Warren beats Fort Frye for the first time since 2007 | News, sports, jobs

Warren quarterback Jacob Sealey (13) hands off to Eric Carr in Friday’s game against Fort Frye. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

VINCENT – Warren used a big play to end the first half and an even bigger one to open the third quarter here Friday night as the host Warriors celebrated their homecoming with a decisive 28-6 victory in the Twin State League against Fort Frye celebrated.

Entering the game ranked No. 22 in Division III, Region 11, head coach Jimmy Peyton’s 6-3 Warriors never trailed, losing five games to the Cadets, who last lost to WHS in 2007 and are still trailing All-time series 24-19-1.

“Owen Thompson is a pretty good football player.” quipped Coach Peyton, who watched his senior linebacker finish with 18 tackles, including a crucial tackle for loss on Cadet quarterback Grady Hesson late in the third period on a four-and-inches snap from the WHS 12, with the guests trailing 21:6. “Owen did a really good job and our kids helped out this week.

“We stumbled and turned it around five times last week (in Point Pleasant). When we faced such adversity in the past, we didn’t always lean to the right. We kind of went the other way. This week was the exact opposite of what we have done in the past. They responded to, adapted to, and overcame adversity. With our defensive effort, we felt like we had a good game plan.”

Fort Frye, which slipped to 6-3 and finished fourth in Division VI, Region 23, lost the total yards battle 301-192 and saw tailback Tyce Beardsley leave with an injury in the first half .

Warren’s Landon Fairbanks (left) carries the ball as Fort Frye’s Grady Hesson wraps him during Friday’s game. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“We have done the things that will beat you.” admitted Cadet principal Eric Huck, whose team wraps up the regular season next Friday at Point Pleasant. “We didn’t stay on the blocks very well. Gave up a few big games. The pass before halftime and the kickoff return.

“You can’t allow games like this against a good team. We made too many mistakes and it cost us. They were coming off the blocks and slowing down the linebackers, and we weren’t talking up front and moving forward the way we needed to. It’s just a game. We have to move on and see what we can do to get better and fix things.”

The Cadets scored a first down on their opening series but suffered a punt.

Warren took the lead for good as the hosts mounted a methodical 17-play, 75-yard scoring drive that took 9:32 to complete.

The Warriors converted a quartet of third downs and once on fourth down before Eric Carr finally hit paydirt with a 6-yard sweep after Devyan Wilson’s extra point at 10:36 of the second for a 7-0 lead.

Fort Frye’s Luke Phillis (7) returns a kick during Friday’s game in Warren. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Fort Frye was called for being offside on the Warriors’ first third down attempt. Jacob Sealey, who hit 5 of 6 for 132 yards, found Caleb Tullius for a 9-yard completion that converted a third down.

After a third-and-14 at their own 46-yard line, Tanner Pepper made an 11-yard grab, which was followed by a 6-yard Sealey sprint for another first down.

Landon Fairbanks, who finished with 79 rushing yards on 18 attempts while Carr had 82 stripes on a dozen totes, converted on a third-and-3 and Carr did the same on a third-and-2 at the Cadet 19.

Freshman Luke Phillis gave the Cadets momentum when he returned the ensuing kickoff 66 yards to the Warren 19, but the visitors turned it over on downs.

Warren decided to roll the dice and go for it on his own 41 mark midway through the second round, but Fairbanks couldn’t win.

Fort Frye quarterback Grady Hesson (2) is stopped short of the goal line during Friday’s game in Warren. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

The Cadets needed just seven plays to score as Hesson capped the scoring with a 1-yard sneak. However, Warrior Aden Strahler blocked Tytan Waller’s extra point.

Instead of taking the ball at the 35 after Fort Frye shot it out of bounds, the Warriors opted to let the Cadets shoot it again. That ended up costing the hosts 11 yards as they finally took over at the 24th line.

However, that wasn’t a problem, as the hosts said “A-seam” and it led to a 76-yard catch-and-run touchdown strike from Sealey to Fairbanks that set the halftime score with 2:19 left.

“We’ve been working on this all week” Coach Peyton admitted. “We threw it before the game and it was just one of those things. That’s exactly the kind of night we had. It worked. Testament to Jake because he threw a dime and Fairbanks caught the ball and shot it.

“That was our focus at halftime, continuing to tackle well, and we wanted to come out and score a touchdown on the first drive.”

Warren’s Aden Strahler (right) blocks an extra point attempt by Fort Frye kicker Tytan Waller during Friday’s game. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Carr took the second-half kickoff and took off toward the seam on the Warriors’ side before seeing a hole, cutting it to the middle and then outrunning everyone to score an 89-yard touchdown.

“I just saw green and started running.” said Carr, who, when asked what this win meant, replied: “A lot. We’re just trying to change the culture out here. Beating Fort Frye is one of them because we haven’t beaten them in years.

“It just means a lot to all of us. Of course I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my team. We played as a team. Last week wasn’t so good, but we improved in training and played like a team. I’m proud of my boys.”

Fort Frye crossed midfield on the kickoff return, but a holding penalty helped thwart the drive. The second FFHS drive ended at 2:40 of the third when Thompson crossed the Cadet line and tripped Hesson.

“This is great” Thompson said. “We prepared for all of this and expected to win all week, like the coach said. So we can’t be happier.”

What’s the difference from this week to last?

“Just our settings all week” Thompson added. “The coach told us all week that we could win and we believed in it and came out and won. The scoreboard proves it.”

Warren, which hosts rival Marietta next Friday, scored its final six-pointer at 10:07 of the fourth on a 2-yard TD run by Sealey.

Tyler Plummer ended the Cadets’ final drive by beating Hesson, who finished 6 of 13 for 57 yards.

Clayton Miller led the Cadets with 10 carries for 70 yards.

Contact Jay Bennett at [email protected]