A rematch of last year’s season-opening game for both Webster County and Hopkins County Central turned out much like the 2012 tussle. Webster prevailed 19-14 on Friday night, almost a carbon copy of the 15-7 victory in Dixon last season.
One problem! It was Webster’s only win of the season.
Second-year head coach Scotty Vance is hoping his troops continue the solid play from Friday night and not travel down the same road journeyed in ‘12.
“We were looking for success early and this certainly gives us a bit of confidence,” noted second-year head coach Scott Vance.
Webster used a powerful running game and a solid effort on the defensive side of the ball to stop Hopkins County Central for the second year in a row and grab much needed momentum for a young WCHS squad heading into its home-opener Friday night against Muhlenberg County.
Trojan halfback Tre’ Wright rushed for 118 yards and one touchdown while senior Zach Bruce added a pair of TDs and 74 yards to lead the Webster charge on a hot and humid night in Mortons Gap.
Webster drew first blood, courtesy of a Storm turnover. Wright leaped to get a hand on a pass from Austin Franklin. The tipped pass was intercepted by WC safety Jammin Warren giving the Trojans great field position. And they took advantage.
Five plays later, Wright turned the left corner and out-ran the Central defense for a 49-yard touchdown. Ethan Drury converted the PAT to give Webster a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.
Central committed its second turnover in as many possessions with a fumble after just four offensive plays.
Wright kept up the nifty running, eluding tacklers and slicing through the Storm defense for 21 yards to HCHS 5-yard line. Two plays later, Bruce took the snap, this time at quarterback, and pushed his way into the end zone. The point-after sailed wide but the Trojans owned a 13-0 lead.
After a strong stand by the Trojan defense, the offensive unit continued its outstanding play, pushing the ball to the HCHS 34. But the drive stalled on an incomplete pass on fourth down.
That momentum switch seemed to energize the Storm as they marched 67 yards on six plays, highlighted by a 40-yard scamper by Deaven Wilson to the WCHS 24. That came on a gutsy fourth-down call from Central’s first-year head coach Marshall Enoch. Keontae Pearson capped off the scoring drive with a 3-yard touchdown, followed by a two-point conversion to trim the lead to 13-8 with 5:24 remaining in the first half.
Webster got a big defensive play from Levi Tapp on Central’s first possession of the third quarter. Tapp blasted through the line and blocked a punt attempt, the second of the game for the Trojans, deep in HCHS territory.
It took just six plays for Webster to cover 21 yards for it’s third TD of the game, another quarterback sneak from Zach Bruce. That pushed the lead to 19-8.
The Trojans had an golden opportunity to put the game out-of-reach, moving inside the ‘red zone’ just three minutes into the fourth quarter. But a pair of running losses and a penalty stopped the drive.
Central, looking for its first win since the 2011 season, took advantage of Webster’s inability in the ‘red zone’ and made it a very exciting fourth quarter finish.
The Storm mounted a drive on their own 37 and drove to paydirt, sparked by a 34-yard run from Dustin Browning. Three plays later, Franklin connected with Wilson who was open in the middle of the WCHS secondary for a 39-yard touchdown. The 2-point conversion run failed but the lead had been trimmed to 19-14.
Central forced the Trojan offense to three quick plays and a punt and moved into WCHS territory with 3:19 left in the game.
But the fifth fumble of the game, this one by quarterback Franklin with 2:39 to go, killed any hopes of a Storm victory.
The Trojans will host Muhlenberg County Friday night in the annual Hall of Fame game at Trojan Field. The Mustangs suffered a 31-14 loss to Ohio County in their season-opener on Friday.