Before the start of Friday’s game at Buckhannon-Upshur (B-U), Greenbrier East head coach Ray Lee told longtime Spartan play-by-play announcer Jeff Campbell that his offensive backfield was a selfless group that loved to see each other succeed.
During East’s 55-10 victory over the Buccaneers, in which they rushed for 486 yards, Lee’s point was made.
The Spartans (3-1), ranked 9th in the state in the latest poll, ran early and often and made quick work of the Bucs similar to last week against Wyoming East.
Buckhannon Upshur (1-3) went ahead early and did so with relative ease. Jayden Owens and Elijah Bryant got them down the field quickly including Bryant’s 36-yarder. That set up quarterback Ian Donnen’s one1-yard touchdown run as the Bucs took a 7-0 lead with 9:14 remaining in the opening quarter.
And that would be the only competitive moment B-U would have as to say the Spartans dominated from that point forward would be an understatement.
On the first East possession, Colby Piner single handedly moved them down the field. On the second play of the drive he scampered for 11 yards. He followed that with a 17-yard run and then ripped off a 34-yarder to set up a first-and-goal. He would cap the drive with a four-yard touchdown run. East went for two and missed it, but trailed just 7-6 with 7:46 left in the period.
After forcing a Buccaneer punt, the Spartans offense came rolling again.
Piner is the lightning in the East backfield. The thunder is Quentin Wilson. Wilson showed that Thunder ability when he broke free and scored on a 61-yard run to give the Spartans a 14-7 lead after Piner’s two-point run.
Two drives later, with the first quarter dwindling down, Piner ripped off a 32-yard run then quarterback Monquelle Davis scored on a 33-yard run, but it was called back on a holding penalty. But Davis was able to cross the pylons anyway four plays later on a 7-yard touchdown dash and the Spartans were in control, 21-7.
The lead grew to 28-7 on a two-play drive when Piner caught a screen pass and gained 46 yards. He followed that with a 35-yard touchdown run.
The Bucs’ Cameron Zuliani booted in a 35-yard field goal to get B-U within 34-10, but that momentum was short lived.
Trey Pondexter answered for the Spartans with an 11-yard touchdown reception from Davis, and at the break, the Spartans led 41-10.
It was more substitutions for East in the second half of this one. However, before the benches unloaded, Davis got another touchdown run in his McDonald’s player of the Game performance.
He was eventually replaced by Gavin Bennett.
The Spartans put up one more score when Jared Shoffner scooped up a fumble and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown.
Piner led the way with 164 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns. Wilson had eight carries, 129 yards and his first score of the season. Davis threw for 88 and ran for Kaiden Huffman added 80 yards one just one carry.
East gained 577 total yards and held the Bucs to just 127.
This Friday, October 2, the Spartans were scheduled to play Mingo Central at home. However, with Mingo County in the orange on the COVID-19 metric chart, East will now play at Berkeley Springs (0-3).
Stats courtesy of 103.1, WRON.
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