Williamstown runs through Weir, 31-6
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WEIRTON -- Williamstown's offense can be summed as being, as Woody Hayes might say, three yards and a cloud of rubber.
Williamstown ran the ball 62 times for 392 yards and four touchdowns against Weir as the Yellowjackets stung the Red Riders, 31-6, to spoil Weir's homecoming Friday night on the new turf field at Jimmy Carey Stadium
"That is the story of the year," Weir (1-5) head coach Frank Sisinni said. "We struggle in the run game. We struggle stopping the run. We are not organized when it comes to stopping the run. We played a great first quarter, but then we couldn't stop the run. We will go back to the drawing board to try and refine things."
All told the visitors from Wood County amassed 471 yards on offense in 72 plays.
"That is what we try to hang our hat on," Williamstown (5-1) head coach Chris Beck said about his team's ability to run the ball. "We did a great job running the ball. We controlled the line. Their size with No. 74 (Cameron Jones) and others was a concern, but the guys responded really well. We played well without our best player being able to play. It was a good effort."
On the other side of the coin, the Yellowjackets limited the Red Riders to 107 yards of total offense on 27 plays. Sixty of those yards came on the first play of the game.
With the ball at its own 40, Weir used some trickery to land the first punch as running back Corey Lyons hooked up with Carson Yobbagy for a 60-yard catch-and-run resulting in a touchdown to give the Red Riders an early 6-0 lead. A bad snap on the extra point resulted in a failed attempted 2-point run, but the Red-and-Black led by six just 20 seconds into the ballgame.
"That was by design," Sisinni said. "We saw something we liked. We needed a spark. It was well executed. Carson had the nice stiff arm enabling him to go the last 10 yards or so into the end zone. It was a great call by coach (Tom) Taylor and the offensive staff. We just could not get anything going after that."
The trick play caught the Yellowjackets off guard.
"We tried to tell them that they may take some shots early," Beck said. "I thought they may take a shot early. They took a shot, and we were not ready for it. That is on me. I have to do a better job of getting our kids prepared."
Williamstown began the ensuing drive at its own 24, and the visitors drove all the way down to the home team's 2 before having to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Isaac Joy to pull the Yellowjackets to within 6-3.
The Yellowjackets took the lead early in the second quarter when quarterback Maxwell Molessa scored on a 23-yard run, and Joy's extra point gave them a 10-6 lead with 11:17 remaining in the first half.
Molessa had a monster game on offense. The sophomore signal caller ran the ball for 166 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, he completed 5 of 7 passes for 68 yards and he also caught one pass for one yard.
The victors extended their advantage on the third and final drive of the half.
This time Rickie Allen broke through the Weir defense for a 13-yard touchdown to make the score 16-6. The extra point was blocked keep the Red Riders' deficit at 10 points with 1:10 still showing on the scoreboard clock.
Allen also had a night to remember as the junior running back ran for 153 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 26 carries.
The Yellowjackets scored three times in the fourth to pull away from the Red Riders.
First, Molessa scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak, and Joy booted his second PAT of the night making the score 23-6 with 9:51 left to play.
On the ensuing kickoff, Weir fumbled on the return and Williamstown recovered at the Red Rider 38. Allen capped the drive off when he broke through the Weir defense enroute to a 21-yard touchdown. After a penalty on the Red Riders, the Yellowjackets attempted a fake on the extra point, however, the pass play was unsuccessful as the receiver was stopped short of the goal line keeping the score 29-6 with 7:01 remaining in the game.
A bad snap out of the end zone resulted in a safety for the Yellowjackets making the score 31-6 with 1:25 left to play.
For Weir, Lyons ran for 39 yards on 10 carries, while also throwing the 60-yard touchdown pass. Sophomore quarterback Malachi Stromile completed 1-of-8 passes for three yards and an interception, while running for 12 yards on four carries. Yobbagy caught two passes for 63 yards and a touchdown.
The game was only the second meeting between the Red Riders and the Yellowjackets. Weir shut out Williamstown, 40-0, back in 1932 at home.
Weir is scheduled to play Albert Gallatin at 7 p.m. Friday night on the road at Georges Athletic Field.
"We have to a short memory," Sisinni said. "We have to get right back at it. We are going to watch film probably starting tonight, Saturday and Sunday. Then, we will get back to work. We have to get ready to go to Albert Gallatin Friday night."
Williamstown is slated to play Tyler Consolidated at 7 p.m. on the road.
Williamstown 31, Weir 6
Williamstown 3 13 0 15 – 31
Weir 6 0 0 0 – 6
Scoring
First Quarter
WEIR: Yobbagy 60 pass from Lyons (run fail), 11:40
WILLIAMSTOWN: I. Joy 21 field goal
Second Quarter
WILLIAMSTOWN: Molessa 23 run (I. Joy kick), 11:17
WILLIAMSTOWN: Allen 13 run (kick blocked), 1:10
Third Quarter
None
Fourth Quarter
WILLIAMSTOWN: Molessa 1 run (I. Joy kick)
WILLIAMSTOWN: Allen 21 (pass fail)
WILLIAMSTOWN: Safety (Snap out of the end zone)
RUSHING: Williamstown 62-392-4TDs (Allen 26-153 2TDs, Molessa 25-166 2TDs, Lane 4-15, Anderson 1-2, L. Joy 3-(-3), Billingsly 3-22, Brundige 1-37; Weir 18-44 (Stromile 4-12, Lyons 10-39, Yobbagy 1-(-2), Young 2-(-4), Mowder 1-(-1))
PASSING: Williamstown 6-10-69-0-0 (Molessa 5-7-68-0-0, Hesson 1-3-1-0-0); Weir 3-9-63-1-1 (Stromile 1-8-3-0-1, Lyons 1-1-60-1-0)
RECEIVING: Williamstown 6-69 (Goodnow 4-42, Wigal 1-16, Molessa 1-1); Weir 2-63 TD (Yobaggy 2-63 TD)
FIRST DOWNS: Williamstown 21; Weir 5
PENALTIES-YARDS: Williamstown 2-25; Weir 3-27
FUMBLES-LOST: Williamstown 0-0; Weir 2-2
PUNTS-AVERAGE: Williamstown 1-12; Weir 4-43.3