Running away from No. 1: Bridgeport dominant in quarterfinal win at Cabell Midland

The Class AAA No. 8-seeded Tribe put up 381 yards on the ground, plus 19 important ones through the air, and knocked off the No. 1 Cabell Midland Knights, 41-21, on Friday night.

“Our kids didn’t feel we got the fair end of the rankings and the power points and how it played out. We thought we were better than that No. 8 ranking and we proved it tonight,” Bridgeport coach Tyler Phares said.

Bridgeport (10-2) will play at No. 5 Princeton, 41-37 winners over No. 13 Parkersburg, either on Friday or Saturday.

The Tribe put three rushers over 100 yards: Timothy Jeffers with eight runs for 128 yards and a TD, Zach Rohrig with 24 totes for 109 yards and two scores and Josh Love ran 19 times for 105 yards and a touchdown.

“First off, that’s a great team. They’re No. 1 for a reason,” Rohrig said. “We beat them last year, but we knew coming into their place, it was going to be a tough one. We pulled it off.”

Curtis Jones and Robert Shockey both ran for 68 yards and a score for the Knights (10-2), but Shockey was held to just nine completions on 22 attempts, totaling 173 yards, a TD and an interception.

“We knew they were going to run the ball, but playing them last year (at Parkersburg South), when he drops back to pass, he has the option to run,” Rohrig said of Shockey. “He definitely made their team better. But we worked hard in practice and stayed true to our reads.”

Jones hit a home run on the first drive, scoring on a 43-yard rush with 9:15 on the clock; the extra point was no good.

But Bridgeport needed only four plays to respond as Jeffers darted 57 yards to the house just 125 seconds later and Gavin Williams added the extra point.

Up 7-6, the Tribe didn’t trail again.

“Timmy had to step up and it’s amazing not only how much he’s grown as a football player, but as a human being. He’s very responsible. He’s doing all the little things,” Phares said. “He’s got great speed. He blocks well and he’s a threat on the back side.”

Cabell Midland then drove into Bridgeport territory, but threw back-to-back incompletions on third-and-4 and fourth-and-4 to turn it over on downs at the 39.

Rohrig ran for two first downs, then Love went for 18, 2 and 1 to close out the drive.

Bridgeport went up 14-6 with 10:04 to go in the half.

A 46-yard strike from Shockey to Myles Meadors moved the ball into the red zone for the Knights and Shockey called his own number two plays later from 15 yards away.

Tony Hornbuckle’s kick cut the deficit to one, 14-13, at the 8:41 mark.

The Knights had the chance to take the lead after a Bridgeport three-and-out, but also couldn’t move the chains.

First-down runs by Rohrig twice and Love set the table for Bridgeport’s only completion, but it was a big one, 19 yards from Jack Spatafore to Donovan Williams to make it a 21-13 game with less than a minute to go in the half.

“Like I said in the summer, they think we’re a hard-nosed running team, but we’ve got some athletes that can throw it and catch it,” Rohrig said. “That was big for us.”

Cabell Midland passed the ball effectively to move into field goal range, but Hornbuckle’s try at the horn from 43 yards was wide.

Then Bridgeport went to its bread-and-butter, running 14 plays and 8:21 off the clock to cover 69 yards the final five coming from Alex Moses with 3:39 to go in the quarter.

Bridgeport had widened the gap to 28-13.

“We knew if we went in there and punched the ball into the end zone, it would be tough for them to respond,” Rohrig said.

“It was huge. I think that was the turning point of the game. I think they got frustrated and got away from what they do,” Phares said. “That outside veer is scary. They play really good football. To get them into more of a passing situation really benefitted us.”

Cabell Midland responded with a 27-yard hookup from Shockey to Landon Nida on fourth down, but four plays later, Cale Culicerto’s interception stopped the Knights’ drive cold with 2:04 left in the third quarter.

Then Jeffress started to eat chunks, gaining 24 yards into Cabell Midland territory.

“Timmy’s came along. With Tanner (Hathaway) going down, Timmy and Cam Martin have stepped up a lot,” Rohrig said.

Rohrig finished the drive from seven yards away with 6:18 left; the extra point was no good.

“Zach’s a battler,” Phares said. “He’s a special kid, that’s all you can say about them.”

After the Knights turned the ball over on downs, Rohrig scored again from nine yards away.

Cabell Midland got a consolation TD on a 55-yard catch-and-run by Nida and converted for 2, but it wasn’t enough.

Bridgeport’s turkey will taste a little bit sweeter on this Thanksgiving.

“I’m so thankful. I’m ready for the semifinals,” Rohrig said.