Hamlin, W. Va. — This time around Tolsia ( 1-2 ) couldn’t overcome turning the football over as the Rebels committed four in a 33-26 loss to Lincoln Co. ( 2-1 ) Friday night at Hamlin Lions Club field.
Tolsia started the game off with a bang as Jared Switzer returned the opening kickoff 65 yards to the house and Eric Williams tacked on the extra point for a Rebel 7-0 lead only 14 seconds into the game.
The Panthers answered right back on a broken play that went 55 yards for a touchdown to tie the score with 9:55 to go in the first quarter.
After the teams settled in Tolsia missed a golden opportunity as a wide open receiver was missed for a touchdown and on the very next play Lincoln Co. intercepted a pass and went 42 yards for a touchdown. The Panthers tacked on the two point conversion to lead 15-7 with 11:39 left in the first half. Lincoln Co. would go up 21-7 after a Rebel turnover with a 2 yard TD run but miss the conversion with 6:29 to go in the first half.
After the Panthers fumbled a punt Tolsia QB Wayne Williamson hit Steven Vanhoose in stride for a 31 yard touchdown pass and Williams added the PAT to make it 21-14 with 3:44 to go in the half and that would ultimately be the halftime score.
In the third quarter with 4:43 to go Rebel defender Blake Conn stripped the Panther QB and ran it into the end zone for a touchdown. Tolsia missed the PAT to leave the score at 21-20
Lincoln Co. extended the lead on a 7 yard TD run but the two point try fell incomplete with 52.9 and the score 27-20.
The Panthers pretty much put the game away with a 2 yard touchdown plunge with 3:34 to go in the game to make it 33-20.
Tolsia added a Jared Switzer 1 yard TD run with 1:01 to go but couldn’t recover the onside kick and the Panthers ran out the clock.
Tolsia 7 7 6 6 – 26
Lincoln Co. 7 14 6 6 – 33
Tolsia will return to Wilt Salmons field to face Westside ( next Friday night.
Lincoln Co. will host Van for Homecoming next Friday night.
Tolsia Head Coach Eric Crum
“… We got fortunate last week to get the win while turning it over so much. We were very lucky. You just can’t turn the ball over especially on a dry field like tonight. We have upperclassman making mistakes and those are guys that we are supposed to be leaning on. We have to quit shooting ourselves in the foot.”
“… We had them on their heels when we made it 21-20 and then we commit a couple silly penalties to give them the momentum back. We have to get back to work this week and it doesn’t get any easier for us with Westside coming to our place.”
