WEST FORK — Elkins quarterback Mac Leichner tried to run, but he couldn’t hide from the West Fork defense Friday night.
Leichner was sacked six times by a Tigers defense that dominated the first half by not allowing a single first down.
And with the Elkins offense held in check, West Fork took control early and stayed atop the 3A-1 Conference race with a convincing 35-22 win against the Elks.
“Defensively, we played so good in the first half and really in the whole game,” West Fork football coach Rodney Selph said. “Our guys on the line, Chris Worley and Kyle Norris, really did a good job putting pressure on them.
“And then on offense we just wanted to take our power football to them.”
Elkins (4-5, 2-4), which has now dropped three straight games, went three-and-out on its first four possessions and suffered a Leichner interception on its final drive of the first half.
The Tigers, meanwhile, used the first half to build a 28-0 lead as Will Jarnagan piled up 156 yards on 22 carries before intermission.
He finished with 243 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries and helped seal up the win on a 55-yard score late in the fourth quarter after Elkins had pulled to within 28-14.
“Their front really put some pressure on our offense early,” Elkins coach Aaron Clark said. “Mac had to run around a lot and we couldn’t get anything going. But I was proud of our guys. We kept fighting.”
After the slow start, the Elks finally found their passing game in the half. Leichner finished 12 of 20 with 190 yards and three touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions.
With the win, West Fork (6-3, 6-0) assures itself at least a share of the 3A-1 Conference title.
“It puts us in a good position,” Selph said. “But we’ve just got to keep going. We’ve got one game left.”
GameBreaker
West Fork 35, Elkins 22
Why The Tigers Won
The Tigers defense dominated the first half and didn’t allow a first down until midway through the third quaurter. West Fork’s running game managed to grind out several long drives to put the game away early.
Why The Elks Lost
Little success on offense put the Elks in a big hole, and an inability to slow down West Fork’s Will Jarnagan made a comeback nearly impossible.