Morgantown hangs on to prime Fairmont Senior, 21-19

FAIRMONT — It got here right down to the ultimate possession, however Morgantown Excessive’s floor and pound offense did simply sufficient to finest Fairmont Senior’s excessive flying assault because the Mohigans gained 21-19 Friday night time at East-West Stadium.

On a foggy night time in Fairmont, Morgantown (5-1), the No. 6 staff in Class AAA, ran the ball 56 occasions for 242 yards and three aim line touchdowns. It was Fairmont Senior (4-2), the No. 3 staff in Class AA, that struck first, nevertheless.

The Polar Bears acquired the opening kickoff and marched proper down the sector, scoring on a nine-yard go from Brody Whitehair to Navaughn Jones.

Morgantown responded when operating again AJ Thomas punched into the endzone from a yard out to tie the sport 7-7 within the second quarter.

MHS recovered the following kickoff when kicker Aiden Stire positioned the ball in between Fairmont Senior’s return staff and Zaiiden Lockett was in a position to safe the ball on the backside of the pile.

“We work a ton on specials groups and youngsters are doing what we coach them to do,” MHS coach Sean Biser mentioned. “It’s simply one other part of soccer and we put quite a lot of effort and time into it and it’s helped us all yr lengthy.”

Fullback Caleb Nutter later scored from a yard out to place the Mohigans forward 14-7.

Fairmont Senior missed a 29-yard subject aim on the finish of the quarter and MHS lead 14-7 at halftime.

The Mohigans got here out of the break and used their slow-paced offense to take over seven minutes off the clock and march all the size of the sector earlier than Thomas scored his second landing of the sport, this time from two yards out.

“These are must-have performs while you’re that near the aim line,” Thomas mentioned. “It’s an entire staff factor, while you’re in that state of affairs it’s a must to rating. It’s nearly who needs it extra, us or them. On these two performs we rating on, we wished it extra.”

Fairmont Senior, which had stagnated on offense since its first drive, confirmed some life when receiver Dylan Ours caught a display go and took it 64 yards for a Polar Bear landing. FS missed the additional level, nevertheless, their third particular groups miscue of the night time, and Morgantown led 21-13.

After Morgantown had run its offense at will within the first three quarters, Fairmont Senior’s protection tightended up within the fourth and compelled two straight turnover on downs to maintain it a one-score contest.

“Exterior of the fourth quarter, the third down and fourth down conversions we gave up, I’m positive that’s a staggering quantity to have a look at while you’re speaking about defensive stats,” FS coach Nick Bartic mentioned. “These are stops that, when you’ve the chance to make them, you’ve obtained to make them.”

Fairmont Senior put one remaining drive collectively and scored when Jones caught a 25-yard landing from Whitehair. That missed further level from earlier loomed giant, nevertheless, because the Polar Bears had been compelled to go for 2 to attempt to tie the sport. Morgantown’s Jaylon Hill was in a position to sack Whitehair on the try and MHS held on to a 21-19 lead.

The Mohigans’ floor recreation was in a position to do sufficient to eat of the remaining 5 minutes within the recreation and MHS sealed it when Fairmont Senior was drawn offside on a fourth-and-two with lower than one minute to play.

“We underperformed final week up entrance,” Biser mentioned of final week’s loss to Wheeling Park. “We didn’t play our recreation and to place it in these guys’ fingers and end the sport with them, they did an incredible job. It was very satisfying making performs while you needed to make performs.”

Bobby Powell led Morgantown with 98 speeding yards whereas Thomas had 67 and Nutter completed with 56. Quarterback Maddox Bowers was 5 of 11 for 54 yards and an interception.

“Anybody may have had that recreation,” Thomas mentioned. “They performed onerous and we performed onerous, however I believe we simply performed just a little more durable.”

Ours was enormous for FS, ending because the staff’s main receiver with 148 yards and rusher with 23 yards.

“I’ve recognized him since he was just a little child and he single-handedly saved them within the recreation along with his play,” Biser mentioned. “Have a look at what he did on that display play. Anytime he touches the ball, he has an opportunity to take it to the home.”

Whitehair completed 16 of 21 for 250 yards with three scores, however was sacked thrice by Morgantown’s protection.

It was a bounce-back win by the Mohigans, who suffered their first lack of the season final week towards Wheeling Park. MHS will play one other high-powered offense in its subsequent recreation when Parkersburg South makes the journey to Pony Lewis Area subsequent Friday.

MHS 0 14 7 0 — 21

FS 7 0 6 6 — 19

Scoring Abstract

FS Jones go 9 from Whitehair (Peschl kick)

MHS Thomas run 1 (Stire kick)

MHS Nutter run 1 (Stire kick)

MHS Thomas run 2 (Stire kick)

FS Ours go 64 from Whitehair (kick miss)

FS Jones go 25 from Whitehair (go failed)

Particular person Statistics

RUSHING — Morgantown: 56-242-3td (Powell 18-98; Nutter 13-56-td; Phares 5-24; Thomas 17-67-2td; Bowers 3-(-3)). Fairmont Senior: 21-27 (Ours 10-23; Johnson 3-14; Whitehair 8-(-10)).

PASSING — Morgantown: 5-11 55-int (all Bowers). Fairmont Senior: 16-21 250-3td (all Whitehair).

RECEIVING — Morgantown: 5-54 (Phares 2-33; Thomas 1-4; Powell 1-8; Ullom 1-9). Fairmont Senior: 16-250-3td (Ours 8-148-td; Jones 2-34-2td; Michael 1-23; Dinger 5-65).