Gallery by Heather Belcher
Fairlea – E.T. and Raiders of the Lost Ark were setting box offices records. Michael Jackson released the wildly popular Thriller album.
The year was 1982 and it was the last time that Beckley recorded a shutout over its longtime rival Greenbrier East.
Friday night that streak came to an end.
Exploding for 21 first-quarter points, the Flying Eagles manhandled the Spartans in 38-0 win at Spartan Stadium in front of a packed house.
“Win the first five minutes of the ball game. That is what we want to do,” Beckley head coach Street Sarrett said. “We tell them if we win the first five minutes it goes downhill from there. We take a big rock every Friday night and we keep swinging until we make it into dust.”
Beckley dropped a haymaker on the first play of the game from its own 42 yard line when the ball was handed to Konnor Ray. The senior tailback scampered 58 yards virtually untouched for a quick 7-0 lead.
“I think we always run power first play, right off the bat,” Ray said. “It was perfectly blocked as I ran up the middle. The safety was out of the way and the corner out of the way. I was not getting caught. I was committed.”
Although Beckley dominated the trenches the rest of the way, the initial score set the tone for the next four quarters of play.
“Every play is drawn up for a touchdown. Everybody did their assignment and that is what happens. The guys came out tough. Konnor Ray is a tough individual,” Sarrett said. “Our line is pretty tough. We have some good line coaches. This is the first year that I have been a head coach that I have just turned the line over to those guys.”
Coming off of a stellar game one performance against Washington, Ray’s touchdown jaunt was all the Beckley defense needed to secure the win.
“They were hungry and they wanted to get after the ball. They were hitting,” Sarrett said about his defensive crew. “That is football. You have heard it since you were a little kid. If you can hit, you will win football games. Those guys hit tonight.”
A quick three-and-out handed the ball back to the inspired Beckley offense who drove down for another score, capped by a nine-yard run from M.J. Staples.
The same scenario played out on the next two series, when a second three-and-out led to a five-yard touchdown run from Staples, giving the Raleigh County boys a 21-0 lead with 3:40 left on the first quarter clock.
“These kids spread it around. They don’t care who gets the carries, they just want to win,” Sarrett said about his stable of running backs. “It is just next guy up and they know it.”
The best chance for East to score came when Nate Suttle returned the ensuing kickoff 49 yards to the Beckley 40 yard line.
Sparked by a 25-yard pass from Brody Hamric to Brady May, the Spartans moved the ball to the Beckley three-yard line.
Just as the Flying Eagles did on multiple occasions in week one, Beckley held on downs to keep the home team scoreless.
“They could have scored when they got inside the five, but these guys bowed back and didn’t let it happen. It’s big for momentum,” Sarrett said. “Anytime you can stop a team inside the five and turn the ball over, it’s great stuff. They are taking pride in defense.”
After struggling to find some offense, the stop at the goal line was a definite back-breaker for East.
“Once you can get some momentum going, then you can build off of that,” Greenbrier East head coach Ray Lee said. “The momentum just shifted to them when they stopped us down inside the red zone.”
Beckley added to the lead just before the break on a 32-yard field goal from Vince Umberger before salting the game away in the second half.
Christian Stewart scored from 12 yards out midway through the third period and Bryce Ford became the fourth back to score when he rolled in from four yards out on the first play of the final period.
“I feel like we are humble. When one of us scores, then we are all down there celebrating. It feels like the whole team scored. It is a team effort. We know that,” Ray said. “As a running back, the whole line has to block for you to get that touchdown. It is just as much them as it is you.”
While the Beckley offense shined bright, the defense was once again rock-solid holding East to under 70 yards of total offense. A.J. Thomas grabbed his third interception of the season and Preston Clary notched his first-ever varsity pick as well.
“Those guys have a knack for it and they work at it,” Sarrett said. “They take pride in not getting thrown on. That is two more interceptions and that is awesome.”
Beckley (2-0) is home for the first time Friday night when it hosts Parkersburg South. Greenbrier East (1-1) will look to bounce back when it travels to Bluefield for a Thursday night clash.
B: 21 3 7 7 – 38
GE: 0 0 0 0 – 0
First quarter
B: Konnor Ray 58 run (Vince Umberger kick)
B: M.J. Staples 9 run (Umberger kick)
B: Staples 5 run (Umberger kick)
Second quarter
B: Umberger 32 FG
Third quarter
B: Christian Stewart 12 run (Umberger kick)
Fourth quarter
B: Bryce Ford 4 run (Umberger kick)
