Bridgeport snapped a four-game losing streak to Fairmont Senior with a 44-33 win Thursday night at East-West Stadium.

 

Cam Cole ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns and threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Moore, who also had a pair of rushing touchdowns for the Indians and finished with 101 yards on the ground.

 

The win keeps the Tribe undefeated on the season at 2-0 and they will return to action next Friday at home against Robert C. Byrd.

 

As much offensive firepower that has been present for both schools in the history of the rivalry, this is has been a series where most victories went to the team that won the battle up front. The past couple of years, Senior won that battle with the likes of Zach Frazier and the Stills brothers, Dante and Darius.

 

On Thursday, that advantage was back in Bridgeport’s corner.

 

“I think the game was won on the line of scrimmage,” BHS coach John Cole said. “I think we did pretty good on the line of scrimmage for the most part. Our kids played hard. They did what they had to do.”

 

The first half was a classic back-and-forth affair as both offenses tried to out-do each other.

 

The Polar Bears got a bit of an assist on their first drive in terms of starting field position. Bridgeport nearly pulled off a perfect recovery of a squib kick as the ball went the required distance with ease and Kemo Summers recovered with ease. However, the ball didn’t touch the ground first resulting in a penalty that gave Senior the ball around midfield.

 

Four plays later, Kieshawn Cottingham was in the end zone with a 9-yard touchdown run.

 

The Indians first drive also lasted just four plays, three of which were runs by Cole, the final one being a 34-yard touchdown run. J.D. Love also had a huge pickup of 25 yards on the drive.

 

 Bridgeport’s defense came up with a clutch play on Senior’s next possession, as J.T. Muller sacked Gage Michael on third down to force the game’s first punt. The Tribe defense as a whole kept Michael, who will be playing at Kent State next year, in check. The standout senior quarterback was held to 21 yards on 14 carries with several sacks by the Indians keeping that total down.

 

Michael did throw for 232 yards and a pair of TDs. But anytime the Indians needed a clutch stop on defense, they got it.

 

Five plays later of Muller’s sack, Hayden Moore scored his third touchdown of the season on a 46-yard run that put the Tribe up 14-7.

Michael’s 13-yard touchdown run tied it back up at 14 with 23 seconds left in the first quarter.

 

Special teams took over for the next two possessions. A short Bridgeport punt that appeared to have been partially blocked was scooped up Senior’s Germaine Lewis  who returned it 60 yards for a score. The Polar Bears however failed to convert the conversion kick so their lead was 20-14.

 

The lead would be short-lived as Trent Haines returned the ensuing kickoff deep into Senior territory. Cole then ran in for an 8-yard touchdown that gave the Tribe the lead back.

 

The Polar Bears went four-and-out on their next possession with Derek Starkey providing a big TFL on a third won run attempt by Michael.

 

On Senior’s next drive, Muller struck again by bringing Michael down for a loss that forced a turnover on downs.

With 34 seconds left in the first half, J.D. Love gave the Indians a little breathing room with a 28-yard touchdown run.

 

That appeared to be al the scoring for the first half, but Landyn Reppert recovered a fumble for on Senior’s kick return.

 

A 10-yard run my Muller and a 5-yard pickup from Cole set up Taylor Thomas’ 33-yard field goal to put Bridgeport up 30-20 at the half.

 

The Indians took the opening kick for the second half and put together a 10-play drive that was capped with Cole’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Moore, who wrestled the ball away from a Senior defensive back on the ground in the end zone (video of Moore’s TD catch can be seen below).

 

Moore who would go on to score the Tribe’s only other TD of the half on a 16-yard run in the fourth quarter. This time last week, Moore had not scored a touchdown in his prep career. After two in the opener with Liberty and three against Senior, he now has five.

 

“That catch kind of stands out, that was a big play,” Moore said. “Our line deserves so much credit, they work so hard and they are the ones that make the holes for us. We have so many backs that can rotate in, that depth is going to be so key for us.”

 

Both of Michael’s TD passes came in the second half, 21 yards to Kayson Nealy and 10 yards to Nick Scott.

 

It wasn’t nearly enough though as the BHS defense continued to make key stops and forced a couple of turnovers.

Tanner Saltis had a fumble recovery that ended a Senior drive.

 

Saltis and Devin Hill each had sacks on a Senior drive that ended with a turnover on downs that set up Moore’s final TD.

 

Love added 56 rushing to go along with his third TD of the season for the Indians, who finished with 351 as a team. And although they may not have gotten to the edge to show off their team speed in the single wing, the Indians did show they still have the ability to lower their collective shoulders and pick up some tough yardage on inside runs.

 

“We probably didn’t open it up as much as we would have tonight just because of some snap issues and some of the slanting that Fairmont Senior was doing on us,” BHS offensive coordinator Tyler Phares said. “I’m proud of the kids tonight and as the season progresses we will become more smooth with this offense.

 

“We knew that Senior was probably a little quicker than us so we wanted to stick up between the tackles a little more. Our kids aren’t big bruising-type backs, but I felt like they played that way tonight.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo is of J.D. Love. The second photo shows Hayden Moore and Peyton Henderson celebrating. Third photo is of Cam Cole getting into the end. Fourth photo is of Trent Haines returning a kick. Fifth is of Landyn Reppert making a stop and the bottom one is of the BHS defense bringing down Gage Michael. All photos by www.benqueenphotography.com