By Ethan Rohrbaugh
Tribune Correspondent
SHORT GAP—Joey Luciw returned the opening kickoff 90 yards to the house and Frankfort never looked back.
Fresh of a number three ranking, the FHS Falcons handled the Berkeley Springs Indians (0-4) from start to finish, winning 50-7 last night at Falcon Stadium.
Luciw quickly gave his team a 7-0 lead and then after the Indian’s first drive stalled at their own 42, Frankfort had the ball again.
A 23 yard carry by Jeremy Miltenberger, 13 more on the next play by Luciw, and a 34 yard pass play from James Jones to Logan Wolford set up a 16 yard touchdown run for Daniel McCormick.
Wolford added an extra point to put the Falcons ahead 14-0 with 7:20 to play in the first quarter.
After a holding penalty and a sack forced the Indians to go three-and-out, Miltenberger took the punt down to the 21 of Berkeley Springs.
It was another quick drive for Frankfort, as Jones hit Zack Nieberlein on the first play, and after two carries by Dalton Brown put the Falcons on the goal line, Miltenberger punched it in from one to make it 21-0 FHS.
Three passes fell incomplete for Berkeley and they were forced to punt once again.
It only took Frankfort one play to find the end zone this time, as Jones faked a handoff then hooked up with Wolford for a 61 yard pitch-and-catch that extended the Falcons’ lead to 28-0 with 3:30 still to play in the first quarter.
Another three-and-out for Berkeley and a Frankfort drive that stalled close to midfield and the first quarter was over.
The Indians offense started the second frame with yet another three-play drive and a punt.
Backed up by a holding penalty, Frankfort set up to punt out of its own end zone but the Indians muffed the ball and the Falcons were able to jump on it, giving them the ball at their own 45 yard line.
A couple plays later, Jones found Nieberlein again, this time for a 38 yard touchdown and the Falcons kept pouring it on, making it 35-0 with 5:50 to go in the half.
Berkeley Springs put together a drive that eventually saw its end at the Frankfort 40 yard line, when BSHS quarterback Zach White was sacked on fourth down by Andrew Staggs.
Frankfort headed into the locker rooms comfortably ahead, 35-0.
The third quarter started with another Indian three-and-out then an eight play drive ended with another Jones to Wolford touchdown from eight yards out giving Frankfort its largest lead of the night at 42-0.
Berkeley would see another drive end on fourth down when White was sacked at the Falcon 13 and fumbled; Frankfort scooped it up at the 26 and the third frame came to a close.
The junior varsity squad took over for Frankfort in the final quarter and it wasn’t until there were only 4:23 showing on the game clock that the Indians could find the end zone.
It came from the defensive side of the ball, as the Indians forced a fumble and Joey Bowers picked it up and took it 30 yards for the score.
Frankfort’s JV’s answered on their next drive, however, taking it 76 yards in under four minutes and added a two-point conversion to cap off the scoring at 50-7.
The Falcon offense compiled 381 yards, with 169 coming in the ground game.
James Jones threw for 212 yards on 9-12 passing and three touchdowns. Wolford caught five of Jones’ passes for 147 yards and two scores.
When asked how he felt to be 3-0 and ranked in the top three, Falcons Head Coach Kevin Whiteman said, “I’m just happy for my team. They’ve worked their tails off to be the best that they can be and I’m really happy for them.”
Frankfort gets set to take their offensive show on the road, as they travel to Northern this Friday for their first game away from Falcon Stadium this season.
SHORT GAP, W.Va. —
