Nickelsville, Va. (WJHL) – Neither the Titans nor the Rangers had problems scoring the football on Friday night in Nickelsville.
But, when Twin Springs need a score the most, they leaned on senior running back Ryan Horne.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – having him on your team Friday night, you feel confident going into every game,” head coach Keith Warner said.
“We went down in the fourth quarter, but I loved the way we battled back – it was awesome,” Horne said.
The Titans needed nearly every one of Horne’s four touchdowns in a 44-32 victory. The running back wracked up 268 rush yards on 31 carries, while also punching in a pair of two-point conversions.
“You know, my line up front – they blocked really well,” Horne said. “Throughout the whole four quarters I knew we had something special. My line was getting to the next level and I was able to make cuts and have the big game I had.”
“He sees things, he can make cuts – he’s a special running back,” Warner said. “He’s reckless – you can’t bring him down with one person. His yards after contact are incredible.”
But, Warner believes what sets Horne apart is his willingness to give credit where it’s due.
“[Offensive linemen] don’t get their name in the paper, but he makes sure to always give him credit,” Warner said.
“I love the way we have our bond,” Horne said. “Our center went down on Friday night and we had a sophomore step up in his place and snap the ball late in the game – I think it’s big.”
Horne also knows the importance of hard work.
“He’s had to work his tail off in the offseason to get where he is right now,” Warner explained. “Everything he’s got, he’s earned.”
“Coach Warner and Coach Davis always tell us you play how you practice and I could tell, once we had an awesome offensive practice, I knew it was going to be clicking on Friday night,” Horne said.
Horne has helped position his team nicely as 2-1, as they head towards the start of region play on Friday, as they battle J.I. Burton at 7 p.m.
