After last week’s regular season finale against Lincoln, Bridgeport’s John Cole was hoping his team could do two things in the postseason. The first-year head coach was hoping to see his team continue their fast starts to games and was also hoping that if adversity reared its head they would be able to respond to that as well.

 

This afternoon at Wayne Jamison Field, Cole got both.

 

Following a score in the first 13 seconds of the game, the Indians were knocked around by Weir for most of the first half before coming back strong in the final two quarters for a 35-12 opening round Class AA playoff victory over the Red Riders.

 

The win moves the Class AA No. 3 Indians into the second round against Winfield. The No. 11 Generals upended No. 6 James Monroe 29-0 on Friday.

 

Despite the 23-point margin of victory, the game was in doubt throughout large portions of the first half and into the fourth quarter. And it had nothing to do with Bridgeport playing bad and everything to do with the Red Riders bringing it.

 

“That is one good football team out there,” said Cole. “That was one of the top teams we played all year. They were not a 14 seed … When you watched the film you could tell they were well coached, they had some strong kids and they had athletes. They deserve a lot of credit because they came here and very easily could have won the ball game.”

 

Although Bridgeport led 14-9 at halftime, the home team had been outplayed and outgained for the first two quarters. WHS then made it even closer early in the third quarter as it carried its first half momentum into the opening series of the second half.

 

Weir started at its own 27 and made it all the way to the Bridgeport 19 looking to make a first down or perhaps score on a third-and-four play. The defense was up to the task as tackle Jimmy Allison bulled through and managed to bring down quarterback Tyler Komorowski for the sack.

 

Instead of trying to get six, the visitors settled for an attempt at three. Reed Reitter, who connected for a chip shot field goal in the first half, nailed one from 45 yards out and suddenly the Red Riders were down 14-12 with 8:27 still showing on the third quarter clock.

 

With all the momentum on their side, the Indians needed something. What they got was an old school Bridgeport drive that started a surge that would turn out to be 21 unanswered points.

 

Surprisingly, there weren’t any halftime adjustments that led to the turnaround that was coming.

 

“We didn’t change a whole lot. We saw a couple of things we could do on offense, but as far as plays it was a lot of the same; it really was,” said Cole. “I hope, I guess, we may have worn them down a little bit. We challenged the kids and that was the thing.”

 

BHS started its next drive at its own 43 when Weir opted to pooch kick following the field goal. The Indians would use 10 plays to cover 57 yards for the touchdown to finally give themselves a little breathing room.

 

Jake Bowen, who had yet another monster game, did the honors with a 10-yard burst up the gut on a third-and-three play for six. One of five successful Koby Kiefer point-after kicks left the Indians up 21-12 with 2:45 to play in the third frame.

 

Bowen would finish the game with 192 yards on 18 carries with three rushing touchdowns. He also had another score by way of special teams in yet another marquee showing by the junior tailback.

 

“He was getting hit out there … Their safeties were coming up and teeing off on him,” said Cole of Bowen. “He flat out didn’t have time to step aside from them. You go back to the Elkins game and the game today; he got hit out there, but that’s the way it’s going to be. That’s the kind of kid that he is and the kind of player that he is.”

 

The nine-point lead still didn’t put a cap on the game for the hosts. However, Bridgeport would put an end to the upset hopes of the Red Riders in a 17-second span early in the fourth quarter.

 

Following the first drive of the second half that put BHS up by two possessions, Bridgeport went to work again. This time, the hosts needed just five plays to cover 64 yards thanks to a 42-yard run by Bowen in the middle of the series to get back into the end zone.

 

Bowen capped the drive by going off tackle from nine yards out to make it 28-12. The score and point-after kick came with 10:14 left, which was still plenty of time for WHS to get back into it.

 

That would change in a hurry. On the ensuing kickoff, Bridgeport forced a fumble and recovered at the Weir 16-yard line.

 

One the very first play, the Indians took advantage of the aggressive and constantly run-blitzing Red Riders. John Merica’s ball fake worked to perfection and he found Sebastian Meade wide open in the flat for what turned into a 16-yard touchdown pass and a 35-12 score with 9:57 to go.

 

There would be no more scoring in the game, although both teams had long drives in the fourth quarter. Weir’s next drive made it to the BHS 34 before penalties and a fourth down combination sack by Chapin Murphy and Cody Spring gave the Tribe the ball back at the WHS 45.

 

At that point the game was essentially over.

 

Weir finished the game with more offense than the Indians. The Red Riders had 54 plays for 288 yards with Komorowski completing 5-of-10 passes for 95 yards and the team rushing the ball 43 times for 193 yards. Chad Custer led the ground game with 96 yards on 13 carries. Tyler Mack added 75 yards on 10 runs.

 

Bridgeport’s defense gave up less than 100 yards after the first drive of the second half. That, as much as anything, turned the game around after the defense struggled at times in the game’s first 24 minutes.

 

“Defense is very important. Everyone says that because it’s the truth,” said Cole. “We didn’t tackle well and couldn’t get off the field (in the first half) and that gave them life. Our tackling has got to get a little better.”

 

The Tribe finished with 275 yards of offense on 45 plays. Outside of Bowen’s big totals, Merica added 59 yards on 16 carries for the Indians.

 

Despite the sluggish opening half, the Indians still managed to get off to the typical fast start that has been standard more often than not this season. And it came immediately.

 

After the Red Riders won the toss and deferred, the Tribe took the opening kickoff of the game. Bowen would make the most of the early decision.

 

With three kick returners deep, the kick came to Bowen at the 11-yard line. He darted toward the middle as the Indians set up the wedge, and the blocking was perfect on the play as Bowen only had to cut slightly to his right and was off to the races.

 

“It was a straight wedge,” said Cole. “We finally made some good blocks and stayed with the blocks. That third (special teams) of the game, and you preach it all year and especially this time of the year, is big.”

 

Bowen went 89 yards on the kickoff and wasn’t touched. When Kiefer nailed the first of two first half point-after kicks, the Indians were up 7-0 with 11:47 still showing on the first quarter clock.

 

After that quick start, the Indians’ struggled offensively and they struggled mightily. Weir’s defense kept the Tribe in check, but only had a 20-yard field goal to show for it despite dominating the first quarter statistics.

 

Reitter capped a five-play drive that was set up by a Mack 52-yard run that brought the ball to the Indians’ 11-yard line. WHS got the ball to the four, but on fourth down played it safe and Reitter’s kick was true with 1:05 in the first.

 

Bridgeport’s first three possessions after the Bowen return netted just 11 yards. All three possessions were three and outs by the Indians. It would be on the first possession of the second quarter when the Tribe finally got things going.

 

“Those first three series weren’t very good,” said Cole. “We got a big play like that (the kickoff return) and maybe (our guys) thought the game was over.”

 

Following Bridgeport’s initial first down that came with 6:37 to play in the second quarter, the Indians finally broke loose for a big play. Once again, it was Bowen doing the honors.

 

An off tackle play where fullback Brian Henderson was able to get a block on Reitter, who blew up multiple plays by the Tribe in the opening two periods and throughout the game, sprung Bowen. The running back broke loose for a 55-yard scoring run that led to a 14-3 advantage. The score came with 6:11 to go before halftime and left BHS up 14-3.

 

Any hopes Weir was going to throw in the towel would be erased on the next drive. Starting on their own 20, the Red Riders would use an 18-play drive that featured three successful third down conversions.

 

Bridgeport still had a chance to stop Weir, but quarterback Komorowski’s 6’4, 240-pound frame lined up under center on a fourth-and-goal from the one was too difficult to stop. The big signal caller powered in and left the score 14-9 with 39 seconds left.

 

“We couldn’t get off the field on third down and they capitalized,” said Cole. 

 

The only thing that worked in the Tribe’s favor came on the two-point conversion. The attempted pass was well short and the Indians held on to their five-point advantage.

 

“That was big,” said Cole of the stop that would have brought Weir within a field goal before halftime. “ … It takes away a little momentum from them before halftime because had they got much more they would have been really confident.”

 

Bridgeport did get to the Weir 34-yard-line on what turned out to be the final play of the first half. A late time out was ruled to come after the clock had expired and the chance for a Hail Mary play or a 51-yard field goal try by the Tribe went by the wayside.

 

Weir finished the first half with 183 yards on 35 plays. Tyler Mack and Chad Custer both finished the first half with 69 yards rushing – Mack on seven carries and Custer on eight.

 

Bridgeport had very little to show offensively. The Indians had 119 yards of offense on 18 offensive plays – all but one which was on the ground. Bowen led the offense with nine carries for 97 yards.

 

“They were making plays,” said Cole. “They did that until the second half.”

 

Bridgeport also didn’t commit a penalty or a turnover in the game. Weir had just four penalties for 16 yards, but did commit two fumbles.

 

The Indians are now 10-1 on the year. Weir closes its season at 7-4.

 

Winfield will determine the time and day of the quarterfinal matchup with BHS. The Generals will make their decision Sunday at the WVSSAC offices in Parkersburg. Winfield can choose Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 1:30 p.m. or Saturday at 7:30 p.m.