Polar Bears pull away from Tigers
Michael accounts for four TDs as No. 6 Senior bests No. 12 Elkins, 40-20
The Inter-Mountain photos by Joey Kittle Elkins senior quarterback Rodney Vandevender breaks outside en route to a touchdown run as Fairmont Senior’s Zach Toothman pursues Friday night at Bulldog Field in Mill Creek.
Tiger senior Demanuel Smith fights for yardage against Fairmont Senior Friday night in Mill Creek. Teammate Tyler Ludwig is also shown blocking.
The Inter-Mountain photos by Joey Kittle Elkins senior quarterback Rodney Vandevender breaks outside en route to a touchdown run as Fairmont Senior’s Zach Toothman pursues Friday night at Bulldog Field in Mill Creek.
Tiger senior Demanuel Smith fights for yardage against Fairmont Senior Friday night in Mill Creek. Teammate Tyler Ludwig is also shown blocking.
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The Inter-Mountain photos by Joey Kittle
Elkins senior quarterback Rodney Vandevender breaks outside en route to a touchdown run as Fairmont Senior's Zach Toothman pursues Friday night at Bulldog Field in Mill Creek.
Tiger senior Demanuel Smith fights for yardage against Fairmont Senior Friday night in Mill Creek. Teammate Tyler Ludwig is also shown blocking.
MILL CREEK -- Class AA, No. 6 Fairmont Senior pulled away in the second half to claim a 40-20 win over No. 12 Elkins Friday night at Bulldog Field.
The Polar Bears (6-2) held a 20-12 lead at the intermission before taking control on the strength of a pair of touchdown passes from Gage Michael over the final two quarters.
Trailing 6-0 after Fairmont Senior scored on its first possession of the night on TD run by Dylan Ours, the Tigers tied the game at 6-6 on Dante Ramirez's 4-yard scamper.
The score was set up by a botched snap out of punt formation as the Tigers took possession at the Polar Bear 4-yard line.
Fairmont Senior reclaimed the lead with 3:35 left in the opening quarter when Michael hit Evan Dennison for a scoring pass to make it 12-6 after the failed conversion.
Early into the second quarter, Michael broke free for a 43-yard run to increase the Fairmont Senior lead to 20-12 after the two-point conversion.
However, the Tigers embarked on an impressive 70-yard march to answer before the half, overcoming a pair of penalties and converting two fourth-down plays.
Senior quarterback Rodney Vandevender capped the drive with a 3-yard run as Elkins trailed 20-12 at the break.
After holding Elkins on its first possession of the second half, the Polar Bears again created some breathing room when Ours went in from four yards out with 6:14 left in the third.
A 25-yard touchdown pass from Michael to Alex Brophy late in the canto extended the lead to 33-12.
Fairmont Senior then put the game out of reach in the fourth when Michael found Brophy over the middle and the senior broke free for an 86-yard score.
Ramirez put the Tigers back on the board with just under 8 minutes left when he raced in from 76 yards out. Peyton Isner hauled in the two-point conversion pass.
Ramirez had 83 yards rushing on the night to lead the Tigers, while Vandevender added 47, T.J. Guire 31 and Demanuel Smith 24.
Smith also had an interception on defense, while Guire had 11 stops and Ramirez added six.
Michael finished with 172 yards passing and rushed for an additional 150 in the win.
Elkins (4-3) is scheduled to visit Buckhannon-Upshur next Friday night but that contest is subject to change.
A possible another opponent could be added.
The Polar Bears will battle city rival East Fairmont next Friday.