Weir High’s Donavan Kirby escapes a tackle from Brooke’s Aleksey Rasz and Max Camilletti, bottom, on Friday. Also shown are Brooke’s, from left, Robert Gabbert III, Ethan Bradley and George Makricostas, as well as Weir’s Garet Hostuttler, Matt O’Neill and Reid Reitter. (Photo by Joe Catullo)

WELLSBURG — Weir High capped the 2018 season with a second-half power run game and strong defense to top Brooke, 20-6, Friday night in a steady rain on the Paul “Bud” Billiard Field at Brooke Memorial Stadium.

According to wvtailgatecentral.com, the win unofficially dropped the Red Riders (8-2) from ninth to 11th.

Donavan Kirby and Garet Hostuttler combined for 285 rushing yards and two touchdowns for Weir High, while the defense limited the Bruins to just 114 yards of total offense.

“It is good to end with a win but, more importantly, it’s a Brooke-Weir game, which is the high point of the regular season,” said Weir High coach Tony Filberto in a jubilant mood after the game. “I thought we ran the ball well, and our linemen did a great job pushing up front.”

The Red Riders went to the halftime break with a slim 7-0 lead over a winless Brooke team. When Bruin senior George Makricostas laid down a perfect onside kick that was recovered by another senior, Anthony Pannett, things got even tighter because the Bruins capitalized on that turnover and scored on the fifth play.

Senior quarterback Gage Yost hit another senior, Logan Williams, down the middle at the 1-yard line and Williams forced his way into the end zone with two Red Riders hanging on him. Unfortuantely, the Bruins took an unsportsman-like penalty after that score, and a two-point converstion run by Yost from the 18 didn’t make it to the end zone.

But, that closed the game to 7-6 and aroused the Brooke senior night crowd.

Makristosas tried the onside kick again, but it was covered by Weir High at its own 46. On the first play from scrimmage, Kirby fumbled with Bruin junior Max Camilletti gathering in the losse pigskin at the Brooke 49.

The Bruins went three-and-out, but the Red Riders got a big break when the Brooke snap on an attempted punt sailed over freshman Mason Thompson’s head. That set up the Red Riders on the Brooke 32, and they didn’t let the opportunity slide by, rushing the ball six straight times before junior quarterback Sebastian Spencer hit senior Jake McCoy in the right corner of the end zone. Reed Reitter put the extra point kick through to give the Riders a 14-6 lead.

They scored again nine seconds before the end of the third period on an 18-yard Kirby run over right tackle. Reitter’s kick was blocked, but the Weir High defense made the 20-6 score hold up through the fourth quarter.

Kirby finished the game with 211 yards on 31 carries. Hostuttler, who scored on a 33-yard blast up the middle in the second quarter, wound up with 74 yards on nine carries.

“That snap on the punt was definitely the turning point in the game,” Brooke coach Mac McLean said. “You can’t make those kind of mistakes, especially when it’s pouring down the rain and the wind is blowing.”

Brooke wraps up its season next Friday at Princeton, while the Red Riders are on a bye.

Weir High 20, Brooke 6

Weir High 0 7 13 0 — 20

Brooke 0 0 6 0 — 6

W: Hostuttler 33 run (Reitter kick)

B: Williams 13 pass from Yost (run failed)

W: McCoy 4 pass from Spencer (Reitter kick)

W: Kirby 18 run (kick blocked)

RUSHING: Weir 48-306-2 (Kirby 31-211-1, Hostuttler 9-74-1, Spencer 8-21. Brooke 21-14 Comilletti 10-30, Conley 1-3, Yost 10-(-19).

PASSING: Weir 8-16-66-1-1 (Spencer 8-15-66-1, Komorowski 0-1-1.

RECEIVING: Weir (Reitter 4-27, McCoy 4-10-1, Kirby 1-39.

PENALTIES: Weir 12-75; Brooke 2-30.

FUMBLES-LOST: Weir 3-2; Brooke 1-1

FIRST DOWNS: Weir 18; Brooke 6.