September 27, 2008

Lincoln County gets first MSAC win

Staff writer

Lincoln County crashed Nitro's homecoming Friday night.

Zach McCormick gained 109 yards on 19 carries and scored two late touchdowns as the Panthers came from behind to win their first Mountain State Athletic Conference game in school history, taking a 21-14 victory over the Wildcats.

A crowd of about 2,000 attended at Underwood Field at Nitro High School. Prior to the game, Nitro honored its 1958 football team that posted the school's first undefeated season, finishing with a 9-0-1 record.

Lincoln County (3-2) opened in 2006 as a consolidation of Duval, Guyan Valley and Hamlin high schools and hasn't had much gridiron success to speak of until this year. In their first two seasons, the Panthers posted a 1-19 mark, their lone win over a Class A school in Ohio. And Lincoln County just snapped a 12-game losing streak the second week of this year.

"We lost a close game early in the year and I said we're starting to find ways to lose,'' said Lincoln County coach Cory Beck. "Tonight, we turned it around and found ways to win.

"We came out and played great defense. Our defense gets better and better every week. The kids just kind of flipped a switch at halftime and figured out they had to show up and play.''

Lincoln County took the lead for good early in the fourth quarter after taking advantage of a Nitro fumble at the Wildcats' 19-yard line. McCormick needed just three plays to run it in from 7 yards out and, after Heath Workman's extra -point kick, took a 15-14 advantage with 11:55 left in the game.

McCormick capped off a 12-play, 62-yard drive with a 3-yard run for a 21-14 edge with 3:18 to go. Nitro still had a chance after blocking Workman's extra-point kick.

After a short kickoff, Nitro took over at its own 41. Wildcats running back Tyler Kennedy ripped off a 16-yard run on the first play, but the next three rushing plays netted minus-8 yards.

Nitro quarterback Bodie Johnson tried a long pass on fourth-and-18 down the right sideline, but the ball glanced off the hand of a leaping Mark Chandler.

The Panthers took over, and after two kneeldowns from quarterback Tyler Browning, began celebrating.

"We're getting there,'' Beck said. "We're nowhere near where we need to be and that's all you can ask for as a coach to be competitive night in and night out and get better each week. I think that's what we're doing.''

Browning, the MSAC's top passer, completed only 11-of-26 passes for 78 yards with a TD and two interceptions. Panthers wideout Jacob Ashworth hauled in four passes for 82 yards, including a 40-yard halfback pass from Jacob Lucas that set up McCormick's clinching score.

After opening the season with a win, Nitro (1-3) is still finding its way under first-year coach John Sowards. The Wildcats showed improvement Friday after totaling just 18 points in the last two weeks.

The Wildcats took a 14-0 lead in the first eight minutes against Lincoln County, but fizzled after that. Nitro turned the ball over three times, punted three times and lost possession on downs twice on its last nine possessions. The Wildcats also had a possession ended because of halftime.

"We played really hard,'' said Sowards. "We're just not taking care of the ball. We're fumbling [and] we're throwing interceptions. You've got to like that you have a chance [at the end].''

Kennedy chewed up 109 yards on 19 carries with a pair of TDs and Johnson, the No. 2 passer in the MSAC, completed just 9-of-19 attempts for 61 yards with a pick. Chandler finished with 33 yards on four carries and four catches for 43 yards.

Reach Tommy R. Atkinson at 348-4811 or tatkin...@wvgazette.com.