10:06am: Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval

Shady Spring picks up signature win at Wyoming East, 27-20

Wyoming East’s Mason Houck scores on an 11-yard reception Friday against Shady Spring.

 

NEW RICHMOND, W.Va. — Winners of eight games last season and off to a 5-1 start in 2019, Shady Spring has established itself as a strong Class AA program under head coach Vince Culicerto.

Still, the No. 12 Tigers were seeking a signature win Friday when they traveled to No. 5 Wyoming East, one of the state’s surprise unbeatens under first-year head coach Larry Thompson.

Thanks to a strong first-half offensive output and stingy second-half defensive effort, Shady Spring earned what most would consider its best win over the last two years, prevailing on the road over the Warriors, 27-20.

“I’m so proud of my boys,” Culicerto said. “They kept after it and they deserved this win big time.”

After Wyoming East (5-1) scored a touchdown on an 11-yard pass from Seth Ross to Mason Houck with 2:10 to play in the third quarter, the Warriors were to within one point at 21-20. But the point-after try was no good, leaving the Tigers on top late in the third.

On Shady Spring’s ensuing possession, Drew Clark connected with Isaiah Valentine for a 65-yard touchdown pass on third-and-9. The Tigers’ PAT try was no good, leaving them with a seven-point lead with 36 seconds to play in third.

“We threw in some nice passes — Drew what a bomb to Valentine there,” Culicerto said. “Valentine got himelf a little bit on track tonight and made some big plays.”

From that point forward, the Tigers (6-1) relied on their defense. Shady Spring forced Wyoming East to punt on its next series, but the Tigers failed to add to their advantage when a 33-yard field goal try by Erick Bevil sailed wide of the mark.

The teams then traded intercpetions, with Valentine picking off Moss, before Caden Lookabill prevented the Tigers from increasing their lead by stepping in front of a Clark pass.

That gave the Warriors the ball back at their own 10-yard line with 3:35 to play. Although Wyoming East managed to cross midfield on a trick play 18-yard pass from Mcquade Canada to Jacob Bishop, that proved to be their final first down.

The Tigers forced the Warriors into a fourth-and-13 from midfield, and Issac Harvey sacked Moss for a 12-yard loss with 1:15 left.

Shady Spring then managed to pick up one first to run out the clock.

“Shady came to play. In the first half, defensively we struggled,” Thompson said. “If we’d have played the first half like how we played in the second half, we’d have won the ball game. It’s as simple as that.”

The Tigers covered 66 yards to score on the opening series of the game, with Haven Chapman reaching pay dirt on a 1-yard run. The PAT was blocked, leaving Shady Spring with a 6-0 lead just 2:58 into the action.

The Warriors immediately answered and tied the game at 6 when Moss connected with Bishop for a 68-yard TD pass on East’s first play from scrimmage.

“They hit us with a big play early and we kind of settled down and made them earn the rest of it,” Culicerto said. 

But Shady Spring came right back to go ahead, 13-6, when Chapman plunged into the end zone from 3 yards on a fourth-and-goal run at the 2:59 mark of the opening quarter.

“We bent a little bit too much,” Thompson said. “We always say bend don’t break. A couple third and longs and a fourth down, we broke and they executed.”

The Tigers stopped Wyoming East on a fake punt late in the first quarter to set up their third touchdown — Valentine’s 6-yard run 9:02 before halftime. Jadon Hershberger crossed the goal line on the 2-point run, upping the Shady Spring lead to 21-6.

Wyoming East got an 8-yard TD run from Caleb Bower with 3 minutes left in the half, which combined with Bower’s run on the 2-point play, brought the Warriors to within 21-14.

That’s where the contest stood at the break, before the Tigers’ defense buckled down to lead the way in the second half.

Shady Spring has now held each of its seven opponents to 20 or fewer points this season.

“I know they’re tough, but even tougher than what I thought,” Culicerto said. “We used to drop our heads when somebody got ahead on us or started to come back. We had a chance to put it away a couple times and didn’t, but this is a great win for us and we’re excited.”





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