With the top seed in District 7 on the line Friday night, host Williamsburg wasted precious little time to seize control of its game against injury-riddled Middlesboro.
Less than six minutes, to be exact.
Williamsburg senior quarterback Nate Goodin amassed 181 yards of total offense in the first half, and the Yellow Jackets defensive corps stymied Middlesboro at every turn en route to a 36-6 victory.
A winner of its previous four games, Middlesboro turned the ball over twice, and had three snaps over the head of sophomore quarterback Deakon Partin result in 44 lost yards during a mistake-filled opening half.
Middlesboro’s Anthony Miracle recovered a fumble during the game’s opening possession, but the visiting Yellow Jackets were unable to capitalize on the early turnover.
On its second offensive possession, Williamsburg got a 44-yard yard by Goodin down to the Middlesboro 16-yard line, and two plays later sophomore Eli Meadors scored from six yards out.
After forcing a Middlesboro punt on the ensuing possession, Williamsburg needed just nine plays to light up the scoreboard, again, this time on a 10-yard TD run by senior Peyton Tye. Freshman Reece Hatcher’s successful conversion run made it 14-0.
Freshman Nick Hale recovered a Middlesboro fumble two plays into the Yellow Jackets next possession, and four plays later Goodin sprinted into the end zone at the end of a 39-yard run just 18 seconds into the second quarter.
On the ensuing drive by Middlesboro, senior Cooper Prewitt intercepted a Yellow Jackets pass to set up the home team at midfield, and six plays later Hatcher ambled into the end zone from two yards out. Meadors’ conversion run made it 30-0 with 8:44 remaining in the first half.
Following a Middlesboro punt on the ensuing possession, Goodin led Williamsburg a four-play drive that resulted in his 12-yard scoring pass to freshman Trenton Cornett to make it 36-0 and start the mandatory running scoreboard clock.
Middlesboro scored its lone touchdown of the game on the next possession when Partin connected with his brother, freshman Kordell Partin, on a 5-yard scoring pass.
The second half was divided into two, six-minute quarters, during which the two teams combined for just nine offensive plays and just a single yard of total offense.
Goodin rushed seven times for a game-high 118 yards and completed six of his 15 pass-attempts for 63 yards through the air. Meadors added 48 rushing yards on eight carries.
Deakon Partin completed eight of his 16 pass attempts for 74 yards, and Middlesboro collected just four rushing yards for the game.
Middlesboro (4-4) has next week off, and will cap its season Nov. 1 at Knox Central. Williamsburg (5-1) hosts Harlan on Friday.
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Williamsburg 36, Middlesboro 6
Middlesboro — 0 6 0 0 — 6
Williamsburg — 14 22 0 0 — 36
W — Meadors 6 run (run failed)
W — Tye 10 run (Hatcher run)
W — Goodin 39 run (Tye run)
W — Hatcher 2 run (Meadors run)
W — Cornett 12 pass from Goodin (run failed)
M — K. Partin 5 pass from D. Partin (kick failed)
