Big Plays, Defense Lift Big Reds Over Beckley 34-6

Game Statistics / Game Pictures

This time it was the Big Reds who turned the tables on those big play teams as they used four big plays to beat the Beckley Flying Eagles 34-6.

Touchdown runs of 45 and 42 yards by Easton Martin and Dakoda Sims as well as two big plays by Nick Johnson, a 66 yard kickoff return touchdown and a 26 yard interception return that set up a score, were the big factors as PHS picked up its first win of the year.

Add to that a superb defensive effort led by Tyler Lawrentz and Ethan Farinash which limited a big play Beckley team to only three plays of more than 20 yards with the longest being a 39 yard kickoff return. In all, Beckley managed just eight first downs, only 171 yards in total offense and suffered three turnovers.

Martin rushed for 122 yards on just 10 carries to help PHS amass 300 yards in total offense with 12 first downs and no turnovers.

The Big Reds scored on their first possession, taking just five running plays to cover 62 yards with Martin going 45 yards around right end for the TD with 8:38 left in the first quarter. Chase Minnite kicked the first of four straight extra points.

With the PHS defense forcing Beckley to punt four straight times, the Big Reds were able to score again late in the half when they fashioned a nine-play drive on the ground that covered 84 yards. Martin had runs of 15,15 and 23 yards on the drive that finished with Noah Weaver bulling up the middle from the two with 1:02 on the clock.

The second half started with a bang as up man Johnson grabbed a squibb kick at his 34, bobbled it for a second, then raced all the way to the end zone for a touchdown.

Three minutes later Johnson was at it again as he picked off a pass and returned it 26 yards to the Beckley 27. Three plays later the Big Reds had their fourth TD as Martin went over right tackle from the three. Minnite's kick made it 28-0.

Sims broke several tackles midway through the fourth quarter on his 42 yard touchdown run that pushed the lead to 34-0 and enabled PHS reserves to see some action.

Beckley ruined the shutout bid with 1:30 left in the game on a one yard run by quarterback Sutton Radford.

Unofficially, Lawrentz and Farinash had eight tackles each for PHS while Brenton Strange had an interception and Stevie Scholl a fumble recovery.

Score by Quarters          1 2 3 4 Total
Beckley WW                   0 0  0 6 -  6
Big Reds                         7 7 14 6 -  34
Qtr Time Scoring play
1st 08:38 PHS - Easton Martin 45 yd run (Chase Minnite kick), 4-62 2:00
2nd 01:02 PHS - Noah Weaver 2 yd run (Chase Minnite kick), 10-84 4:11
3rd 11:46 PHS - Nick Johnson 66 yd kickoff return (Chase Minnite kick)
08:36 PHS - Easton Martin 3 yd run (Chase Minnite kick), 3-27 1:10
4th 05:11 PHS - Dakoda Sims 42 yd run (Chase Minnite kick failed), 3-51 1:27
01:30 BECK - Sutton Radford 1 yd run (Sutton Radford pass failed), 9-68 3:00