The Yellow Jackets swarmed over the mountain range into Parsons inundating the Mountain Lions in the Den with a 44-0 lead during the second quarter en route to a 44-28 victory on Friday night.
Moorefield came out buzzing with energy rebounding from last week’s rivalry loss to the Cougars storming forward on a tenacious attack before letting the younger squad trade places on the sidelines to navigate the gridiron earning more experience against Tucker County with the dominate advantage late in the second quarter through the rest of the contest.
“I thought the energy was good. They had a challenge all week to have the understanding of what happened the week before to use it to our advantage. We didn’t want to come out flat. We had to play with fire, to come off strong. They came out and they did that. They did a great job coming out and executing tonight with passion,” Moorefield coach Matthew Altobello commented.[private]
“They won the ball and deferred. It was nice to come out and line up and go through the basics with simplicity and execute at a high level. Our offensive line did a great job up front to give those guys time to make plays. Branson See was given the time which was nice to be able to throw the ball up for Trevor Shoemaker and Jaydon See, who are big time targets who can go up to make the plays. Matthew Jenkins did a great job finding the holes made by the line and making plays. We want to come out and push it from the get-go and we came out and executed. There are a few things we still need to fix such as being in the right spot at the right time and those kind of things can be fixed this week in preparation for a good team in Petersburg coming in and it will be a battle. They are getting on to a roll and we look forward to the opportunity of having them at home.”
The Yellow Jackets collective demeanor was as cool as the temperature dropping on the fall football game icing their first touchdown in just under a minute and a half to commence the Potomac Valley Conference clash and made a chilly reception on defense forcing four straight Tucker County punts in the opening frame; meanwhile making a flurry of three more end zone celebrations for a 28-nil shutout entering the second quarter.
Moorefield’s initial first down came on a third down eight-yard run by senior Matthew Jenkins entering Mountain Lion territory at the 49-yard line.
Moorefield junior quarterback Branson See connected with senior Jaydon See for a 17-yard first down reception toppling forward when clipped at the knees by Tucker County’s Trenton Wilfong.
Jenkins took the handoff and the offensive line created an opening for him to slide through and make a few cuts around defenders racing 32 yards to pay dirt for the game’s first touchdown at the 10:34 mark, capping off the five-play drive and senior Atikilt Tamiru added the extra point, 7-0.
The Mountain Lions only managed a single yard on their first possession with the Yellow Jackets defense swarming to the ball as Wilfong made that yard on the first carry before being knocked down by freshman Axton Runions and junior Malachi Hinger.
Wilfong was denied advancement, being wrapped up quickly by Moorefield senior Ethan Sines along with Jaydon See and Hinger in tow on the play on the 36-yard line.
Moorefield junior Blake Funk forced an incomplete pass leading to a Tucker County punt which was returned in a huge way by Yellow Jacket junior Coleman Mongold reaching the Mountain Lions 25-yard line.
Jaydon See caught another pass for 14 yards and picked up a Moorefield first down in the red zone at the 11-yard line.
After an errant throw, the Yellow Jackets went on a ground attack with consecutive carries by Jenkins with the latter resulting in a four yard touchdown punch at the 7:40 mark and Tamiru taxed the extra point to make it a 14-0 lead.
Tucker County failed to make a first down on the second series as Jeremy Liller notched just three yards reaching the 24-yard line before being hauled down by Sines, then Moorefield’s Brody Weese and Jenkins deflected passes to force a punt that sailed out of bounds at the 48-yard line.
Moorefield senior Trevor Shoemaker leapt up and pulled down a 37-yard catch under tight coverage as coach Matthew Altobello screamed with approval up close along the sideline as the Yellow Jackets returned to the red zone at the 15-yard line.
Funk was tackled on the ankles by Tucker County’s Wesley Strawderman, but not before stretching for a first down on the ten yard gain which coincidently created a first down and goal at the five.
The Yellow Jackets went back to the ground game as Funk skated into the end zone at the 5:46 mark and Tamiru’s knuckleball line drive kick just cleared the bar for a 21-0 score.
Moorefield’s defense intensified the stinging sensation after Tamiru’s kickoff sailed for a touchback as Wilfong was pierced by seniors Vincent Cyrus and Jaydon See in a tag team tackle on a mere three yards.
Wilfong added another yard to get to the 24-yard line before being mauled by Cyrus and Hinger.
Tucker County’s Maddox Anderson made a screen catch for no gain with a stop by juniors Coleman Mongold and Gavin Wolfe to set-up another punting situation.
The Yellow Jackets started with good field position once again in Tucker County territory at the 46-yard line and Wolfe gained three yards on the first play.
After a pass went too deep, Shoemaker made a shoelace catch along the sideline, tiptoeing out of bounds for a first down on a 21-yard reception.
Mongold capped off the four play series notching a 22-yard touchdown strike from Branson See and Tamiru’s kick bolstered the Moorefield advantage to 28-0 with 3:02 left in the first quarter.
The kickoff landed in the end zone for a touchback, then the Mountain Lions gained their initial first down of the game as Liller grabbed a ten yard pass and was tackled by Jenkins.
Wilfong took the snap and dodged the first wave of attacks in the backfield before being swarmed by a group led by Cyrus on just one yard added.
Moorefield’s Hinger and Tiberious Clayton stopped Liller on a three yard gain, then Tucker County put in Ethan Rosenau at quarterback throwing an incomplete third down pass leading to a fourth punt.
The Yellow Jackets took over at the 42-yard line with a minute and change remaining in the frame.
Wolfe rushed for 29 yards to reach the Mountain Lions 29-yard line.
Shoemaker made a catch just across the line of scrimmage near the sideline, then spun away from a defender cutting towards the middle of the field buzzed into more circles around defenders for a 22-yard play resulting in first and goal from the seven yard line as the first quarter came to a conclusion.
Moorefield was back to the ground attack as Wolfe eluded the defense with the help of blocking from the linemen for a touchdown just five seconds into the second quarter and the extra point was blocked to put the score at 34-nil.
Moorefield’s Dominick Davis made a wrestling style tackle flipping the kick returner down to the gridiron on the 20-yard line.
After a defensive penalty and one yard run by J.J. Knotts, Tucker County fumbled the ball as Cyrus dislodged the ball with a huge hit and the Yellow Jackets made the recovery on the 25-yard line.
Jenkins dashed to the ten yard line for a red zone first and goal prior to taking the next handoff to the bank for his third touchdown at the 10:35 mark and Tamiru nailed the extra point for a 41-0 lead.
Moorefield brought in the subs and the Mountain Lions were once again facing a third and out punting situation with stops by Kevin Wetzel, Axton Runions, Silas Inskeep and Alexander Miller.
The Yellow Jackets started at the Tucker County 42-yard line with a three yard run by Wolfe, then Adam Landes rushed for a first down on a 16-yard carry to reach the 23-yard line.
Landes hurdled a defender and skipped past another two to get inside the five yard line, but the play was negated due to an offensive penalty backing up Moorefield to the 31-yard line.
Landes made two carries totaling seven yards as the Yellow Jackets brought in the field goal unit and Tamiru drilled the 41-yard field goal attempt resulting in a 44-nil advantage with 5:05 remaining in the first half.
Tucker County’s Jakob Barrett garnered seven yard to reach the 43-yard line and was brought down by Moorefield’s Dominick Davis and Jaxen Ratcliff.
Moorefield’s Finan Teklom defended on an incomplete pass, then the Mountain Lions countered with a 47-yard reception by Anderson who was dragged down by Davis at the 10-yard line.
Three plays later, Barrett scored the first points for Tucker County entering the end zone from a yard away with 2:29 to go in the second quarter and the two-point conversion failed, 44-6.
The Yellow Jackets last drive of the first half didn’t result in a score, but it was highlighted by third down and 25 yard conversion catch by Finan Teklom on a 37-yard pass from Tyson Arnold creating a first down at the Tucker County 35-yard line. Unfortunately, a bad snap ended the first half after that play.
The Mountain Lions executed a 20-play scoring drive that lasted nearly the entire third quarter with several third down conversions in the process.
Moorefield’s second string defense almost made a goal line stand as the Mountain Lions had a first down on the three yard line starting with a huge hit for no gain by Silas Inskeep.
Inskeep and Clayton made a stop after one yard pickup, then Clayton teamed up with Ronald Greist denying advancement to force a fourth down at the two-yard line.
Tucker County quarterback Ethan Rosenau battled and squeezed through the defense just enough to cross the line for a touchdown with 1:27 left in the frame and the conversion was intercepted by Moorefield’s Adam Landes for a 44-12 score.
Moorefield’s Kurt Sager made a couple of carries for a tool for seven yard to lock down the third quarter.
After a sack to start the fourth quarter, the Yellow Jackets fake punt by Tamiru nearly resulted in a first down coming just a couple yards short.
The Mountain Lions took over possession at the Moorefield 31-yard line and Blake Adams made first down catch into the red zone at the 15-yard line and was taken down by Davis.
Tucker County’s Ashton Lycliter plowed forward over the defense for a 15-yard touchdown run at the 10:31 mark and Rosenau added the two-point conversion to make it 44-20.
The Yellow Jackets were forced into a three and out and there was a low snap and fumble on the punt as Tucker County took over possession at the Moorefield 29-yard line.
It took four plays and the Mountain Lions were in the end zone on a five yard keeper by Rosenau with 5:58 remaining in the game and the conversion was good by Anderson with Moorefield holding a 44-28 lead.
Moorefield brought the starters back into the game to march down the field with Jenkins and Funk making big carries bringing the Yellow Jackets deep into the red zone with a first down and goal at the ten yard line.
The Yellow Jackets flapped their wings in a victory formation kneeling down on the next four plays to wind the clock down to 1:15 and Tucker County reciprocated the same on their last two plays to finish the game with a final score of 44-28.
Moorefield improved to 2-1 on the season as the Mountain Lions fell to 0-3 overall.[/private]
The Yellow Jackets will host Petersburg (2-1) this Friday for the annual Summit Bowl.