Turnovers have haunted the Wyoming East football team this season.
Friday night at Memorial Stadium, the Warriors added another chapter to that unfortunate horror story thanks in large part to a depleted, injury-plagued roster.
Falling behind 20-0 in the first quarter because of two turnovers and a turnover on downs in its own territory, East fell to No. 10 Nicholas County, 53-8.
“Turnovers hurt us tonight, but here is where we are at right now. We are depleted injury-wise. I mean it’s football, but we have six or seven guys hurt that are key players,” Wyoming East head coach Jimmy Adkins said. “All we can do is get these young guys in and get them some experience. We’re not going to give up.”
Playing without starting quarterback, Jackson Danielson due to a hand injury, Wyoming East had a promising start after it converted a fourth-and-inches from its own 25.
It was all downhill from there for the visitors.
Two plays later a fumbled pitch was recovered by Noah Hawkins to put the Grizzlies in business at the Wyoming East 27-yard line. After a nine-yard run from Kaleb Clark, Wes Hill scored on a jet sweep from 18 yards out for a 7-0 lead.
Alex Pritt gave the Grizzlies their next golden opportunity with an interception on the next series.
A heavy rush by the Nicholas County line reached quarterback Chandler Johnson who appeared to be dropped for a sack. Instead, Johnson tried a desperation pass that found Pritt waiting on the other end.
Six plays later, Clark scored on an eight-yard jaunt for a 14-0 advantage.
“That was not the same team that we have seen on film,” Nicholas County head coach Gene Morris said. “The injury bug has kinda bit them a little bit. They are a very solid football team. We just hit them at a time where they had several guys out. They play hard like all Wyoming East teams do. The guys that were out there gave us everything that they had. They just didn’t have any subs.”
Facing fourth-and-three at its own 37 on the next series , East gambled again, but this time the Warriors came up short, losing a yard on the fourth down try.
“We went for it out of necessity really,” Adkins said. “We took a chance with it being short yardage.”
The Grizzlies wasted no time converting the opportunity into points.
Clark carried for 32 yards on the first play and then scored from four yards out to give Nicholas County a 20-0 lead with seven seconds left in the opening quarter.
“I thought we blocked well tonight. Our guys did a really good job with the offense. I thought both our quarterbacks did a super job running the offense,” Morris said.
Unfortunately for the Warriors, the first half misery was far from over.
Another turnover on downs in East territory resulted in a 27-yard touchdown from Alex Pritt, Eden Addair put the Grizzlies in plus territory with the second interception of the game.
“I was proud of the way our guys swarmed. We flew around and made some plays,” Morris said. “That is what we need to do, but we need to get a little better. I thought based on what we did tonight, we were a little better than we have been.”
A 14-yard Coltin Browning run made the lead 33-0 with 4:31 to play in the opening half and the rout was on for the home team.
The fourth turnover of the half occurred on the next East possession when Clark collected a fumble out of the air and raced 30 yards for his third score of the half and a 40-0 lead.
“I was angling toward the runner. He was getting tackled around the legs and from up high, I am not sure what happened, but the ball popped up right into my hands,” Clark said. “I said, you know what, I am going to go score.”
Clark was not done with his first half heroics, however.
After a Wyoming East punt, Clark split the defense on a 34-yard touchdown run for a 47-0 lead with just nine ticks on the first half clock.
In the first half, Clark carried the ball 11 times for 149 yards and three scores to go along with his fumble for a score.
“Kaleb does a great job running the football and his vision is getting better. It all starts up front and those guys are starting to gel, and their communication is getting better. That is a pretty seasoned line,” Morris said.
Clark, who has been on a tear this year, agreed with his coach in regard to his success this year.
“It is definitely the line. The line is doing one heckuva job this year,” Clark said. “The chemistry we have as a unit this year is just unreal.”
The second half was no better for East even though the quarters were shortened to eight minutes.
Wes Hill gathered the second half kickoff and raced 78 yards to push the lead to 53-0 before East fumbled for his fifth turnover of the game. Tucker Cook got East on the board in the final quarter on a 37-yard run.
Nicholas County (3-1) travels to Midland Trail Friday, while Wyoming East (1-3) looks to get back on track at River View Friday.
“Coach Issacs at Midland Trail will have his team ready. They always have a good football team,” Morris said about next week’s clash. “We have to be ready to play. It should be another one of those classic football games.”
“We just have to keep doing what we have been doing,” Clark said. “The line needs to play well, and the defense has to stop the run. Midland Trail has some studs over there.”
WE: 0 0 0 8 – 8
NC: 20 26 7 0 – 53
First quarter
NC: Wes Hill 18 run (Brayden Short kick)
NC: Kaleb Clark 7 run (Short kick)
NC: Clark 4 run (pass failed)
Second quarter
NC: Alex Pritt 28 run (Short kick)
NC: Colton Browning 14 run (kick no good)
NC: Clark 30 fumble return (Short kick)
NC: Clark 34 run (kick no good)
Third quarter
NC: Hill 78 kickoff return
Fourth quarter
WE: Tucker Cook 37 run (Caleb Cook run)
Team stats
Rushing: (WE) Tucker Cook 11-67-1, Chandler Johnson 6-16, Gabriel Riling 2-10, Landon Lester 1-6, Caden Cook 2-5, Bryson Huff 1-0, Eli Fralin 5-6; (NC): Clark 11-149-3, Pritt 2-37-1, Bryson Lee 10-47, Browning 3-19, Hill 1-18-1, Brycen Morriston 3-15, Jeremiah Bailes 3-8, Mason Grose 1-2, Dawson Brown 1-1, Noah Hines 1-0.
Passing: (WE) Johnson 3-9-28-0-2; (NC): Dawson Brown 1-2-(-2)
Receiving: (WE); Fralin 2-21, Huff 1-7 (NC) Pritt 1 (-2)