At the time of year when visions of sugar plums should be dancing in their heads, the Frankfort faithful heading back to Short Gap this evening probably will only have visions of Bridgeport’s Dylan Tonkery. Thanks to a record-setting night by Tonkery, the Indians headed back to Harrison County with their second straight Class AA state championship.

 

Tonkery ran through, over and around Frankfort in a 43-7 manhandling at Wheeling Island Stadium. By night’s end, the junior running back had a Class AA playoff record 315 yards rushing on 25 carries and three touchdowns. And BHS had its eighth state championship in school history.

 

“I didn’t really know that I had the record until I came off the field. It’s special, but I just wanted a win and to get back-to-back titles,” said Tonkery, who also was named the winning team’s most valuable player. “ … There was just great blocking the whole game and we were getting first down after first down.”

 

BHS Coach Josh Nicewarner, who captured his second state championship in just five seasons, backed Tonkery’s assessment on how things shook out.

 

“Dylan is a phenomenal running back, but he had a lot of help out there. He had 10 guys out there working for him and certainly it’s a great individual honor, but we’ll take that state championship any day,” said Nicewarner.

 

The Indians got the win thanks to an offense that churned out 426 yards on 55 plays – also a Class AA state playoff record. What could be better than that?

 

How about the defense?

 

As it’s been since week one, the defense was lights out. The Indians held Frankfort to 148 yards of offense including just 52 rushing yards on 21 carries.

 

“Our defense, again, certainly won this championship … I say it all the time, and you can actually go back to our Morgantown scrimmage,” said Nicewarner. “There really wasn’t much room for improvement for this defense.”

 

The game was dominated by the Tribe from start to finish. And that is both literally and figuratively.

 

For anyone on the Frankfort side that thought losing the coin toss was a bad way to start the evening, Tonkery made certain things were going to get worse – and quickly. On the game’s first play, Tonkery took a pitch to the left and then raced 73 yards for the score where he had to make just one FHS player miss. The first of three successful Nick Strogen first half point-after kicks made it 7-0 just 11:39 into the game.

 

Despite Tonkery’s big start and Bridgeport’s defense simply doing what it’s done all year long, Frankfort held tough through the rest of the first period. In fact, the Falcons forced a fumble deep in their own territory on Bridgeport’s second drive to keep hope alive for Frankfort. The Falcons also stopped another long Bridgeport drive with a fourth down defensive stand.

 

Hope, however, would fade. And it would fade fast.

 

Tonkery started the second quarter like he did the first. This time he went 60 yards on the period’s first play, but had to earn it by breaking a tackle in the backfield and stiff arming another defender to get six. The touchdown led to a 14-0 advantage with 11:48 before halftime and the Indians’ offense was just getting started.

 

“He saw a hole and broke a few tackles. That play was all Dylan,” said teammate and lead blocker Dante Bonamico, who added 89 yards on 16 carries.

 

After forcing a three-and-out on the Falcons’ next series, Bridgeport put together a drive it has become famous for over the years. Starting at its own 12-yard line, Bridgeport would use 15 plays – all of which were on the ground – to cover the distance for its next touchdown. Bonamico pounded his way in from six yards out on a 3^rd-and-goal play to put BHS in front 21-0 with 2:35 left before halftime.

 

The only negative on the series came on Strogen’s point after kick. He was run into by a FHS defender accidentally and did not return for the rest of the first half.

 

It appeared Frankfort may be able to weather the storm and looking forward to not only the break of intermission, but the second half kickoff. Mackenzie Holmes put an end to that after BHS forced a quick three-and-out.

 

Holmes managed to break through the Falcons’ blockers and block the punt of Gage Shaffer. Justin Massie, who already had recovered three fumbles this year, pounced on it at the 16-yard line with 1:10 showing on the clock.

 

The Indians had plenty of time and three timeouts, but wouldn’t need any of it. Tonkery ran free from 16 yards out on the first play and then he kept it on a two-point conversion with Strogen unavailable for a 29-0 lead with 1:04 to go.

 

Frankfort did get the ball all the way to the Indians’ 31-yard line late in the first half thanks mainly to two personal foul penalties, but Holmes ended the Falcons’ hopes by picking off a Shaffer pass.

 

Incredibly, Bridgeport had 332 yards of offense in the first half thanks mainly to Tonkery’s 261 yards on 18 carries.

 

“The kid works hard, that’s all I can say. From day one in the offseason he was in the weight room and put on a good 10 pounds of muscle. He’s a hard worker,” said Bonamico.

 

Defensively, Bridgeport shut the door on the Falcons in the first two periods. FHS had just 50 yards of offense, including 26 yards rushing on six carries.

 

While all seemed lost for Frankfort, there was a ray of hope that shined through in the third period. On the Falcons’ first possession, they were facing a 3^rd-and-8 near midfield when Shaffer rolled out under pressure and threw a deep ball to Jacob Kessel. Bridgeport’s Luke Southern appeared to intercept the ball only to watch it end up in Kessel’s hand for a 54-yard touchdown pass. The point-after left it 29-7 with 9:07 on the third period clock.

 

“That was certainly a highlight reel if I ever saw one, but it was a great play on the ball,” said Nicewarner. “I’m just glad it happened later than earlier.”

 

As quick as the opportunity door opened, Bridgeport slammed it shut. A big John Wilfong kickoff return aided by a Tonkery block that de-cleated an FHS defender gave BHS the ball at the Frankfort 47. Ten plays later, which included Tonkery converting on a 4^th-and-7 play, Mitchell Winkie barreled in from a yard out on a second-and-goal play. Strogen, who returned to the game after the intermission, kicked the point-after for a 36-7 advantage.

 

Although the game was basically over at that point, Bridgeport would add one final score. Bonamico scored on a four-yard run at the 10:39 mark of the fourth period for the game’s final touchdown. Strogen would then add the game’s final point.

 

For Nicewarner, he becomes the first of a storied group of coaches in BHS history to win back-to-back titles. He said he didn’t know after last year’s 14-13 state title win over Wayne if that would be possible.

 

“I didn’t know if we had the group of seniors to lead us back here losing the guys we had last year and what we had coming back. It was a question mark in my mind,” said Nicewarner. “We got better week to week and grew.”

 

As it turned out, it grew all the way into a state title. The Indians now have titles from the 1955, 1972, 1979, 1986, 1988, 2000, and 2013 seasons to go along with their one earned this year.

 

Tonkery broke the record set in 2008 by Grafton’s Damon Waters. Waters had 287 yards. BHS also broke Grafton’s 2008 rushing total in a Class AA Super Six game. The Bearcats amassed 394 rushing yards in the 2008 state title win over Magnolia.

 

Click HERE for a blog on Mackenzie Holmes' second straight dominating effort on the island.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Dylan Tonkery rambling for some of his state record yardage, while Michael Gray is shown in the second photo putting on defensive pressure. Dante Bonamico goes in for one of his two touchdowns, while the BHS defense hounded FHS quarterback Gage Shaffer all night. In the fifth photo, Coach Josh Nicewarner kept up the same intensity as his players, while the team celebrates in the final photo. All photos by Ben Queen of www.benqueenphotography.com.