Bridgeport Coach Josh Nicewarner ended last Friday’s game with Robert C. Byrd questioning just how tough his team was mentally and physically – particularly on defense. This evening, that question was answered early and often.

 

Nicewarner’s message that lackluster effort would not be tolerated was apparently heard loud and clear. Unfortunately, East Fairmont was in the crosshairs of an Indians’ team that was determined to answer their coach’s message.

 

Behind an incredibly opportunistic and staunch defense, the Indians dominated East Fairmont from the start in what turned into a 64-0 victory at East-West Stadium in Marion County.

 

The game wasn’t just over at halftime. The game was decisively over as Bridgeport had a 52-0 advantage thanks to a defense that forced five turnovers in the first two periods. For the game, the Indians came up with six turnovers and saw their second unit also manage to get on the action with a pair of second half scores.

 

By game’s end, Bridgeport had limited East Fairmont to 103 yards on just 36 plays. Of that total, 57 yards came on one late run in the game’s final offensive drive for the Bees.

 

Bridgeport had 396 yards of offense, but that number was skewed by two facts. BHS had multiple drives begin in East Fairmont territory and the second half saw both teams agree to have 10 minute periods.

 

Despite playing just two periods, Dylan Tonkery led the way offensively with 13 carries for 101 yards and three scores. He paced a rushing attack that amassed 332 yards on 54 carries.

 

As for the action, the game was literally over after the first play as the Indians established themselves early in the game – really early. On the first play from scrimmage quarterback Zack Spurlock threw a swing pass to Dante Bonamico. After a defender missed a chance to either bat the ball down or even intercept the pass, Bonamico was off to the races.

 

The senior got behind a wall of blockers and was gone. And 64 yards after the play started, Bonamico ended it with the game’s first touchdown. Koby Kiefer’s point-after kick – the first of seven in the first half – made it 7-0 with 11:40 in the first period.

 

Although Bonamico caught the game’s next pass as an interception and gave Bridgeport incredible field position at the East Side 38-yard line, the drive would stall with one yard still needed to keep things going. Bridgeport’s defense would make amends by forcing a three-and-out and getting a short punt that put the ball on the Bees’ 35.

 

Five plays later, Tonkery was into the end zone for a 14-0 lead with 4:58 to play. And it was just the beginning of an offensive landslide the smothered the Bees.

 

Two plays later, Luke Southern picked off the first of his two passes in the opening half. On this one, he rambled back 20 yards for a score and an early 21-0 lead with 4:10 showing on the first period clock.

 

Things were so bad that about the only victory East Side could get in the period was forcing a 40-yard field goal by Kiefer late in the frame. Kiefer nailed the kick for a 24-0 advantage with 2:11 to play.

 

Although the bleeding may have appeared to be over in the opening period, it wasn’t. Southern got his second pick of the first quarter when Dante Bonamico leveled an East Side receiver and the defensive back got the deflection to put Bridgeport back in business. Two plays later, Tonkery scored yet again and that would leave the score 31-0 after one period of play.

 

The score and the stats were lopsided in the opening segment. Bridgeport had 124 yards to 17 for East Fairmont after one period. It was a trend that wouldn’t end.

 

The second quarter didn’t provide much in the form of hope as things continued in the same manner, which was certainly good news for the Tribe and bad news for East. A quick three-and-out forced by the Bridgeport defense early in the second period showed that the break between quarters did little to break the intensity. In fact, on the very first play on offense in the second quarter Tonkery broke off a 53-yard touchdown run for a 38-0 lead.

 

East Side did manage to do something that has only happened twice this season on the next series as they forced a Bridgeport punt. However, even that was a disaster as the punt was muffed and the Indians recovered. And once again it took one play to make East Fairmont pay.

 

Bonamico took the handoff and raced 31 yards for the score with 5:35 to play before halftime. The touchdown left the Tribe up 45-0.

 

The Indians would get one final score on their final possession of the first half. Elijah Drummond, who generally handles the key blocks, became the feature runner on the last drive and capped a five-play, 50-yard drive – of which he had four carries – with a 6-yard score that would help make it 52-0 at the break.

 

Tonkery would not carry the ball in the second half. Bonamico and Drummond, who also sat out the final two periods, both finished the game with 47 yards rushing.

 

As for total offense for both teams in the first two periods, it was as lopsided as the score. Bridgeport, despite starting multiple drives deep in East Fairmont territory, had 268 yards on 29 offensive plays, including 202 yards on 26 carries.

 

Incredibly, East Fairmont had just 21 yards of offense on 26 plays, including 14 rushing yards on 17 carries.

 

Despite having just 10 minute quarters to work with in the second half, it was more than enough for the reserves to put two scores on the board. Joseph Cain capped a 13-play drive with a five yard touchdown run with 57 seconds left in the third period to make the score 58-0 following a failed conversion run.

 

And in the final period, John Mercia scored his first varsity touchdown from five yards out with 3:36 to play in the game. Merica would end the game as the Tribe’s second leading rusher with nine carries for 66 yards.

 

Bridgeport moves to 4-0-1 and will host Elkins next Friday at Wayne Jamison Field. It will be the Indians’ homecoming contest.

 

East Fairmont falls to 1-4. The Bees have lost four straight after a season-opening win against Liberty.

 

Click HERE for a Ben Queen photo gallery from the contest.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows the BHS defense lining up to cause havoc, while Dylan Tonkery heads up the field for six in the second photo. Dante Bonamico goes up the gut for big yardage in the next picture, while Luke Southern is shown returning one of his two pickoffs in the fourth photo. In the bottom picture, Koby Kiefer drills a 40-yard field goal - his first with the Indians - late in the first quarter. All photos by Ben Queen of www.benqueenphotography.com. Statistics provided by Ryan Nicewarner.