FAIRLEA- The game was hyped up all week and everyone was raring to go for the Greenbrier East Spartans as they eagerly awaited the Woodrow Wilson Flying Eagles arrival to Spartan Stadium in Fairlea.
However, it took, literally, just one play for the hype to be erased quickly and the Eagles went on to a 38-0 victory.
Beckley’s Konnor Ray raced 57 yards down the left sideline for a score and a quick 7-0 Eagles lead.
Needing to answer to keep some momentum, the Spartan offense could not muster anything positive and went three-and-out and punted the ball back to the Eagles with a 60-yard boot from Donavin Penn.
The Eagles (2-0) then got the football back and this time, it took them more than just one play, but the end result was the same. They used a handful of runners such as Bryce Ford, Ray, MJ staples, Christian Stewart, and Jacob Reeves. After all running plays moved them to the 9-yard line, Staples found the end zone from nine yards away as the Eagles took a 14-0 lead with 7:01 left in the first quarter.
A three-and-out punt from East again set up the Eagles for more points and complete control of the contest. After 29 yards on just two carries from Ray, Staples got across the pylons again, this time from five yards out, and Beckley took a commanding 21-0 advantage with 3:40 left in the first.
Nate Suttle took the ensuing kickoff and ran it back 49 yards and gave some life to the Spartans (1-1), and during the following series, Brady May turned a 3rd-and-22 into a 25-yard catch for a first down. However, the Spartans continued to move the ball on the drive and got help with a couple Beckley penalties, but it eventually stalled and ended in a turnover on downs. It seemed at the time like the final straw for the Spartans.
Woodrow’s Vince Umberger added a 32-yard field goal near the end of the first half and the Eagles took a 24-0 lead into halftime.
Christian Stewart (12-yard run) and Ford (4-yard run) capped the games scoring as East played better in the second half but could never quite contain the powerful Beckley run game that rumbled for 362 yards on the night. To put that into perspective, the Spartans totaled just 63 yards in the game.
May finished with 17 carries for 39 yards and had a 25-yard catch. East ran for just 41 yards on 25 carries.
Stewart led Beckley with 66 yards rushing. Landon Jones had 48, Staples picked up 47, Ford got 43, and Reeves added 37 for the balanced ground attack.
There is nothing to do but erase this one from the memory. The Spartans have a quicker turnaround this week as the Bluefield game has been moved to Thursday night, September 12 which takes away the potential of a Friday the 13th matchup.
Stats courtesy of 103.1, WRON FM.
Scoring Plays:
B: Konnor Ray 57-yd run
B: MJ Staples 9-yd run
B: Staples 5-yd run
B: Umberger 32-yd field goal
B: Stewart 12-yd run
B: Ford 4-yd run
