TENNERTON – The No. 1 Morgantown Mohigans weren’t a very hospitable guest for the No. 19 Buckhannon-Upshur Buccaneers for homecoming during their non-conference football game Friday night at Freal “Red” Crites Memorial Stadium.
Morgantown took the opening kickoff back 88 yards for a score and B-U starting quarterback Dawson Tenney then went down in the first quarter with an ankle injury and things never got turned around for the Bucs in a 59-3 setback.
Not only were the Bucs beaten on the scoreboard, but they were physically beaten up by the Mohigans with several players leaving the game due to injury.
“We were like a walking M.A.S.H. unit out there at the end of the game,” noted Buckhannon-Upshur head coach Zach Davis. “When we play teams like this we get hurt. I hope some guys heal up and we can put together a game plan. We are simply no where close to a program like Morgantown. I feel terrible as a coach that we have to play schools like that, and we get physically hurt. We will never duck anyone, but we had no one left standing at the end. It’s not an excuse, it’s just a fact. Our guys played hard, and they were brave, but its just apples and oranges between these two teams.”
Following the 88-yard kickoff return by Bobby Powell to start the game, the Mohigans built a 24-0 after one quarter with the addition of a three-yard touchdown run by Caleb Nutter, a safety when a B-U snap on a punt rolled out of the back of the end zone and a Maddox Bowers 45-yard pass to AJ Thomas.
Buckhannon-Upshur’s only score of the game was in the second quarter on a 43-yard field goal by Wyatt Mason.
Morgantown scored three more times after that in the second quarter on a four-yard reception by Andrew Phares, a 20-yard fumble return by Thomas and a three-yard run by Troy Andis to make it a 45-3 score at the half.
Morgantown scored twice more, both in the third quarter on a 43-yard run by Isaiah Thompson and a 36-yard run from Remington Hawkins.
Morgantown racked up 386 yards of total offense getting 284 on the ground and 102 through the air.
The Bucs mustered just 66 yards, gaining 48 on the ground and 18 through the air
Bryson Johnston led the ground game with 59 yards on five attempts, all coming in the second half.
Brody McDaniels completed three of his nine passes for 18 yards filling in for the injured Tenney.
Morgantown improved to 4-0 on the year.
The loss dropped the Bucs to 2-3 on the season.
They will be back in action Friday hosting University at 7:30 p.m.
The boxscore:
Morgantown 24 21 14 0 – 59
Buckhannon-Upshur 0 3 0 0 – 3
(Scoring)
Morgantown – Bobby Powell 88-yard kick-off return (Aiden Stire pass to Nick DeProspero)
Morgantown – Caleb Nutter, 3-yard run (Stire kick)
Morgantown – Safety (B-U snap out of end zone)
Morgantown – AJ Thomas, 45-yard pass from Maddox Bowers (Stire kick).
Buckhannon-Upshur – Wyatt Mason, 43-yard field goal
Morgantown – Andrew Phares, 4-yard pass from Bowers (Stire kick)
Morgantown – Thomas, 20-yard fumble return (Stire kick)
Morgantown –Troy Andis, 3-yard run (Landon Bradley kick)
Morgantown – Isaiah Thompson 43-yard run (Bradley kick)
Morgantown – Remington Hawkins, 36-yard run (Bradley kick)
TEAM STATISTICS
First downs – Morgantown: 17 (12 rushing, 3 passing, 2 penalty); Buckhannon-Upshur: 7 (3 rushing, 1 passing, 3 penalty).
Rushing yards – Morgantown: 37-284; Buckhannon-Upshur: 32-48.
Passing yards – Morgantown: 102; Buckhannon-Upshur: 18.
Total yards -Morgantown: 386; Buckhannon-Upshur: 66.
Passes – Morgantown: 7-10-0; Buckhannon-Upshur: 3-11-1.
Penalties – Morgantown: 13-122; Buckhannon-Upshur: 7-49.
Punts – Morgantown: 1-32.0; Buckhannon-Upshur: 4-29.5.
Fumbles – Morgantown: 1; Buckhannon-Upshur: 3.
Fumbles lost – Morgantown: 0; Buckhannon-Upshur: 1.
All-Return yards – Morgantown: 140; Buckhannon-Upshur: 58.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICES
Rushing
Morgantown – Isaiah Thompson 4-63 (1 touchdown); Carsin Lawhun 9-50; Remington Hawkins 1-36 (1 touchdown); Bobby Powell 3-25; Caleb Nutter 3-23 (1 touchdown); AJ Thomas 3-15 (1 touchdown); Andrew Phares 1-23; Jake Anderson 3-19; Maddox Bowers 3-12; Marcus Ullom 3-11; Owen Monroe 1-9; Troy Andis 1-3 (1 touchdown); No. 25 1-2; Shawn Carter 1-(-7). 37-284 (5 touchdowns).
Buckhannon-Upshur – Bryson Johnston 5-59; Wyatt Morris 14-20; Daniel Hedrick 7-3; Luke Yardley 2-2; Dawson Tenney 1-(-5); Brody McDaniels 2-(-15); team 1-(-16). Totals 32-48.
Passing
Morgantown – Bowers 7-for-10 for 102 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions.
Buckhannon-Upshur – McDaniels 3-for-9 for 18 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception; Tenney 0-for-2 for 0 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions. Totals 3-for-11 for 18 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception.
Receiving
Morgantown –Thomas 2-43 (1 touchdown); Phares 2-17 (1 touchdown); Powell 2-17; Ullom 1-25. Totals 7-102 (2 touchdowns)
Buckhannon-Upshur – Carter Zuliani 3-18.