CHAPMANVILLE — Sissonville's Brady Cook returned the opening kickoff for a score to put the Indians up 7-0 at Chapmanville Regional High School's Barker Stadium on Friday, but the host Tigers were unfazed.
On the ensuing drive, second-year coach Zach Belcher's team stayed composed and calmly drove down the field and into the end zone.
The Tigers led 7-0 after a 1-yard rushing score by Andrew Topping and an extra point by Jonathan Ferrell with 7:40 left in the first quarter, and that was only a sign of things to come.
Those points were the first of 53 consecutive that Chapmanville rattled off en route to a 53-13 defeat of the Indians.
The Tigers held a comfortable 37-7 lead over Sissonville at halftime.
A lightning delay started with nine minutes left in the first half at around 8:15 p.m., and it was nearly two hours before play resumed.
That didn't stop the Tigers from showing their stripes, either.
The first half barrage by Chapmanville featured a red-zone scoring run by Andrew Topping, as well as two by both Robert Cook and Eli Pridemore, a two-point conversion by Topping on a pass from Austin Adkins and a safety by the Chapmanville defense.
"I think our coaching staff does a great job of putting our kids in adversity in practice," Belcher said. "We stress them a lot. I preach a lot all the time about how their other team is going to make plays, and we have to be able to come back from it. It's the same way with life."
The Tigers surrendered just 99 yards of total offense to the Indians.
Chapmanville continued to pour it on in the third quarter. The Tigers rocketed to a 53-7 advantage as freshman Dakota Dalton scored on a 6-yard run, Ferrell converted a 26-yard field goal and Mahryon Corbett took a 20-yard carry to the house.
The only other Sissonville touchdown came via a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Josh Pridemore with 17 seconds left in the contest, and Swain's extra point was no good.
Cook (seven carries, 96 yards) and Pridemore (eight, 54) both scored two TDs on the ground. Dalton (seven carries, 55 yards), Corbett (four, 32), and Pridemore (one, one) all accounted for one rushing score.
Dalton led the Tigers through the air, going 4 for 8 for 75 yards while Cook completed one pass for 19 yards. Austin Adkins had three receptions for 69 yards, and Topping hauled in two passes for 25 yards.
Benji Adkins and Austin Killen both had a fumble recovery, and Jeremy "Pearl Jam" Collins and Walker Thompson each picked off a pass.
"Very happy with our offense, which was firing on all pistons," Belcher said. "We put 53 points on. I don't know the total yardage for that yet, but we're doing good and we're moving in the right direction."
Austin Adkins suffered an injury, the extent of which was unknown after the game, Belcher said.
Next up for the Tigers is another home clash with Nicholas County next Friday at Barker Stadium, which is also Chapmanville's "Hall of Fame" game.
"I'm looking forward to playing and hosting them down here at Chapmanville," Belcher said, "and I'm excited to see the Tiger fans and really show them what we're about down here."
Josh Pridemore was 6 for 9 passing for Sissonville with 69 yards and two interceptions. Franklin Boarders (13 carries) and Noah Evans (nine carries) both had 17 yards rushing for the Indians, while Nathan Young (two catches, 27 yards) and Scott (two, 16) both had two catches along with John Wheeler's one catch for 10 yards.
Sissonville was surely feeling good about its chances after Scott's kick return to start the game, but coach Jeremy Hairston said he and his staff have to do a better job of getting the players prepared for this type of game and environment.
"That's a good football team we just played, and it showed, so we're going to get back to work," Hairston said. "Us coaches, we have to do a better job, and that starts with me. I have to do a better job of getting everybody ready."
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The Indians went 0-10 last year, and they're looking for better results this season.
"They're earned, not given, so we have to get back to the board and just continue to work and get back on the practice field, work to improve, and get where we need to be," Hairston said.
Chapmanville improved to 1-0, while Sissonville fell to 0-1. The Tigers' game against Nicholas County next week kicks off at 7 p.m., as does the Indians next contest, a home clash with Logan.
Score by Quarters
SHS: 7 0 0 6 - 13
CRHS: 14 23 16 0 - 53
Scoring Summary
First quarter:
SHS: Brody Scott kickoff return (PAT good by Charles Swain) 11:45
CRHS: Andrew Topping one-yard run (PAT good by Jonathan Ferrell) 7:40
CRHS: Eli Pridemore two-yard run (PAT good by Ferrell) 0:43
Second quarter:
CRHS: Robert Cook one-yard run (two-point by Topping) 9:59
CRHS: Pridemore six-yard run (PAT good by Ferrell) 9:12
CRHS: Safety 4:15
CRHS: Cook 15-yard run (PAT no good by Ferrell) 1:10
Third quarter:Â
CRHS: Dakota Dalton six-yard run (PAT good by Ferrell) 8:08
CRHS: Ferrell 26-yard field goal 4:26
CRHS: Mahryon Corbett 20-yard run (PAT by Ashton McClanahan no good) 3:59
Fourth quarter:
SHS: Josh Pridemore one-yard run (PAT no good by Swain) 17.6 seconds
