CLAYSBURG - Claysburg-Kimmel had a chance to start the season 2-0 for the second straight year, but the team made too many miscues at inopportune times.
Two turnovers inside the West Branch 25 yard-line on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter kept Claysburg from scoring, and West Branch went to a 28-12 victory Friday at Bulldog Stadium.
Trailing 12-6, the Bulldogs put together a 13-play, 73-yard drive and looked like they had the equalizer, but Zach Helsel fumbled at the 1, and West Branch recovered in the end zone for the touchback.
After holding West Branch, Claysburg put together another impressive late in the half. Starting at their own 8, Trey Claar completed back-to-back passes to Devin Weyandt and Matt Repko for a combined 44 yards.
Four plays later, Claar threw an interception near the goal line, and Claysburg went to the locker room down by six.
"We made a lot of mistakes in key situations, especially in the red zone," Claysburg coach Joe Kitt said. "We're not a good enough team to make those kinds of mistakes and comeback to win."'
Claysburg also had trouble handling West Branch running back Chad Speigle. The big, bruising runner piled up 212 yards and four touchdowns on 35 carries.
The 210-pound senior, who now has a string of seven straight 100-yard games and three straight of at least 150 yards, scored on runs of 10, 46, 6 and 5 yards.
"He's a great running back, and he had a great night," Kitt said. "They manhandled us on both sides of the ball. They blocked us all over the field."
The Warriors drive to open the second half was nothing but Speigle. West Branch went 55 yards on 7 plays, all handoffs to Speigle, to go up 19-6.
Claysburg made it a 19-12 when Claar found Weyandt behind the West Branch secondary for a 29-yard touchdown, but that was as close as the Bulldogs would get.
West Branch immediately answered with a 70-yard drive, capped by Speigle's 5-yard run on the second play of the fourth quarter.
"We like to run the rock, control the tempo and make the other team play our game," West Branch coach Lester Smeal said. "We really needed that drive. I challenged the kids and told them 'It's up to you." They got the job done."
Claar finished the game 12-of-26 passing for 275 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Weyandt hauled in 10 of those completions for 190 yards.
West Branch immediately answered with a 70-yard drive, capped by Speigle's 5-yard run on the second play of the fourth quarter.
"We like to run the rock, control the tempo and make the other team play our game," West Branch coach Lester Smeal said. "We really needed that drive. I challenged the kids and told them 'It's up to you." They got the job done."
The Warriors sealed the win late in the fourth quarter with a safety when a snap went over Claar's head, and he was tackled in the end zone.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
West Branch12 0 7 9 - 28
Claysburg-Kimmel6 0 6 0 - 12
First quarter
WB-Speigle 10 run (kick failed), 7:23.
CK-Helsel 12 run (kick failed), 3:29.
WB-Speigle 46 run (run failed), :43
Third quarter
WB-Speigle 6 run (Emigh kick), 8:36.
CK-Weyandt 25 pass from 3:72.
Fourth quarter
WB-Speigle 5 run (Emigh kick), 11:31.
WB-Safety, Claar tackled in end zone, 3:14.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: West Branch-Speigle 35-212, K. Smeal 13-77, Sanker 1-(-1), L. Smeal 2-3. Claysburg-Kimmel-Helsel 14-77, Repko 5-19, Claar 2-(-17), Pant 1-3, TEAM 1-(-20).
PASSING: West Branch-Sanker 2-8-0-37. Claysburg-Kimmel-Claar 12-26-1-275.
RECEIVING: West Branch-Emigh 2-37. Claysburg-Kimmel-Weyandt 8-190, Repko 3-49, Cerully 1-28.
INTERCEPTIONS: West Branch-Emigh.
TEAM STATISTICSWBCK
First downs1416
Rushing-yards51-29123-64
Passing (comp.-att.-int.)2-8-012-26-1
Yards passing37275
Total yards328339
Fumbles-lost2-14-1
Penalties-yards6-354-24
Punts-avg.3-21.33-45.7
