By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
The Cougars slashed into the Hive burying the Yellow Jackets 26-14 in the Junior Hardy Bowl.
East Hardy Middle School earned the Hardy County bragging rights, but the Yellow Jackets get the last laugh heading to the title game.
“The execution was excellent. I have been waiting all year for them to play four quarters of football and they did tonight. They executed perfectly. We had a little redemption from last year with them beating us twice. The boys came in fired up and played great. We are the kings of Hardy County for the year, but work’s not over. We have to get back to it and ready for next week. If everything lines up right, we will be heading to the championship and that’s what we are hoping for,” East Hardy Middle School Football coach Clay Skovron remarked.
This Junior Hardy Bowl win for the Cougars created a three-way tie with Moorefield Middle School and Petersburg Middle School to determine the final spot for the Potomac Valley League Championship against top seeded Romney Middle School this week.
The Yellow Jackets edged East Hardy Middle School in the points allowed criteria (34-32) to seal the fate of the Cougars and return to PVL Championship against the Pioneers.
Moorefield Middle started the Junior Hardy Bowl on the 38-yard line and Noah Constable rushed to midfield.
Momentum was immediately halted as East Hardy Middle’s Colton Taylor made an interception at the 31-yard line.
The Cougars took advantage of this turnover scoring a touchdown in 11 plays.
A penalty and a few carries by Luke Holliday moved the chains at the 42-yard line.
Holliday added four more yards before Dalton Nicholson was slammed for a loss.
East Hardy Middle’s Elijah Ludwig caught a 16-yard pass entering Yellow Jackets domain for a first down at the 40-yard line.
Ludwig eluded the defense to reach the red zone on a 24 yard play to the 16-yard line.
Three plays later, Holliday rushed into the end zone from seven yards out for a 6-0 lead at 2:57 and the conversion was denied.
Moorefield Middle responded in just five plays starting near midfield after a failed onside kick.
Constable dashed 32 yards to the edge of the red zone before being tracked down by Holliday.
Moorefield Middle’s Elijah Kidwell notched two yards and was stopped by Chance Hahn.
Constable scored three plays later for the Yellow Jackets from eight yards out and added the two-point conversion to take an 8-6 lead with 48 seconds left in the opening stanza.
The Cougars offense stalled near midfield early in the second quarter, but the ensuing punt created a first down due to a personal foul on Moorefield Middle.
East Hardy Middle’s possession was revitalized beginning at the Yellow Jackets 40-yard line.
Nicholson caught a pass for 15 yards, then Ludwig added four yards.
Holliday made two carries for a first down at the 13-yard line.
The Cougars got down to the five yard line prior to a false start, then something was created out of nothing as a high snap fumble was fielded by Holliday scrambling and making magic with a touchdown pass to Ludwig with 3:12 remaining in the first half.
Holliday garnered the two-point conversion as East Hardy Middle regained the lead 14-8.
The Yellow Jackets swiftly moved down the field starting at the 46-yard line with four carries by Constable to reach the red zone, including a 20 yard run.
However, the Cougars defense forced a fumble recovered by Zachary Weaver with a minute and change to go.
East Hardy Middle moved too fast trying for a last second miracle, but committed a penalty and three bad snaps to end the half.
The Cougars started the second half with an 11-yard run by Holliday entering Moorefield Middle territory at the 47-yard line.
Nicholson made a pair of carries to get down to the 34-yard line.
The Cougars pounced deep into the red zone as Holliday dashed to the five yard line.
Holliday capped off the drive hitting pay dirt from five yards away and the conversion was fumbled with East Hardy Middle extending the lead to 20-8 with 5:20 remaining in the third quarter.
The Yellow Jackets began the next series at the 33-yard line with Constable rushing six yards, then Eli Kidwell picked up a first down at the 45.
Constable took a pitch and corralled a first down on a 25-yard play down to the Cougars 40.
Moorefield Middle’s Hunter Wimer’s face mask was yanked as the penalty moved the chains inside the red zone at the 14.
East Hardy Middle’s Holliday and Nate Champ made tackles for loss using the Yellow Jackets out of the red zone.
Dominic Rossman garnered an interception for the Cougars on the ensuing pass just shy of the goal line.
Moorefield Middle’s Will Martin made three tackles allowing the Cougars a total of 6.5 yards forcing a punt on the second play of the fourth quarter.
Wimer made a huge punt return and was slammed down by Holliday at the 15-yard line in the red zone.
Constable added five yards, then Kidwell collected his own fumble and got down to the one yard line.
Kidwell capped off the drive with a one yard touchdown and the conversion was stopped as the Yellow Jackets closed the gap to 20-14 with 5:47 remaining.
The Cougars started just shy of midfield after an onside kick went awry and Holliday rushed 17 yards to the Moorefield Middle 35-yard line.
A personal foul on the next play during a carry by Holliday placed East Hardy Middle in the red zone with a fresh set of downs on the 15-yard line.
Two plays later, Holliday notched a 14-yard touchdown with 3:08 left and the conversion was stopped for a 26-14 score.
Moorefield Middle got into the red zone on a 30-yard catch by Wimer.
Constable moved the ball to the seven yard line, then the Cougars defense forced a fumble with the recovery made by Nate Champ with 1:21 to go.
Holliday dodged tackles reaching the 41-yard line before a kneel down sealed the Cougars 26-14 Junior Hardy Bowl victory at Yellow Jacket Field.
During the celebration, East Hardy Middle’s Champ and Holliday tried to chase and shower head coach Clay Skovron with water and neglected to take the lid off the cooler in the process. After spinning the lid off, Skovron was across the field so they drenched one of the assistant coaches.
Moorefield Middle travels to Sunrise Summit to battle the Pioneers for the PVL Championship tonight.
