of how the Braves’ veteran offense has added more weapons to its arsenal and new wrinkles in its approach, even as three new offensive line starters and a slippery new wingback in junior Reese St. Clair have been integrated.
St. Clair caught a 27-yard touchdown with 2:06 left in the third quarter, pushing IV’s lead to 42-14.
“We did that against Garaway, too,” IV coach Matt Lancaster said. “Ryker is a good quarterback back there. We’re able to use (other weapons) when we need to do some different things with screens and stuff like that.”
As for Kinsey, he never had a run longer than 25 yards, a rare night when he didn’t bust a long one. He performed admirably in the role of chain mover, however. None were bigger than the 7 carries for 69 yards he produced in an 8-play scoring drive late in the third, after Jace McQueen’s 18-yard touchdown run got Ridgewood within 28-14.
Kinsey finished with 23 carries for 173 yards. His 7.5-yard average was his lowest of the season.
“I’m so happy right now,” Slusser said. “I don’t know if it’s because my kids played well or Grady is graduating. I’ll never have to game plan for that dude again and I am thankful for that. … He’s just so dominating and an awesome kid to go with it.”
That Slusser elected to go for it on fourth-and-5 from the IV 39-yard line on his team’s opening possession, and later onside kicking to start the second half, was merely a nod to his greatness.
“It didn’t think the field, whether it was 55 yards or 30 yards, was going to be a big difference,” Slusser said of his risk taking.
Lancaster praised his defense, especially the front seven. Titan Peterman, Hunter’s kid brother, wreaked havoc with three tackles for losses from his end position, two of which came on consecutive drives.
Ridgewood had 23 total yards on its first three possessions before mounting a scoring drive to end the first half.
“He’s got a good motor this year,” Lancaster said. “He plays with great effort, and now he’s starting to do what he is coached to do.”
Generals still eyeing postseason
The IV game marked the first of a rugged three weeks to end the season for Ridgewood, which still has games against 6-2 Claymont and 6-2 Garaway remaining.
The Generals sat in eighth in Division VI, Region 23 following the Week 8 proceedings. Wins against the Mustangs and Pirates would all but solidify a first-round bye, according to joeeitel.com.
Two losses? That’s not a conversation anyone in Wood Country wants to have.
“We’ve got a really good team,” Slusser said. “We’re not a Division IV state championship-type of team (like Indian Valley), but we are a very good team. And I thought our kids battled tonight. I was proud.”
sblackbu@gannett.com; X: @SamBlackburnTR
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Grady Kinsey had plenty of help from his friends in Indian Valley clash against Ridgewood
Reporting by Sam Blackburn, Zanesville Times Recorder / The Times-Reporter
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
