By Mark Carpenter-
Rivalry came to Freedom Field in West Union on Friday, Aug. 28 as the Dragons played host to the North Adams Green Devils in football action deemed “the Battle for the Victory Bell.” It is an actual bell that is the trophy for the winner and for the past year that bell has belonged the Devils, who won the match up between the two teams in 2019. It didn’t stay with North Adams for long.
A determined bunch of Dragons took the field on Friday night, determined to get the bell back to where it had been for all but the past year. They definitely accomplished their task. The West Union offense scored the first three times they touched the ball and their smothering, ball hawking defense allowed no points until the final quarter of a 38-6 victory that improved the Dragons to 2-0 on the season.
“I’m very proud of our team,” said West Union head coach Scott McFarland. “They were super determined to win the Victory Bell back this year. We worked on improving our fundamentals and taking care of the ball all week. Our defense continues to improve and grow as a powerful unit.”
It was an early break on Friday night that set the Dragons up for their first score. When their defense forced the Devils into a punting situation, the snap was high and West Union got great field position at the North Adams 4-yard line. It took just one play for the home team to take the lead for good as halfback Domonic Webb ran it in from four yards out then added a two-point conversion run that made it 8-0.
After another defensive stop, the dragon offense took over again in Devils’ territory, at the 47 five lays later added to their lead. This time it was Matthew Hurley scoring from 11 yards out, diving across the goal line for the touchdown. Hurley also added the two-point conversion run, giving the Dragons a 16-0 advantage.
The North Adams offense continued to struggle, giving the ball up on downs, giving the ball to the Dragons at midfield. Again in five plays, the West Union offensive unit was in the end zone again, getting a 20-yard scoring pass from quarterback Brian Hunt to tight end Bobby Gallowitz. The two-point try failed but after one quarter, the Dragons were firmly in command, up 22-0.
The scoring pace slowed down in the second stanza, the only points coming when the West Union defense forced a fumble and took over at the Devils’ 29. That turnover resulted in a 38-yard screen pass to Daniel Fernandez for a touchdown, Fernandez breaking numerous tackles for on his way to paydirt. Hurley took in the two-point run to give the home team a 30-0 halftime advantage.
With the 30-point differential, the running clock was instituted for a third quarter that went by rapidly with neither team scoring. On the first play of the fourth period, the Devils temporarily halted the running clock, getting their only score of the game on a 50-yard touchdown pass from Avery Anderson to Braiden Bennngton. The two-point try failed, leaving the Dragons up 30-6.
The final points of the night came with 8:03 remaining when the Dragons got a four yard scoring run from Chris Steed and a conversion run from Webb to account for the finals core of 38-6.
“We challenged our offensive line to play more physical tonight and they answered the call,” said Coach McFarland. Every week for us is just a one-game season.”
The Dragons’ next outing will be the most anticipated of the so-far young season. West Union and Peebles both stand at 2-0 at press time, the two top marks in the Southern Ohio Independent League. The two teams will meet at Freedom Field on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. in what should be a very exciting night of football.
Scoring Summary
North Adams
0-0-0-8 —8
West Union
22 8 0 8 —38
First Quarter
WU- Webb 1-yd. run (Webb run)
WU- Hurley 11-yd. run (Hurley run)
WU- Gallowitz 20-yd. pass from Hunt (conversion failed)
Second Quarter
WU- Fernandez 38-yd. pass from Hunt (Hurley run)
Fourth Quarter
NA- Bennington 5-yd pass from Anderson (conversion failed)
WU- C. Steed 4-yd. run (Webb run)
