MASON, W.Va. — In a matchup of top-ranked teams in their respective classes, Frankfort outscored Wahama 20-0 in the second half to collect their 36th consecutive win, 55-27.
FHS (8-0) has not lost since the opening round of the 2023 playoffs. This is the first regular season loss for WHS (7-1) since the 2021 season finale.
“It was a hard-fought game in that first half and it was a dandy. It challenged my heart at halftime. We made some adjustments and I thought we really came out and played hard in the second half,” said Frankfort head coach Kevin Whiteman.
Frankfort needed just 20 seconds to find the scoreboard in the first quarter. Cole Shanholtz scored on a 20-yard touchdown tote to give FHS a 7-0 lead. Shanholtz suffered an ankle injury on the play and did not return to the game.
“We always try to spread the carries around. [Jake] Snurr really ran hard. I can’t say enough about what he did coming in for Cole. That’s a hard role and Cole is a really good player. Jake ran with a lot of confidence. Plus, we always try to mix the ball up well and I thought we did that. Our quarterback had some nice runs today. When we can do that, our offense is pretty good.”
Wahama used a Trace Simpkins 1-yard scoring run and a two-point conversion to take an 8-7 lead through one quarter.
The teams would combine for seven touchdowns in the second quarter. Simpkins and Cooper Roush connected on touchdown tosses of 40 and 41 yards. Reezin Stitt added a kickoff return for a touchdown for WHS. Frankfort countered with touchdown runs from Austin Twigg (1 yard), Gunnar Bradshaw (48 yards) and Snurr (4 & 1 yards). FHS led 35-27 at halftime.
“I didn’t feel any panic at halftime. We were all calm. The coaches were calm and the players were calm. We made our adjustments, came out and got it done.”
Frankfort did not surrender a point in the second half. Twigg added a 62-yard touchdown run while Braydn Tyler scored on runs of 9 and 78 yards to put the game out of reach.
“We started seeing some things in the second quarter and they were big. So when we went back in, we talked about that and things we could do out of what we were seeing. I just think the kids were playing hard. I think we eventually wore them down a little bit. But that’s a good team right there. That team is going to be playing for the single-A championship.”
Wahama’s 47-game regular season winning streak came to a close.
“Hats off to them for playing us,” Whiteman said. “You are going up in class and they don’t have the numbers we have. They have a great program. This isn’t a bad loss for them.”
Frankfort will host Independence (5-2) in Week 10.
“They enjoy the challenges of the season. You have Independence and that is going to be another bear. That’s one thing I don’t like about this game being on Saturday. Typically, I would be in the field house all day watching film. I missed all that, which was not fun. But that’s going to be a real tough, hard-fought game.”