Published: November 22, 2008 10:07 pm      

Beavers believed to the bitter end

WAYNE — If you can’t stop them, out-score them.

That was the prescription used by the Wayne Pioneers on Friday night to end Bluefield’s season with a thrilling 41-35 Class AA state quarterfinal win over the Beavers on the frozen tundra of Pioneer Field.

Wayne (11-1) rolled up 376 yards on offense, scored five touchdowns on the ground, and added one more on a kick return, as the Pioneers advanced to play Grafton in next week’s semifinals.

Bluefield finished with 388 yards, including 315 and three touchdowns through the air by Will Cole, but the Beavers twice fell behind by 20 points and a furious last quarter rally fell just short.

“That is one high-powered offense, their coaches do a nice job, and their kids do a nice job of making plays,” Wayne head coach Tom Harmon said. “At the same time, they’re going to score some points, but I also felt our offense needed to be productive too.

“As high-powered as their offense was, we were a little bit more productive on offense.”

From the start, this was an offensive show. Bluefield took the opening kick and drove downfield, but Cole’s pass to Levi Beckett in the end zone wound up in the hands of Wayne’s Austin Mills. The Pioneers took the ball at the Bluefield 20 and drove 80 yards, scoring on a four-yard run by senior quarterback Joey Ferguson.

“We practiced hard all week, we knew Bluefield would be one of the toughest teams we’ve played all year,” said Ferguson, who threw for 109 yards on 10-of-13 passing and added 61 yards and two scores on the ground.

“We wanted to come out and go as hard as we can. We knew they were going to go as hard as they can and they did the whole game, but we just got the job done.”

Bluefield head coach Fred Simon was concerned entering the game about Wayne’s mis-direction run plays, and the Beavers’ tendency to miss tackles. That proved to be prophetic, not only with the run game, but also on special teams, with Mills answering Bluefield’s opening score by taking the kick and dashing to the opposite end zone for a 93-yard touchdown.

“I wasn’t expecting the kickoff, that definitely hurt us,” said Simon, of that return, which started a run of 20 straight points for the Pioneers. “I don’t think they started past their 50 the whole game, they were in our territory every time they got the ball.

“We might as well have kicked the onside kick the whole game, it would have been just as good for us.”

Corey Damron led the Beavers with 106 yards and two scores, while Jason Thompson added 75 yards and two more touchdowns. Scottie Fry caught five Ferguson passes for 66 yards. Wayne didn’t punt in the game.

“We didn’t tackle well tonight, they did what they wanted to basically at times,” Simon said. “Their backs are quick, they’re not slow, they’ve got quick feet and I was concerned about that.

“They could move quickly and their line did a nice job of blocking. They’re good, they’re a good team.”

Turnovers were also a difference. Wayne had one, while Cole was picked off three times, including two interceptions by Josh Meddings. All led to scores for the Pioneers, which led 27-7 in the first half and 41-21 in the final period.

“Turnovers really hurt us and give them credit, their offense did real well and put up points,” Cole said. “It’s hard to come back from that, but we gave everything we had and we almost pulled it off.”

Bluefield scored twice in the opening half on one of Cole’s scoring passes, and a Cole 1-yard run. Cole, added two more touchdown passes in the second half and a 7-yard run to pull the Beavers within 41-35 with 1:41 left in the game.

However, the Pioneers had just enough points to hang on for the win.

“Coming into the game, we didn’t think we could really play this game real close to the vest and grind it out and play ball control, which conventional wisdom would tell you you need to do that against that type of offense,” Harmon said. “I thought when we did run the football we ran it effectively and we were able to milk the clock when we needed to and make plays.

“We’re just very, very fortunate to come out of here with a win. Our kids expect to win and after tonight, we’ll have to erase it and get back to basics and try to beat the next opponent.”

There will be no next opponent for Bluefield, at least not until the ‘09 Beaver-Graham game. But the Beavers didn’t go down with a fight. After all, Bluefield’s mantra is “We Believe.”

“We believed, that is the motto we have and we never let up,” Cole said. “We gave everything we had until the end of the game and came up a little short.”

A Cole onside kick was recovered by Bluefield’s Marcus Patterson at the Wayne 44. Jake Lilly took a short pass 30 yards to the 14 with just over a minute left in the game. After Bluefield’s first penalty pushed the ball five yards back, Cole attempted four passes without success.

Two were broken up, one was dropped and Cole’s final pass of his career was hurried when a pair of Wayne blitzers sent him to the frozen turf with 33 seconds left.

“We’re down there with a chance to score, if we catch a pass down there, that gives us maybe 3rd and 2 or something like that and we’ve got a chance,” Simon said. “The pass was there, that’s all we can do.

“That’s one thing I’ll give Will credit, he’ll give them a chance and they just have to make the plays.”

Marcus Patterson led Bluefield (7-5) with nine catches for 150 yards, while Cody Wassum snagged five passes for 68 yards. Lilly led the Beavers with 49 yards on the ground. Keith Ferguson blocked a field goal, while Byron Steptoe added an interception.

“They didn’t give up, I’m proud of them, I have to be,” Simon said. “We’re down three scores in the fourth quarter and this bunch isn’t letting down.”

Cole is one of just six seniors on a team that rebounded from an 0-3 start and won seven of its final nine games. He’ll take some nice memories with him and the ‘07 state title, leading the Beavers to a 13-0 record.

“I wish it could have lasted two more weeks longer, but it’s been great,” said Cole, who finished the season with 3,032 yards and 33 touchdowns through the air. “I want to thank the coaches, my teammates, the fans, the boosters and everyone for everything they have done for me and I know every senior would say the same thing...

“I think I got a lot better as a player and the coaches really instilled hard work in us and to never let up. I’m going to take that on.”

Harmon breathed a huge sigh of relief after the game finally came to an end.

“It’s a playoff game, it was exciting, it’s one people will talk about for a while,” said Harmon, whose Pioneers had lost their previous two games against Bluefield. “It was well-played on both sides of the ball.

“Both teams played well, but it’s all about surviving this time of the year. I don’t think it was a real surprise to our guys that we won.”

Simon, who completed his 22nd season as Bluefield’s coach, will take some fond memories away from the ‘08 campaign.

“That our players gave it their best no matter what,” Simon said. “That’s what I’m going to remember them for is they gave it their best and they did it every game.”

—Contact Brian Woodson

at bwoodson@bdtonline.com



Wayne 41, Bluefield 35



at Pioneer Field

Bluefield.............................7 7 7 14 — 35

Wayne................................13 14 6 8 — 41

Scoring

First Quarter

W—Jason Thompson 4 run (Josh Meddings kick) 5:33

B—Cody Wassum 8 pass from Will Cole (Cole kick) 2:54

W—Josh Mills 93 kick return (kick failed) 2:41

Second Quarter

W—Joey Ferguson 19 run (run failed) 10:19

W—Corey Damron 3 run (Scottie Fry pass from Ferguson) 8:05

B—Cole 1 run (Cole kick) 4:30

Third Quarter

W—Thompson 1 run (run failed) 3:07

B—Isaiah Manns 5 pass from Cole (Cole kick) 1:59

Fourth Quarter

W—Damron 3 run (Adam Frazier run) 8:11

B—Marcus Patterson 10 pass from Cole (Cole kick) 5:54

B—Cole 7 run (Cole kick) 1:41

———

Team Statistics

BF WY

First Downs 21 19

Rush-Yards 19-73 55-267

Pass Yards 315 109

Comp-Att-Int 21-38-3 10-13-1

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 2-2

Penalty-Yards 2-20 6-60

Punts-Avg. 2-31.0 0-0

———

Individual Statistics

Rushing: BF Jake Lilly 11-49; Marcus Patterson 4-13, Will Cole 5-9; WY Corey Damron 21-106, Jason Thompson 14-75, Joey Ferguson 11-61, Adam Frazier 6-25.

Passing: BF Will Cole 21-38-3-315-3; WY Joey Ferguson 10-13-1-109-0.

Receiving: BF Marcus Patterson 9-150, Cody Wassum 5-68, Levi Beckett 2-35, Isaiah Manns 3-34, Jake Lilly 2-28; WY Scottie Fry 5-66, Adam Frazier 3-24, Jason Thompson 1-9, Dustin Shreve 1-1.

Missed Field Goals:WY Josh Meddings (35)