It wasn’t exactly the type of game Bridgeport Coach Josh Nicewarner was hoping for even if the outcome – a win – was exactly what he wanted. The Indians showed a lot of lackluster play, particularly on offense and parts of special teams, but still managed to take a 33-14 win over Elkins this evening at Wimer Field.

 

What wasn’t lackluster was the Bridgeport defense. In fact, the defense was spectacular.

 

Just how spectacular?

 

When Nicewarner called a timeout with 11:01 to go in the fourth period, Elkins had just 26 yards of offense and one first down to go with seven points by way of a defensive score. And that one first down was by way of penalty. Incredibly, EHS had just two yards of offense in the third period.

 

“The defense was lights out” said Nicewarner. “I can’t say enough good things about how we played defensively, but we had problems elsewhere that knowing how we do things are unacceptable.”

 

The unacceptable things that took place were numerous and uncharacteristic of the Tribe. A pair of bad snaps on extra points, multiple penalties, fumbles and multiple other loose balls, and being unable to adjust to the opposing team’s defense and more gave Nicewarner a frustrated look after the win.

 

“I don’t understand how nine of our 11 games that play defense look so good and then go over to the other side of the ball and suddenly can’t get any push or do what they need to do,” said Nicewarner. “Again, that’s just unacceptable. We did have enough to get the win, but this isn’t Bridgeport football.

 

“I just don’t understand,” the coach continued. “Either it’s too complicated offensively or we’re going to play to the level of the competition.”

 

BHS finished with 366 yards of offense in the game. The Tribe carried the ball 40 times for 366 yards with J.T. Harris leading the way with 177 yards on 16 carries.

 

“J.T. was J.T. tonight,” said Nicewarner. “He probably was well over 300 all-purpose yards in the game.”

 

Thanks to the defense, it didn’t matter how long it took for Bridgeport to shake off the doldrums to put necessary distance between itself and the Tigers. Even though EHS did manage to get within two scores in the third period, the defense made sure the game was never in question.

 

Despite the final score, Bridgeport didn’t put the game away until the third period. The deathblow, ironically, came after the only moment in the game where the Tigers put a mild bit of doubt in the mind of the Indians’ faithful.

 

BHS, leading 14-0 at the break, managed to go up 20-0 early in the third period thanks to a quick six-play drive by the visitors to start the third period. The big play of the 65-yard scoring jaunt was a 40-yard toss sweep run by Harris. Eventually, Gordon Swiger would do the scoring honors with a 13-yard quarterback keeper that was good for six.

 

The Indians appeared to be ready to put a lid on things on their next drive when disaster struck deep in Elkins’ territory. Down to the Tigers’ 18-yard line, a fumble was scooped up in the open field by Jarrette Zopp who raced 85 yards for a score. The point-after made it 20-7 with 2:50 left in the third and the pulse of the hosts was still there.

 

That was until John Merica stepped up and stepped on the proverbial hopes of EHS at the same time.

 

Merica, back on kickoff for the first time in the game, hauled in the kick with one hand and then cut up field. He found a gaping hole to the left and then followed his blockers for a 93-yard kickoff return for six. The only blemish was another bad snap on a point-after tried that led to a failed conversion and a 26-7 lead.

 

Bridgeport would put the finishing touches on the game with 11:08 to go when Harris crossed the goal line for the Indians’ final score at a 33-7 lead. Harris again found the edge on a toss sweep and went 80 yards for six. This time, Koby Kiefer nailed the point-after for the Indians.

 

The first half was anything but a work of art – for either team. In fact, the first three possessions saw three straight three-and-outs before Bridgeport final got something started thanks to a huge punt return by Harris, which would be a recurring first half theme.

 

Harris hauled in a punt and went 38 yards to give Bridgeport the ball at the Elkins 34-yard line. The game’s initial first down was far from certain as the Tribe opted to go for it on fourth-and-four and the move paid off as Harris took a toss to the right side and went 24 yards to set up a first-and-goal at the Tigers’ four.

 

The drive, however, would not produce any points. Two plays later, Bridgeport fumbled the ball to the Tigers who were able to do little with it. In fact, after getting a first down by way of penalty, the Tigers punted away and for one of the few times in the opening two periods, Harris didn’t explode for a big return.

 

Unfortunately for the hosts, after the two teams were in a stare down trying to determine who would make the game’s first big play, it was the Tigers that blinked. And it was Brice Haines that caused the reaction.

 

Haines not only lined up in the backfield for one of the few times early in the game, but he got his first handoff. The junior made the most of it. After taking the handoff, he swept to his right, burst through the line and had just one defender between himself and the goal line. And when that defender’s dive at the ankles proved fruitless in stopping Haines, his first carry was good for a 78-yard touchdown.

 

“Brice did a good job. He hit the hole quick, which was another thing we weren’t doing today,” said Nicewarner. “That was a good run.”

 

Kiefer’s point after made it 7-0 with 11.7 seconds in the first period. Despite taking nearly all of the first quarter to score, the Indians would need very little time to get offense on the scoreboard in the second frame.

 

On the first play of the second period, Elkins fumbled the ball away. Defensive end Andrew Barker was more than happy to pounce on it and give the Tribe the ball at the Elkins’ 20-yard line. Three plays later, the Tribe was in the end zone again.

 

This time, Swiger’s pass in the flat to back Seth Friel would result in six. On his way to the end zone, Friel was met head on by a Tiger defender and that defender ended up on his back in the end zone as Friel waltzed in. The Kiefer point-after made it 14-0 with 11:01 to play.

 

That would be the last points scored by either team. The Indians saw several drives come up empty. In fact, Bridgeport missed on two field goals – one from 37 yards and one from 31 – as the visitors couldn’t take advantage of good field position provided by Harris’ several big returns.

 

Harris returned four punts in the first half with the shortest return being for 21 yards. In fact, he averaged 34.2 yards per return in the half. Bridgeport did little with the field position.

 

“That’s just sad. That’s the best way to put it,” said Nicewarner of the wasted opportunities.

 

The Indians held the Tigers to just 25 yards of total offense on 22 plays and allowed just one first down – by penalty – in the first two periods.

 

Bridgeport had 157 yards of offense.  Of that total, 145 came on 17 carries with Haines’ 78-yard run making up the bulk of that. Harris had 50 yards on nine carries.

 

BHS did throw a season-high six passes in the first half. In fact, on one series the Indians threw three straight passes. Swiger was 2-for-6 on the pass plays. The Indians did not attempt a pass in the second half.

 

Elkins finished with 152 yards off offense. As noted, the bulk of that came in the final period when the Indians went to wholesale defensive substitutions. Elkins’ Thomas Talkington added a 43-yard scoring run with 2:37 to play and the extra point were the game’s final.

 

Bridgeport, now 3-0, returns to action next week against Robert C. Byrd. That game will be at Wayne Jamison Field starting at 7:30 p.m. Elkins will play host to Preston, also at 7:30 p.m., in the Tigers’ homecoming contest.

 

Editor's Note: Photos by Ben Queen of www.benqueenphotography.com.