MOOREFIELD, W.Va. — Moorefield successfully played keep away from the defending Class AA state champs, but Frankfort eventually hit its stride.
The new-look Falcons’ offense went nearly 17 minutes between offensive plays in the first half due to a pair of turnovers and an 18-play Moorefield drive.
An 88-yard Frankfort series at the end of the half allowed the Falcons to regain control, kicking off a string of four touchdowns drives in five series to pull away for good.
Carder Shanholtz rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns, Kaiden McKenzie found the end zone twice and No. 2 Frankfort began its title defense with a 34-10 rout of Moorefield on Friday night.
“It was a nice win, but we made a lot of mistakes. We did a lot of dumb things,” Frankfort head coach Kevin Whiteman said. “They controlled the first half with the ball. They had the ball so long in the first half, I wasn’t sure if we were ever going to get it back.
“I’m happy the way they played. I thought we were physical. I thought we battled through adversity, and I’m happy we got our first win.”
Frankfort upped its record in the series to 29-7 with its eighth straight victory over Moorefield. The Falcons are 13-2 against the Yellow Jackets under Whiteman.
Frankfort entered the game with uncertainty after graduating nearly every starter from its unbeaten 14-0, Class AA state championship team of last year.
What was certain, however, was that a program of Frankfort’s tradition would put a winning product on the field.
The Falcons were tested after McKenzie plunged into the end zone from three yards out at the 8:44 mark of the first half for a 7-0 lead.
Frankfort’s next offensive play wasn’t until the game clock read 3:51 in the second quarter — 16 minutes and 53 seconds later.
“I told the guys on the headset, ‘I don’t know if I’ve ever been in a game like that,'” Whiteman said. “They did a nice job controlling (the clock).”
Moorefield answered the opening score with an 18-play, 65-yard drive that ate up more than 11 minutes. Levi Davis capped the series with a 30-yard field goal.
Frankfort fumbled the ensuing kickoff, recovered by the Yellow Jackets’ Thomas Simmons.
Frankfort’s defense came up with a stop and Moorefield missed a 46-yard field goal, kicking off a hectic sequence in which the Falcons ran back the miss from the one-yard line, crossed midfield and then fumbled it right back to the Yellow Jackets.
When Frankfort did see the ball again, it marched nearly 90 yards to the end zone, and McKenzie ran nine yards for a score to make it 14-3 at halftime.
Frankfort never looked back recording touchdown drives of 58, 56 and 53 yards in the second half and out-gaining Moorefield, 175-65, over the final two quarters.
“You can definitely tell that it’s a work in progress,” said Moorefield head coach Eric Linville, coaching in his first game. “It wasn’t an effort thing for us. Our guys gave total effort. It’s the No. 1 team in the state. They’re Frankfort. They’re always going to be hard-nosed, tough. It’s just a matter of the little things, situational stuff.”
Moorefield tried an onside kick to open the second half and Frankfort recovered.
Shanholtz finished with 10 rushes for 111 yards and touchdowns of 40 and five yards after halftime. Quarterback Blake Jacobs carried it six times for 59 yards with a one-yard score in the third quarter, Bradyn Tyler rushed for 47 yards on four totes, and McKenzie added 45 yards on nine touches.
Frankfort rushed for 274 yards on 36 carries and held advantages in total offense (274-159) and first downs (16-12).
Moorefield won the time of possession battle 29:55-18:05 but was just 4 for 13 on third down.
“That was the whole game plan, and that’s going to be our game plan a lot … to keep the ball out of the opposing team’s hands,” Linville said of the ball control.
“We want to control the game, control the field, control the tempo, control the scoreboard.”
There was a tide shift when Moorefield quarterback Brock Linville went out with an ankle injury on a third down with the Yellow Jackets in Frankfort territory trailing 7-3 in the second quarter.
Linville later returned but freshman quarterback Mathew Iman finished the game.
“When Brock went down in the first half, that just kind of like (deflated us),” Eric Linville said. “We had a freshman in there at quarterback. That makes it tough. You’ve got to get experience somehow.”
In addition to Frankfort’s ball security issues in the first half, it also made a personnel miscue in the fourth quarter that led to Moorefield’s lone touchdown drive.
Frankfort didn’t have enough players on the field on a punt, allowing Moorefield to get to Falcons punter Jesus Perdew and bring him down on the Frankfort 21.
Seven plays later, Olivier Crites found pay-dirt on a one-yard rush.
“We had 10 guys on the field. That’s on me,” Whiteman said. “There’s no excuse for first game, all that crap, that’s on me. We gave them good field position, they make it 27-10, and that can change the momentum of the game drastically.”
Shanholtz followed with a long run, however, and Logan Hyde recovered a Moorefield fumble soon after to ice the game.
Gunnar Bradshaw led Frankfort’s defense with 10 tackles and one for loss, Eli Hesse had nine stops and one tackle for loss, and Cole Shanholtz tallied nine tackles and two tackles for loss.
Moorefield’s Rhett Sensabaugh was a perfect 4 for 4 on extra points and booted three kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks.
Caleb Flinn was Moorefield’s leading ball carrier with 13 rushes for 78 yards. The rest of the Yellow Jackets’ rushers had 57 yards on 33 totes.
Moorefield (0-1) will look to get back on track when it heads to Elkins on Friday at 7 p.m.
Frankfort (1-0) hosts Hampshire (1-0), a 40-20 winner over Preston in Week 1, on Friday at 7 p.m.
“That to me is a nice rival game for us,” Whiteman said. “I know they love trying to beat Frankfort. It’ll be another big game for us.”