By Michael Minnich
Tribune Sports Editor
mminnich@newstribune.info
KEYSER—“Well, I guess it's happening.”
As the first-ever kickoff at Alumni Stadium at Tornado Alley floated through the air, Keyser High principal Charles Wimer could finally breathe a sigh of relief and offer that deadpan understatement.
On the brand-new field, the Golden Tornado defense rose to the occasion on opening night, holding the Northern Huskies to 137 total yards and eight first downs.
The KHS defense also forced five turnovers en route to pitching a 34-0 shutout for their first win of the season.
After allowing 48 points in the first six quarters of the season, the Golden Tornado have allowed just three in the last six periods.
Offensively, the Golden Tornado got two rushing touchdowns from Allen Haggerty, a touchdown on both ends from R.C. Pratt, and a rushing score from quarterback Tyler Biser.
Northern won the toss and chose to receive, but went three-and-out on the first-ever possession at the new stadium.
On the ensuing punt, Keyser's Jarell Ross went untouched to the end zone, but the movie script wasn't to be: a flag for illegal block in the back nullified the dramatic score.
After Keyser moved the sticks once, Scott Kitrell toted the pigskin on three consecutive plays for s three first downs and 37 yards, then starting quarterback Tyler Biser tucked and took off for 26 yards and the first touchdown in stadium history.
The extra point was blocked, but with 7:33 left in the first quarter, Keyser led, 6-0.
Northern gained one first down before punting.
Taking over at their own 37, KHS again methodically marched down the field.
Allen Haggerty bit off 14 yards on first down, then, three plays later, Biser's nine-yard keeper moved the chains again.
After runs by David Echartea and Kitrell put Keyser at the Northern 21, R.C. Pratt took off on a double handoff for 21 yards and a touchdown.
Kitrell's kick was true, and KHS led, 13-0, with 1:35 left in the first quarter.
Three plays into their third drive, Northern put the ball on the turf, with Ethan LaRue leading a sea of black on top of the fumble.
A hold brought back a Biser run, then an incomplete pass brought an end to the first quarter.
After the break, Pratt broke off 15 more yards, then Haggerty gained eight more yards to dig KHS out of the hole caused by the holding penalty.
Echartea gained 21 yards on the next two plays, then Haggerty dove in from six yards out at the
The two-point conversion was good, and the lead was pushed to 21-0.
On the first play from scrimmage, Wes Washington leapt to intercept Jake Bosley pass, but Keyser gave it right back on a fumble.
In Keyser territory for the first time, Northern's Alex Smith gained seven yards on first down, then Dylan Day picked up the first down with a 14-yard run to the KHS 26.
The Huskies nosed the ball football forward with three runs to just gain another set of downs.
After an incompletion, Kitrell knifed into the backfield to catch Alex Baker for a four-yard loss, then Ross intercepted Bosley at the KHS 1 with 7:02 left in the half.
Two Kitrell runs gave Biser some breathing room, and he used it, rolling out to hit Pratt for a 13-yard gain down the right sideline.
After Kitrell gained three yards, back-to-back Tornado penalties cancelled out a pair of solid runs.
On the next play, though, the yellow laundry helped KHS somewhat.
An illegal block in the back reversed a Northern pick-six, but the interception of Biser still stood, giving Northern good field position at the Keyser 39.
The Huskies gained one first down, but were stopped three yards short on third-and-5 and took a timeout with 43 seconds left in the half.
Bosley could not escape LaRue and Kitrell's blitz, and the Huskies turned the ball over on downs at the KHS 27 with 37 seconds on the clock.
Kadeem Garland shook two defenders on an end-around to gain 17 yards on first down, and, after Keyser's second timeout of the half, they tried it again with Pratt.
This time, the play went in the wrong direction for a four-yard loss and burned Keyser's last timeout.
Keyser continued the bag of tricks, with Biser connecting with Garland in the flat; a hook-and-ladder dish to Haggerty gained 14 yards.
A false start penalty ended the half.
Keyser held Northern to 68 yards and four first downs while gaining 248 yards of their own in the first 24 minutes.
KHS also did not punt in the first half.
Kitrell picked up where he left off the first half, rushing for nine and eight yards on the first two carries, respectively.
Biser then kept for 14 yards and Echartea gained eight before being driving back for a short loss on the next play.
After another eight-yard run by Kitrell moved the ball to the Northern 16, Biser threw his second interception on an ill-advised fade pass.
Northern could not take advantage, going three-and-out.
Allen Haggerty took over the rushing mantle, toting the ball on the next three plays for four, six, and 19 yards.
Biser kept for four yards, then a 55-yard touchdown run by Echartea was punctured by a holding penalty.
Pratt ran for 20 yards to move the ball back into Northern territory.
Three more Keyser runs, capped by a seven-yard scamper between the tackles for Pratt, bumped the ball to the Northern 33.
Runs by Pratt and Echartea gained another first down, but runs by Kodi Evans, Biser, and Echartea came up three yards short as time ran out in the third quarter.
Going for it on fourth down, Biser handed off to Haggerty, who dragged two defenders for a nine yard gain.
Haggerty's four-yard touchdown run a play later capped a drive of nearly eight minutes.
Kitrell's kick was no good.
Keyser led 27-0 with 11:26 left in the game.
Northern gained one first down, but, four plays later, Pratt intercepted Bosley's pass and went 52 yards to the house.
Kitrell's kick pushed the margin to 34-0 with 8:11 left.
The Huskies picked up a pair of first downs, moving the ball across midfield.
It was the first time a Northern drive had started in their own territory and moved across the 50.
But on fourth down, Wes Washington picked off backup quarterback Patrick Sines' pass to smother the drive.
Keyser's second string offense, headed by Levi Ebert, took over, but went three-and-out.
Ebert's punt, the first KHS boot of the game, took a Golden Tornado bounce to the Northern 44 with 1:21 left.
The Huskies once again could gain only one first down, handing the ball back on downs with 21 seconds to go.
KHS took a knee to end the game.
Keyser (1-2) hosts Allegany next week.
Northern (0-3) welcomes Frankfort to Accident next Friday.
Keyser, W.Va. —
