Two teams looking for a fresh start met on Friday night as Dan River and Tunstall renewed their county rivalry in the season opener for both schools.
Dan River new head coach Ferrell Edmunds felt that his team was prepared for a competitive contest. Coach Buddy Brown of Tunstall was hoping his team could improve from last year and was depending on six returning starters to lead his offense.
Brown got his wish. The Trojans beat Dan River 17-6.
This game had the atmosphere of a playoff game as Tunstall won the coin flip but chose to defer to the second half. Starting on their own 21-yard line, Dan River handed the ball off to senior Dantony Dickerson for a four-yard gain. That gain was short lived, because on the next play, Dickerson was thrown for a seven-yard loss. The drive ended when Wildcat quarterback Kevin Eldridge completed a short one yard pass to Dickerson. Punter Mike Allison delivered a 32-yard punt to give Dan River some breathing room.
The Trojans offense then took the field for their first play from scrimmage. They achieved similar results as Dan River as junior running back Justin Williams gained four yards. Quarterback JaQuan Hubbard was sack by Markorey Adams for a nine-yard loss on the next play. The drive came to a screeching halt when Brandon Gore fumbled the ball, which was recovered by Dan River. Gore injured his leg on the play, but was able to return later in the game.
It seemed as though each team was looking for someone to make a big play. Tunstall junior running back Justin Williams took it upon him to break the ice. He took the handoff from Hubbard and scampered 43 yards for the first touchdown of the game, and the Trojans never looked back.
The Wildcats seemed to come alive in the third quarter after they recovered a Williams fumble. But their hopes were dashed by two costly illegal procedure penalties.
Quarterback Kevin Eldridge tried lead the Wildcats to victory by rushing for the majority of his yardage in the third and fourth quarters — which lead Dan River to its only score of the game on an 11-yard Eldridge run.
Penalites and miscues plagued the Wildcats for most of the game and they were not able to make enough plays to keep up with the Trojans.
Tunstall would score again on a four-yard run by Tae Gunter in the fourth quarter.
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