TYRONE - Even with a running clock the entire second half, it's hard to score 71 points, but the Tyrone Golden Eagles did on Friday night.
Led by explosive running back James Oliver, who rushed for 247 yards and five touchdowns, Tyrone trampled Huntingdon, 71-6, in a Mountain League mismatch at Gray-Veterans Memorial Field.
Both teams entered the game with 0-2 records, but Tyrone certainly didn't play like it was winless.
The Golden Eagles led 22-0 after one quarter, 42-0 at the half and 63-0 after three quarters. They put up 548 yards of offense - 370 rushing and 178 passing - and racked up 21 first downs. Defensively, they held Huntingdon to one first down in the first half and limited the Bearcats to 109 yards for the game.
And, not surprisingly, the Eagles didn't punt, either. Huntingdon did. Seven times.
"The loss to Central [last week] kind of set us back," Oliver admitted, "and we realized we had to start picking it up. We took everything serious in practice this week.
"The offensive line was great," Oliver noted. "The line and our fullback [Corey Snyder] were able to get me outside all night."
Oliver carried the ball nine times for 143 yards and two TDs in the first quarter. He added two running TDs and 104 yards on just five carries in the second, and his fifth score came on a 3-yard pass from Erik Wagner in the second.
Oliver didn't touch the ball in the second half as Eagles coach Steve Guthoff went to his jayvees early.
"This was big," Oliver said of the Eagles' first win. "We needed it badly."
"We had to win this game tonight," Guthoff, Tyrone's first-year head coach, said. "To start 0-3 would have been .... Fortunately, we're not in that situation."
Guthoff said the Eagles spread their offense and got QB Wagner more involved.
"He's going to be a good one," Guthoff said of Wagner. "Actually, he's good now."
Wagner completed 8-of-13 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns.
"We opened things up tonight more than we have," Guthoff said. "We'll be able to do more formation and motion wise once these guys start getting more experience."
Huntingdon first-year coach Mike Hudy said he did not envision his Bearcats taking such a licking last night.
"Fundamentally, we're poor right now," Hudy said. "We worked on tackling this week, but it didn't seem to take. Maybe it's time to start playing some sophomores."
Huntingdon also played last Monday night and Hudy said the two-game week was tough for his squad.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Huntingdon.............. 0 0 0 6 - 6
Tyrone22 20 21 8 - 71
First quarter
T-Oliver 64 run (Fetters pass from Zook), 10:57.
T-Oliver 31 run (Umholtz kick), 6:52.
T-Wilson-Adams 30 pass from Wagner (Umholtz kick), :40.
Second quarter
T-Oliver 79 run (kick failed), 11:25.
T-Oliver 9 run (Umholtz kick), 5:17.
T-Oliver 3 pass from Wagner (Umholtz kick), 1:07.
Third quarter
T-Snyder 10 run (kick failed), 8:31.
T-Taylor 41 interception return (Bakhsheshe kick), 7:27.
T-A. Hunter 20 run (Crawford run), :09.
Fourth quarter
H-Stetchock 2 run (run failed), 7:48.
T-A. Hunter 70 punt return (A. Hunter run), 3:15.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Huntingdon-Stetchock 12-73, Lauer 3-15, Whisonat 5-11, Spyker 3-4, Claar 4-2, Speck 1-1, Foster 3-(-6), TEAM 1-(-11). Tyrone-Oliver 14-247, Snyder 6-49, A. Hunter 5-32, Wagner 3-21, Wilson-Adams 1-14, Bakhsheshe 2-7, Muir 2-0.
PASSING: Huntingdon- Foster 3-15-3-20. Tyrone-Wagner 8-13-1-141, G. Hunter 3-4-0-37.
RECEIVING: Huntingdon-Kurtz 1-9, Claar 1-7, Lauer 1-4. Tyrone-Zook 5-92, Wilson-Adams 1-30, Woomer 1-16, J. Makdad 1-15, Muir 1-12, Soellner 1-10, Oliver 1-3.
INTERCEPTIONS: Huntingdon-Claar. Tyrone-Sleeth, Fetters, K. Taylor.
TEAM STATISTICSHT
First downs521
Rushes-yards32-8933-370
Passing (comp.-att.-int.)3-15-311-17-1
Yards passing20178
Total yards109548
Fumbles-lost0-01-1
Penalties-yards3-352-12
Punts-avg.7-360?
