West sophomore Anthony Bishop (18)

Courtesy of Joey Shupert

ROME TOWNSHIP — The last three times Fairland and West met on the gridiron, the result was hanging in the balance until late.

The Dragons, victors in all three of those instances, weren’t happy with barely getting by — and made that clear when they opened the 2024 regular season with a 34-0 blanking of the Senators on Friday night.

“We wanted to come in and show everybody that we are a lot better team this year,” Fairland wide receiver Jack Hayden said. “Defense stepped up and was physical and I think we surprised a lot of people tonight.”

From start to finish, it was all Fairland.

Hayden scored three touchdowns, one rushing and two receiving, in between a 48-yard scoring reception by Keegan Smith that started the night — and a 51-yard interception return for touchdown that put a bow on the scoring in the final minute of the third quarter.

“We felt like we had the better athletes, but they maybe had the better line and bigger kids,” second-year Dragons coach Mike Jackson said. “We didn’t know how we’d react to their physicality, but I’m tickled to death.”

The Dragons forced four turnovers, forcing and recovering two fumbles on West’s first three offensive drives, setting the tone for a long 60 minutes for the Senators.

West senior running back Mason Parker (2) and junior offensive lineman Carson Carver (53)

Courtesy of Joey Shupert

“We knew they had the potential for big plays and that they’d take shots downfield, and they executed well on those plays,” Portsmouth West coach Todd Gilliland said. “A quick 14-0 hole kind of took us out of our game a little bit, and it seemed like every time we got something going, there would be a turnover.”

While the result wasn’t ideal, there were still some good things to look back on for the Senators, which blocked a field goal in the first quarter — and blew up a fake field-goal attempt to finish off a goal-line stand just before halftime.

Fairland quarterback Ethan Wall, in his first varsity start, came out of the gate slinging the ball, finding Smith down the left sideline.

He hauled in a long pass, juked a defender, and dove to the pylon for the first score of the game.

Wall then found Hayden for passing touchdowns of 6 and 36 yards, to go with Hayden’s 20-yard rushing score.

Those all came in the second quarter on drives that started in plus-territory after turnovers or punts by West.

“I love going in at running back or receiver and doing a little bit of everything,” Hayden said. “It makes it more fun for me.”

West senior defensive lineman Kade Woods (65)

Courtesy of Joey Shupert

West will play its second consecutive road game to begin the year this week at Portsmouth (Friday, Aug. 30), while Fairland plays at Point Pleasant (W. Va.).

* * *

West 0 0 0 0 —0

Fairland 7 21 6 0 — 34

F —Keegan Smith, 48-yard pass from Ethan Wall (Aiden Miller kick), 10:56, 1st (7-0 F)

F —Jack Hayden, 6-yard pass from Ethan Wall (Aiden Miller kick), 10:00, 2nd (14-0 F)

F — Jack Hayden, 20-yard run (Aiden Miller kick), 6:28, 2nd (21-0 F)

F —Jack Hayden, 36-yard pass from Ethan Wall (Aiden Miller kick), 1:59, 2nd (28-0 F)

F — Keegan Smith, 51-yard interception return (kick failed), :20, 3rd (34-0 F)

Team Statistics

W F

First downs 8 10

Scrimmage plays 50 46

Rushes-yards 41-130 27-72

Passing yards 7 214

Total yards 137 286

Cmp-Att-Int. 2-9-1 15-19-0

Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0

Penalties-yards 6-40 5-40

Punts-Ave. 3-35.7 1-31

——

Individual Leaders

RUSHING —West: Mason Parker 19-54, Anthony Bishop 11-80, Bo Wroten 3-11, Brody Hall 3-(20), Gunnar Shonkwiler 2-12, Braden Adkins 1-3, Tilton Adkins 1-3, Team 1-(-13); Fairland: Kam Kitts 10-43, Ethan Wall 7-10, Jack Hayden 3-14 TD, Christian Bompas 2-5, Lucas Bompas 2-4, Garrett Massey 1-2, Xander Collins 1-4, Team 1-(-10)

PASSING — West: Brody Hall 2-9-1-7; Fairland:Ethan Wall 15-19-0-214 3TD

RECEIVING— West: Mason Parker 1-5, Braden Adkins 1-2; Fairland: Keegan Smith 3-76 TD, C.J. Graham 4-32, Jack Hayden 2-42 TD, Conner Black 4-17, Xander Collins 1-19, Kam Kitts 1-28