Story and Photos by Sean McNamara, for Lootpress
BRIDGEPORT – As a model of consistency in West Virginia high school football, the Bridgeport Indians have made the postseason 29 consecutive seasons and haven’t finished a season with a losing record since 1967.
Friday’s 63-7 win over Buckhannon-Upshur helped Bridgeport get one step closer to improving in both of those historic categories.
After posting an undefeated regular season a year ago before falling to eventual Class AAA state champion Martinsburg, the Indians got off on the right foot in Friday’s season opener at Wayne Jamison Field in Bridgeport, outgaining the Bucs 503-135 in total offense.
The Indians (1-0) ran the ball 45 times for 488 yards, nine rushing touchdowns and 25 first downs on the ground in the victory while holding the Bucs (0-1) to 123 yards on 26 carries, 71 of which came on B-U’s lone touchdown run of the night by Savion Farmer in the fourth quarter.
“We just wanted to make sure that we were coming up and being physical,” Bridgeport coach Tyler Phares said. “There were some missed assignments and things that we’re going to try and clean up, but I thought the pad level was good. Kids wanted to hit and kids wanted to tackle. I was happy with that effort.”
Bridgeport led 21-0 after the first quarter, 42-0 at the half, 56-0 after the third en route to the 63-7 final.
Phil Reed led the way rushing for Bridgeport with 158 yards and touchdowns of 8, 14 and 22 yards. Ryan Hall scored on runs of 5, 3 and 17 yards as part of a 58-yard rushing performance. Tyler Martin ran the ball three times for 68 yards and a 46-yard touchdown while Jack Spatafore ran for 50 yards and an 8-yard score and Timothy Jeffress ran twice for 26 yards and a 6-yard score.
Rounding out the rushing totals for Bridgeport were Camden Hess with seven carries for 53 yards, Alex Moses with four carries for 26 yards, Jaxson Matheny with three for 21, Josh Love with one for 18 and Sam Goodwin with three for 15.
“It’s good,” Phares said of 10 ball carriers accounting for 488 yards and nine touchdowns. “We knew we had some kids who could carry the football, we just wanted to see who would shine under the lights.”
Taylor Thomas added eight extra-point kicks in the win with Josh Jackson knocking in a PAT, as well.
Defensively, Bridgeport stymied the Bucs all night, holding Buckhannon-Upshur to negative-8 yards of offense in the first half, and not surrendering a first down until there was 3:50 remaining in the third quarter when freshman QB James Tenney connected with Kaden Jordan on an 8-yard pass.
“Bridgeport’s a different level,” Buckhannon-Upshur coach Zach Davis said. “We’re just not there yet. We can be, we just need to keep working. I’m proud of our guys, we just didn’t execute the way I’ve seen us execute.”
Farmer led the way offensively with 90 yards and a score on seven carries, while Tenney completed two passes for 12 yards in his first career start.
“I was proud of our freshman quarterback,” Davis said. “He was playing middle-school football this time last year. He made some athletic moves and made some decent throws. We just didn’t connect.”
Buckhannon-Upshur lost two fumbles in the defeat, one of which ended a promising third-quarter drive when the Bucs fumbled in the end zone when it appeared they were poised to score.
“We just have to execute,” Davis said. “(Bridgeport) lines up in a (defensive) front that we’ve seen since camp. That’s basically our defense. It’s just mental errors on offense. On defense, it’s just not reading our keys. But, (Bridgeport) is really good. Their mystique goes before them. That’s something we have to work to overcome.”
Next up for the Bucs is a home game next week against Ripley, which lost to Brooke at home on Friday.
As for the Indians, a major test awaits next week as they travel to take on a Morgantown team that posted a convincing shutout win Thursday on the road at South Charleston.
“They’re a good football team,” Phares said. “They’re big. They’re fast. They’re strong. We’re going to have to go up and play in a raucous atmosphere. Our kids have to be ready and they have to come to work starting (today), and they have to play nasty. That’s going to be a slugfest going back and forth. We’re going to see who the tougher team is, for sure.
“They’re the biggest school in the state, and they’re gonna be good. We’re going to make mistakes, they’re going to make big plays and it’s going to be a back-and-forth game. I think it’s going to be a battle until the end.”
BRIDGEPORT 63, BUCKHANNON-UPSHUR 7
Team Statistics
BP;BU
First Downs;26;4
Rushing Yards;488;123
Passing Yards;15;12
Total Yards;503;135
Passing; 1-2-0;2-7-0
Fumbles;2;5
Fumbles Lost;1;2
Penalties;5-40;0-0
Individual Statistics
Rushing: BP: Phil Reed 9-158 3 TD, Tyler Martin 3-68 1 TD, Ryan Hall 6-58 3 TD, Camden Hess 7-53, Jack Spatafore 5-50 1 TD, Timothy Jeffress 2-26 1 TD, Alex Moses 4-26, Jaxson Matheny 3-21, Josh Love 1-18, Sam Goodwin 3-15, TEAM 2-(-4). Totals 45-488. BU: Savion Farmer 7-90 1 TD, Drake Davis 2-14, Bryson Johnston 8-24, Elijah Bryant 1-5, Ashton Runyon 1-3, James Tenney 4-(-8). Totals: 26-123.
Passing: BP: Phil Reed 1-2-0 15 yards. BU: James Tenney 2-7-0 12 yards.
Receiving: BP: Tanner Hathaway 1-15. BU: Kaden Jordan 1-8, Bryson Johnston 1-4.
Bridgeport: 21;21;14;7;;63
Buckhannon-Upshur:0;0;0;7;;7
First Quarter
BP – Tyler Martin 46-yard run (Taylor Thomas kick)
BP – Ryan Hall 5-yard run (Thomas kick)
BP – Phil Reed 8-yard run (Thomas kick)
Second Quarter
BP – Reed 14-yard run (Thomas kick)
BP – Hall 3-yard run (Thomas kick)
BP – Hall 17-yard run (Thomas kick)
Third Quarter
BP – Reed 22-yard run (Thomas kick)
BP – Timothy Jeffress 6-yard run (Thomas kick)
Fourth Quarter
BU – Savion Farmer 71-yard run (Wyatt Mason kick)
BP – Jack Spatafore 8-yard run (Josh Jackson kick)
