BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — In the first eleven games of their Class AAA state title defense in 2025, Bridgeport averaged 55 points per game, and they extended their winning streak to 25 games. The top-seeded Indians saw their season come to a sudden end in the quarterfinal round against a fellow unbeaten team in Chapmanville, 33-27. The loss was just Bridgeport’s third defeat in the last three seasons.
“I think about how it ended,” said Bridgeport senior TE/DE Tristin Noble. “That really drives me to put in work myself and push everybody else to put in some more work.”
Turning the page to 2026, the Indians are going through the process of replacing several senior starters on the offensive and defensive lines.
“Spots are always open,” said Bridgeport head coach Tyler Phares. “Even after Week 1, if you’ve got a kid that competes his butt off with the scout team and wants to keep working and feels like he can take a spot, we’ll always entertain that, for sure. We definitely have a younger group. But we’ve got a bunch of kids that are working and are working hard.”
“Every second, we are doing the right things. We are practicing really hard, following Coach [John] Cole and Coach [Justin] Carey’s leadership,” said Bridgeport senior lineman Brodie Prunty.
“I went to a West Virginia camp and the similarities between [Cole] and Coach [Rick] Trickett are just amazing. The way they similarly coach the little details, keeping your shoulder pads low, that’s how it is. That’s how it is done here at Bridgeport.”
In Bridgeport’s single-wing offense, the two returning starters on the line can be found at the tight end spots with seniors Tristin Noble and Sean Veltri.
“They are kids that are versatile,” Phares said. “They have been around for a long time. They can play a three-technique or a five [on defense], or they can come all the way out to the ends. Veltri can even play some linebacker for us. Having guys that can move around is big for us.”
While younger linemen will play prominent roles, the Bridgeport backfield is filled with accomplished veterans. Gavin Williams rushed for 1,977 yards and 27 touchdowns while averaging 15.6 yards per carry. Gabe Martin and Eli Knight each rushed for 14 touchdowns a year ago.
“We’ve got Graham Vincent, Eli Knight, Aiden Gorby and some other kids that are really unsung there that you are going to her their name a lot more this year,” Phares said.
“Gabe, Gavin, Eli Knight, Aiden Gorby, Graham Vincent, they are all really good backs. We had a lot of success with them last year,” said Bridgeport senior TE/DE Sean Veltri.
“It makes our job, not easy, but easier knowing that Gavin can bust off a 40-yard run at any point. Gabe can break through as many tackles as he needs to,” said Bridgeport senior TE/DE Cam Hathaway.
The Indians rushed the ball on 95 percent of their offensive snaps last season and that total is consistent year-to-year. With great depth at their skill positions, the Indians won the team championship at the annual WVU 7-on-7 camp last week.
“Kids went up and they wanted to compete,” Phares said. “We know that we’ve got a pretty good skill set in the backfield this year. We’ve got kids that can throw and catch, obviously. And the biggest thing for us is that we want to go up there and play good pass defense. We thought our kids went up and competed really well.”
Half of the opponents on Bridgeport’s schedule this fall won at least one playoff game last year and four advanced to at least the semifinal round. The Indians will play a home-and-home series with Class AAAA runner-up Martinsburg. The first meeting will be in Week 2 at Wayne Jamison Field.
“It is something we have both been kind of working on behind the scenes for a long period of time,” Phares said. “The weeks never really matched up real well. We got an opportunity when Week 2 came open for both of us. It is kind of a no-brainer. It is a good litmus test for us to see where we are. Hopefully we can get up and give them a good showing.”