By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
The Yellow Jackets survived the heat on Saturday afternoon (September 3) in a tight battle against Pocahontas County and
Tyson Arnold made a game saving interception to seal a 36-29 victory in Moorefield.
“Our line did their job I have been stressing it all week in practice That it would come down to them and the plays they could
make as far as some lanes for our good running backs. We had some guys stop in who hadn’t had much playing time and were
able to come in and get quality playing time to give our starters some breathing time and breaks down the stretch. I am proud of
them for their effort. I will take a win no matter when it is, a rebound or the next one. It’s always good to get the win. It is even
better to see it when they persevered and battled through the heat and had some attrition,” Moorefield coach Matt Altobello
commented.
“We’ve got to have pride in ball security. We can’t give the ball away at the eight yard line, coughing it up and giving it back to
them. We can’t have that happen at any time. We are going to fix it. Adam and Alex are both really good football players and
they bring energy and effort everyday. They have worked hard and prepared for this opportunity. They say give me the ball and I
am going to score. Tyson does a good job. He gets reps at safety in practice and it’s one of those things where we trust in him to
be put back there. We know he will do the right thing and that comes from having really good instincts which comes from being a
quarterback and knows how a play develops and put himself in a good spot to make a play. There’s nothing like playing here.
This is one of the best places I’ve ever been as far as fans and crowds. This is second to none.”
It took just three plays for the Yellow Jackets to sting Pocahontas County with a touchdown.
Facing third down after short rushing gains by Axton Runions (2) and Alex Miller (1), Moorefield went to the air as quarterback
Tyson Arnold connected with Adam Landes on a 64-yard touchdown strike at the 10:22 mark of the first quarter and Kyle Molen
added the extra point for a 7-nil lead.
The Warriors failed to muster a first down on their first possession which led to a punt.
Moorefield’s Chayse Myers and Aiden Jones tackled Pocahontas County’s Even Hamrick for no gain on the first play, then
Hamrick made a catch for five yards and was brought down by Landes.
Pocahontas County quarterback Braedan Hayhurst picked up only two yards on a keeper with Miller recording the stop to force
a punt.
Moorefield didn’t get the offense rolling on the second series and couldn’t move the chains.
Miller rush for five yards before Runions was tackled or a loss by Pocahontas County’s Austin Morgan.
Arnold’s pass fell incomplete and the Yellow Jackets punted.
Jones made two consecutive tackles including one for a loss as the Warriors faced third down and nine from their own 30-yard
line.
Pocahontas County’s Ryan Halterman made a leaping catch and gained a first down on a 15-yard sequence.
Moorefield’s Finan Teklom deflected a pass attempt, then Hamrick rushed for four yards.
Hayhurst couldn’t escape the jersey grasp of Myers and failed to gain anything which led to a Warriors punt at the 49-yard line.
A block in the back penalty on the punt return sent the Yellow Jackets back to their own 10-yard line at 3:19.
Miller fumbled the ball and Halterman recovered the fumble for the Warriors at the Moorefield 24-yard line with 3:09 remaining in
the first quarter.
It took an army of Yellow Jackets to bring down Pocahontas County’s Austin Morgan on a 13-yard carry for a first down in the
red zone.
Morgan was tackled for a loss by Moorefield’s Ryan Mongold and Alex Miller.
Moorefield’s Diego Taylor made a tackle for a loss, then the Warriors were called for a delay of game penalty.
After an incomplete pass, Pocahontas County faced fourth down on the 19-yard line and got the Yellow Jackets to be penalized
for encroachment prior to having a false start.
Pocahontas County quarterback Braedan Hayhurst fumbled the ball entering the end zone, but the referee awarded a
touchdown with 47 seconds left in the first quarter and Maxwell Organian added the extra point to tie the game at 7-all.
Moorefield started on the 20-yard line and Runions coughed the ball up and Pocahontas County’s Waylon Lucabaugh recovered
the fumble at the 31-yard line with 37 seconds to go.
The Warriors took a 13-7 lead with 29 seconds remaining in the first quarter as Brycen Carroll hauled in a 31-yard touchdown
strike, but the extra point kick was blocked by Teklom.
Miller rushed for three yards to end the first quarter on the 35-yard line.
Runions collected a first down on an eight yard carry to begin the second quarter.
Landes dashed to the outside and was brought down abruptly by the face mask which resulted in a personal foul moving the
Yellow Jackets to the Pocahontas County 26-yard line.
Runions plowed through defenders for a first down in the red zone at the 15-yard line.
Miller was tackled or a loss by Nathan Boylen, then Runions added five yards.
After a timeout, Landes rushed for two yards reaching the nine yard line and the Yellow Jackets now faced fourth down and
another timeout was called.
Landes punched the ball into the end zone and Molen added the extra point as Moorefield regained the lead 14-13 with 8:29 left
in the second quarter.
Myers and Taylor made a stop for no gain, then the Warriors threw an errant pass.
Taylor tackled Hayhurst on an eight yard run which led to a punt.
The Yellow Jackets started at midfield as the punt was deflected out of bounds.
Arnold recovered a fumble, then rushed for eight yards on the ensuing play.
Runions collected the first down as a crowd of Warriors brought him down after four yards.
Miller added nine yards on two carries, then Landes plowed through the defense for a first down in the red zone at the 17-yard
line.
Runions notched seven more yards with 2:06 remaining in the first half.
Landes capped off the drive with a ten yard touchdown run and Molen added the extra point as the Yellow Jackets took a 21-13
advantage with 1:58 on the clock.
“It was really special to help the team get the win. Thanks to the offensive line on working hard all week to get their assignments
done, so I was able to run for as much as I did. I thank them. It was amazing [open field],” Moorefield running back Adam
Landes remarked.
Pocahontas County converted a fourth down on a 16-yard run by Hamrick, but there wasn’t much time to try to advance past
midfield with an incompletion and kneel down concluding the half.
Pocahontas County had a good kickoff return to begin the third quarter and a late hit out of bounds put the possession inside
Moorefield territory at the 49-yard line.
Moorefield’s Aiden Jones and Earl Wyman made tackles on short gains and an incomplete pass led to a punting situation but
the Warriors elected for a fake as Clayton Burns took the ball 20 yards for a first down at the Yellow Jackets 25-yard line.
Hamick reached the red zone on a five yard run then Hayhurst added seven yards with stops by Landes and Brock Linville
(forced out).
Two plays later, Hayhurst recorded an eight yard touchdown run at the 8:25 mark and Hamrick added the two-point conversion
to tie the game at 21-all.
Moorefield started at its own 38-yard line and moved the chains on two carries as Landes (7) and Miller (7) combined for 14
yards getting inside Warriors territory at the 48-yard line.
After a holding call, Arnold dodged some defenders for five yards.
Pocahontas County prevented a first down, even with Moorefield trying a direct snap to Miller on fourth down and coming up
short at the 40-yard line.
Moorefield’s Chayse Myers garnered an interception and a face mask penalty was called which gave the Yellow Jackets
possession at the Pocahontas County 22-yard line.
Miller rushed for eight yards, then there was a fumble and Arnold pounced on it after a favorable hop arriving at the first down
line marker and the referee awarded the first down.
Three plays later, Moorefield’s Adam Landes netted a two-yard touchdown run with 1:23 left in the first half and Molen added the
extra point for a 28-21 advantage.
Pocahontas County closed the third quarter with a 29-yard run by Hayhurst reaching Yellow Jackets territory at the 38-yard line.
The Warriors committed a false start to begin the final stanza, but a personal foul for pushing by the Yellow Jackets moved the
line of scrimmage to the 31-yard line.
Halterman added 13 yards for a first down in the red zone and waved to the sideline.
After an illegal offensive formation, Pocahontas County’s Hayhurst notched one yard and was hit by Landes.
Hayhurst converted a third down at the eight yard line and two plays later the Warriors found the end zone.
Pocahontas County’s Halterman collected a four-yard touchdown run and Hamrick added the two-point conversion to give the
Warriors a 29-28 advantage with 8:40 remaining.
The Yellow Jackets started the next possession at their own 38-yard line and Landes was off to the races scoring a 62-yard
touchdown run and Myers made the two-point conversion catch to regain the lead 36-29 with 8:23 to go.
A couple Warriors penalties and stops by Teklom forced a Pocahontas County punt at 6:10.
Runions converted a third down at the 43-yard line for the Yellow Jackets on a nine yard run.
Miller rushed 51 yards to get deep into the red zone at the six yard line where Halterman saved a touchdown.
Moorefield fumbled the ball and the Warriors recovered at the eight yard line with under three minutes remaining.
Pocahontas County’s Brycen Carroll made a catch and some zigzag moves across the field on a 67 yard catch inside the ten
yard line, but it was called back on a blindside hit.
A short catch and incompletion, plus a fumble saved by the Warriors forced a fourth down with 45 seconds left.
Burns made a 13-yard reception for a first down at the 42-yard line and a spike was made to stop the clock with 28 seconds.
Pocahontas County’s Hayhurst launched the ball and it was intercepted by Moorefield safety Tyson Arnold to end the game and
seal the 36-29 win at Yellow Jacket Field.
