SHINNSTON, W.Va. — Class AAA No. 9 Elkins established the run early into its matchup with Lincoln in Friday’s season opener at Stydahar Field.
By preventing the Cougars from ever doing the same by controlling the line of scrimmage on defense as well, the Tigers rolled to a 54-21 victory.
Three Elkins ball-carriers surpassed reached the 100-yard mark on the ground for the first time in a game since 2003, helping the Tigers gain 410 of their 422 total yards by way of the rush.
“We’re built on the ground game,” Tigers’ head coach Chad Ware said. “If we can get that cranked up and get it going, we feel pretty good about our chances.”
A seven play, 54-yard opening drive was punctuated by a 6-yard touchdown run from Logan Beam — the first of Beam’s five rushing scores.
When Connor Rice lost a fumble that Elkins’ Kyle Reed recovered to bring an end to Lincoln’s opening possession, it was a sign of how the night would play out for the Cougars.
The first of three LHS turnovers allowed the Tigers to start 6 yards across midfield, and six running plays later, Beam found the end zone on a 2-yard dash to give the visitors a 14-0 advantage.
Jaden Hatfield’s 23-yard run accounted for Elkins’ third touchdown and a 21-0 lead, while Anthony Sylvester’s interception of an AJ Bart pass allowed the Tigers to start their fourth series from the Cougars’ 32.
On the first play of the second quarter, Beam powered his way into the end zone on a 6-yard run, leaving EHS with a 28-0 advantage.
For as hard as the team’s primary ball-carriers ran, Elkins got a strong showing from its offensive line as well.
“We put a lot on those guys, because we’re a running football team,” Ware said. “We threw two passes and we’re not going to throw a lot if we don’t have to. We ask our guys up front to do a lot.”
Beam would score once more in the opening half on a 1-yard run to finish off a 10 play, 54-yard series.
Lincoln generated its lone first-half touchdown on the ensuing kickoff, which Colton Edwards returned 84 yards to trim the Cougar deficit to 35-7.
Through two quarters, the Tigers’ Seth Robinson had nine carries for 100 yards, while Beam and Hatfield had 95 and 85 yards, respectively.
“We had some assignments blown. They’re a good running team with great blocks, and their line blocked really well and came off the ball hard,” Lincoln coach Rob Hawkins said. “We knew they were going to be a handful and we had to try to counter that offensively and drive it ourselves, cut their possessions down and put the ball in the end zone. Those two turnovers really hurt us and so did the field position game. They’re going to turn those into points.”
The Tigers forced a turnover on downs to start the second half and then moved 59 yards for their sixth touchdown, which Beam scored on a 1-yard run. The point-after try was blocked, leaving the Cougars’ deficit at 34 points.
However, it grew on the next play when Hunter Burdette mishandled the ensuing kickoff, picked it up near his goal line and was immediately surrounded by multiple Tigers, leading to a fumble that Maliki Fraser recovered I the end zone for a 48-7 lead with 3:29 remaining in the third quarter.
Bart’s 38-yard touchdown pass to Cade Riley on the second-to-last play of the third quarter marked the Cougars’ first offensive points.
Hatfield ripped off a 21-yard run for Elkins’ final touchdown in the fourth quarter, before Rice reached pay dirt on a 4-yard run on the game’s final play.
In its first game since losing Nick Bowers, the school’s all-time leading rusher, the Tigers rushed got 144 rushing yards from Hatfield on 16 carries, 139 yards from Robinson on 15 rushes and 131 yards from Beam on 23 attempts.
“Hatfield is speed and we try to get him off tackle and on the edge, because he has the quickness,” Ware said. “With Logan at fullback, you don’t know where he’s going to go. The play could be set for the six hole and he might cut it back and go one hole. Seth Robinson is a power and speed combo. Each one of them gives us something different. Last year, we had Bowers and we were really just a one-man gang. This year, three different guys can hurt you on three different parts of the field, so feel pretty good about that.”
Bart completed 13-of-20 passes for 154 yards. Edwards was his top target and came down with 10 receptions for 94 yards.
“The main message is this can’t define us,” Hawkins said. “That’s a good team and losing does not kill any dreams or hopes that we have, but we can’t let it turn into two or three games. We have to recover, come back next week and play better.”