Tribe on top: Bridgeport excels in all phases to cruise past Herbert Hoover 49-7 in Class AAA final

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Throughout the 2024 season, no team Bridgeport opposed had anything close to an answer for the Tribe’s unique Single Wing offense.

A different opponent, venue and stage altogether did nothing to bring change.

Bridgeport produced touchdown runs of 60 and 76 yards on two of its first four offensive plays, and the Indians were dominant on both sides of the ball to claim the Class AAA state championship with a 49-7 victory against Herbert Hoover at UC Stadium at Laidley Field.

“Our entire program is about discipline and doing the right things and trying to put kids in pressure situations,” Tribe head coach Tyler Phares said. “The kids stepped up to the plate today. There’s a great atmosphere here and it didn’t look like our kids were phased one bit.”

The result gives No. 3 Bridgeport (14-0) its 11th state championship and first since 2019, while the Tribe improved to 11-1 in state title games.

No. 4 Herbert Hoover has lost in a state final two of the last three seasons.

“Bridgeport is a program that I admire. We’re inching closer,” Huskies’ head coach Joey Fields said. “The more you’re here, sooner or later, you’re going to leave with the gold.”

The Huskies (13-1) held the ball for 10 plays on the game’s opening series and got into BHS territory before punting on fourth-and-13 from the Indians’ 40-yard line.

Three plays later, they faced a 7-0 deficit after Josh Love ripped off a 60-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 with 6:06 to play in the opening quarter.

After forcing the game’s first punt, Bridgeport got the ball back at its 24-yard line and immediately doubled its lead courtesy of Alex Moses’ 76-yard run.

That 14-0 score stood through the opening frame, but BHS produced its third touchdown on the third play of the second quarter when Timothy Jeffress crossed the goal line on an 8-yard run.

“You can feel when their energy goes down and their physicality isn’t there anymore,” Jeffress said. “That’s how you know right off the rip. If their physicality is gone, it’s a wrap from there.”

Moses’ 46-yard TD run on the fourth play of the Tribe’s fourth series left HHHS facing a 28-0 deficit 5:32 before halftime.

Bridgeport’s fifth series began across midfield after the Huskies went three-and-out, and it ended just as the previous four did when Jeffress reached the end zone on a 26-yard run to make it 35-0.

The Huskies countered with perhaps their two best plays of the afternoon in succession — a 53-yard kickoff return from Blake Fisher that was immediately followed by Dane Hatfield’s 46-yard pass to Talon Harrison for Hoover’s lone touchdown 3:09 before halftime.

Jack Spatafore’s 1-yard touchdown run 25 seconds before the break allowed Bridgeport to enter the intermission with a 42-7 advantage.

Through two quarters, the Indians had 362 rushing yards. Moses provided 126 on three carries, while Love had 120 on nine attempts.

“That’s our offense. That’s our culture. It’s the Single Wing,” Phares said. “We know if we want to be the best team in the state, we have to be the best blocking and tackling team and we did that today.”

Bridgeport received the opening second-half kickoff and added to its lead with a 9-yard touchdown run from Donovan Williams, who fielded the snap and handled matters from there. Williams’ scoring run capped off a four play, 66-yard series that began with Spatafore completing passes of 19 and 20 yards to Williams and Cameron Martin, respectively.

The Indians’ 49-7 lead with 10:39 remaining in the third brought about a running clock for the remainder of the contest. Williams’ TD run marked the only scoring play after halftime.

“They deserve everything they have. There’s consistency and commitment to their program for 100 years,” Fields said. “We’re four years into this, but our commitment to our program for our kids to win and off the field is in the right direction, because we have the right people.”

The Indians won every game by at least 28 points this season and never scored fewer than 36.

“I’m super happy for the kids. They deserve it. They’ve put in a ton of time and effort,” Phares said. “I couldn’t be happier for my assistant coaches and the work that they do. We’d be nothing without them. I’m happy for the community and glad that we could come down and put on our best performance of the year.”

Moses led all players with 141 rushing yards on seven carries and was one of three Bridgeport players to rush for more than 100 yards. Love added 128 on 12 rushes while Jeffress gained 115 yards on nine attempts as the Tribe puled up a Class AAA state championship record 431 rushing yards.

Hatfield completed 11-of-21 passes for 159 yards and generated 30 of his team’s 32 rushing yards.

“We knew coming into this our run defense was going to be good and our pass defense really came along this year,” Phares said. “I was glad to see the kids come down here and play with their ears pinned back and fly around to the football.”





More Sports

Sports
Week 2 Power Rankings: Washington, Robert C. Byrd and Ravenswood rise
Top-ranked teams stay intact in all four classifications.
February 13, 2025 - 10:25 am
Sports
Following lengthy layoff, Marshall back in action at South Alabama
Herd and Jaguars two of five Sun Belt teams with 8-4 league mark.
February 13, 2025 - 9:54 am
Sports
Grafton locks down on Lincoln, stays unbeaten with 50-29 victory
The Bearcats were in front almost the entire way and limited the Cougars to eight points after halftime.
February 12, 2025 - 11:21 pm
Sports
Pat White joins Mountaineer football coaching staff
White will serve under the title of assistant quarterbacks coach/assistant to the head coach.
February 12, 2025 - 4:32 pm