The Paden City Wildcats ended their ’09 football season at 4-6 with a loss to the Valley Lumberjacks, 15-6 on Friday at Berger Field.

Both the ‘Cats and ‘Jacks were looking to add a win to their overall season record and the game could easily have went either way, but Valley’s offense outlasted Paden City’s to get their fourth win of the year.

Playing to a scoreless end to the first quarter Valley was determined to get on the scoreboard in the opening minutes of the second. Lumberjack Cody Scott ran in two yards for the first score of the game to give Valley the lead. Jeremiah Burch centered the uprights for the extra point putting the score at 7-0.

With 6:50 to go in the first half, the visitors again struck pay dirt. Cody Bates ran in six yards for a touchdown, followed by a Scott pass from Garrett Ueltschey to add to their score, and lead 15-0 at halftime.

The defensive battle between the teams carried into the third quarter with neither adding to their side of the scoreboard. With 9:45 to play in the fourth, Paden City’s Malakai Anderson threw an 11 yard pass to Josh Bennett to keep the ‘Cats from being shut-out. The pass for the extra point failed and the game ended with Valley Wetzel getting the win, 15-6.

Valley rushed for 165 yards in the game on 43 carries and passed for 90 for a total of 255 yards. Paden City collected 115 rushing yards on 32 carries and passed for 91 yards for a total of 206 yards in the contest.

The Lumberjacks lost one of two fumbles committed and were penalized eight times costing them 65 yards. The Wildcats recovered all three fumbles they committed and were penalized 10 times for 82 yards.

Anderson was the leading rusher for Paden City with 18 carries for 89 yards. Taylor Still had 14 carries for 26 yards.

Anderson, the quarterback for Paden City, completed seven of 16 passes for 91 yards and was intercepted once. Bennett caught four passes for 72 yards and Mitchell Stewart caught two passes for 23 yards.

In pre-game festivities, the Wildcat faithful honored seniors of the football and cheerleading teams as well as members of the marching band.

The Wildcats will lose five seniors to graduation: quarterback Malakai Anderson; wide receiver, Josh Bennett; Mitchell Stewart; Silas Davis; and Michael Greathouse.

Several underclassmen will hopefully return to the line-up next year, along with a few newcomers and freshmen in order for Paden City to make some noise on the gridirons of the Ohio Valley.