— Story by Ethan Collins
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — The Tolsia Rebels held on in a defensive clash to defeat the East Faimont Bees 22-14. The Rebels (3-2) had to travel over 200 miles to find a game in week 7 to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Bees (1-6) were looking to add some confidence to a young team in a tough rebuilding year.
Tolsia head coach Eric Crum talked about the struggle to find games week to week saying, “Every Saturday it is a chore to find a football game. I’ll start tonight and by 5 o ‘clock tomorrow they are gone. We are just happy to almost get everyone back healthy and get a win.”
Both teams scored on their opening possessions. Tolsia struck first with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Jesse Muncy to Zachary Ball. The Bees put together a nice drive in response from freshman quarterback Ian Crookshanks throwing a 5-yard completion to Seth Watkins. The Bees trailed 8-7.
However, that would be all East had offensively in the first half, fumbling their next possession and punting three straight times. It looked to be a similar story for the Rebels. On fourth down for Tolsia in opponent territory, Muncy and Ball connected again for another 32-yard touchdown. Another successful two-point conversation by John Wilson made the score 16-7 going into the half.
At the start of the second half the Bees came out firing on all cylinders, putting together a 56-yard drive topped off with a 1-yard QB sneak by Crookshanks to make it a two-point game. After a Tolsia punted, the momentum seemed to be swinging toward East Fairmont. On that drive Tolsia made the biggest play of the game on a pick-six by Gavin Meadows.
Mistakes haunted the Bees in a scoreless fourth quarter. Coach Crum praised the defense saying, “My player of the game is the entire defensive unit for holding them scoreless in the fourth quarter.”
On Tolsia stat sheet quarterback, Muncy who also made plays on defense with a crucial interception midway through the fourth quarter. Muncy went 6-of-12 for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns. His favorite target was Ball who had 5 receptions for 128 yards and both receiving touchdowns. Wilson was the leading rusher for the rebels with 19 carries for 76 yards and a 2-point score.
For East Fairmont. Crookshanks led the game is rushing with 10 carries for 35 yards. He went 10-of-18 for to 5 different receivers for 81 yards and a touchdown, but also threw 2 interceptions.