FILE PHOTO: The Victory Bell, repainted orange after an Oriole victory against Reading in 2014. (Photo by Sean Watson, WTVB)
QUINCY, MI (WTVB) – The Victory Bell is back in Quincy after the Orioles outlasted the Reading Rangers 60-42 on Friday night in the regular season finale for both teams.
The 72nd edition of the Victory Bell game was a shootout for the ages as the two arch rivals combined for 15 touchdowns.
Quincy never trailed throughout the nearly wild and crazy three hour contest and led 14-8 after the first quarter. The fireworks really exploded in the second quarter as the two teams combined for 68 points.
Quincy took a 38-30 lead into the locker room at halftime but Reading scored on their opening possession of the second half. The Rangers cut the lead to just two points on a 15 yard TD pass from quarterback Carter Bassage to Will Elder but were unable to convert on the two point conversion which would have tied the game.
Noah Rufenacht then returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. The two point conversion put the Orioles back up by 10 points at 46-36.
Bassage’s fourth touchdown of the night from three yards out cut the Quincy lead to 46-42 but the Rangers were once again unable to get the two point conversion.
Quincy put the game away with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns. Noah Kelley scampered 31 yards for his third touchdown of the night and his 30th TD of the season. Kelley finished the night with 218 yards rushing on 21 carries.
J.J. Wright iced the win for Quincy with a 100 yard interception return for his third touchdown of the game.
Bassage led the Reading offense with 192 yards on the ground and 163 yards in the air for 355 total yards.
Quincy quarterback Isaiah Staggs passed for two touchdowns and ran for another. Besides his kickoff return, Rufenacht also had a pair of touchdown receptions.
Quincy finished the regular season with an overall record of 5-4. They were 5-3 in the Big 8. Reading finished 4-5 overall and 3-5 in the conference.
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