EC shuts down Freedom offense, 2-0 in section
Ellwood City hosted the Freedom Bulldogs Friday night in Week Four WPIAL play with the Bulldogs being one of the hotter teams in Beaver County averaging over 30 points per game and over 800 rushing yards on the season. The media played Freedom as the favorite on the night, but the Wolverines were up to the task taking down the Bulldogs in another Red, White, & Blue Series classic from Helling Stadium!
The opening kickoff was taken by Freedom who was looking to get the old-school T-formation offense rolling in the right direction. Ellwood City had other plans as the defense for both teams held each other in check for the first 7 plus minutes. After a tough sack taken by Tyler Smiley, the Wolverines offense struck first as Smiley bounced back after the sack and threw a perfect dime into the arms of Dom Hogue for the 53 yard touchdown pass to give EC the lead 6-0. The PAT was good by Aden Huth to make it 7-0.
It would take till the second quarter for the Freedom offense to get into the redzone and finally put up points as Karter Brown threw a dart to the corner of the endzone to Kaden Bailey for the six points. The PAT kick was good by Garrett Drutarosky to make it 7-7.
Last minute scores the past two weeks has been “walk-off” winners and losers for the Wolverines team. This time EC got one before the end of the game, but the play seemed to give momentum back to the Wolverines right before halftime. With just 33 seconds left before halftime, Smiley found the inside seam route to DaiLonn Currie who would tip the ball twice into his hands, finally falling with the grasp of the football for the 19 yard touchdown reception. After the top play by Currie and the PAT kick by Huth, the Wolverines went into halftime 14-7 with some really good stats.
Outplaying the Bulldogs in every aspect of the game, the Wolverines would have a tougher task to start the second half. Both teams held each other in check similar to the first quarter. But after posessions from both teams, the Wolverines would find a way to break through in quarter three as Smiley would connect yet again on a beautiful floater pass over the middle to Dom Hogue for the score, this time from 36 yards out. The PAT was good by Huth to give EC the two-score lead.
Freedom would fight back, but fairly late in the third quarter with the fourth passing touchdown combined from both teams as Brown found Mason O’Donnell out of the tight end position for the 13 yard touchdown reception. The PAT kick by Drutarosky was good to cut the lead back to just seven points.
Both teams would have another chance at scoring with the ball, but eventually EC would have to give the ball back to the Bulldogs. EC’s defense rose to the occasion once more holding Freedom on fourth down as Brown tried to do the QB sneak up the middle. The Wolverines would get the ball back on the short field and make it finally count. After a couple big plays from Hogue, Richard Cureton would cap off the drive with the one yard rushing touchdown off the right side. The PAT kick was good by Huth to give the solid four-quarter victory to the Wolverines 28-14.
Ellwood City held the Bulldogs to their lowest point total of the season, while scoring the second most points against them all season. The Wolverines defense led the charge for EC, but the night belonged to the balance offense attack that saw 203 passing yards by Smiley and 230 rushing yards combined primarily between Cureton and Guilian Frisk.
Not only did Smiley throw for 203 yards, he also finished the game with 3 passing touchdowns, giving him now 7 on the year to just 6 interceptions. Dom Hogue had a monster game, going for 8 catches and 169 receiving yards. Richard Cureton would add 134 rushing yards on 25 carries while Frisk finished with 89 yards on 11 carries. Ellwood City would double-up the Bulldogs in yardage at the end of the game, 433 to just 228.
With the victory, the Wolverines improve to 3-2 but more importantly 2-0 in section play to sit well in second place behind undefeated Western Beaver. Up next for Ellwood City will be a trip to Oak Hill Field where they will take on 3-2 (0-2) New Brighton. The Lions suffered back-to-back big losses while giving up 40 plus points in consecutive games after starting 3-0. Live video coverage will be on ECS YouTube page, with pregame starting at 6:45 PM.
2A-2 MAC RESULTS - WEEK FOUR
Western Beaver 46-14 Union
Ellwood City 28-14 Freedom
Riverside 40-6 New Brighton
Beaver Falls 8-6 Mohawk
