BUFFALO, W.Va. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Tolsia overcame a first half in which the Rebels had three turnovers and a flurry of penalties to defeat Buffalo 50-8 on Friday.
Tolsia had two lost fumbles and an interception to go with eight penalties for 80 yards in the first half but found the end zone twice in the second quarter to take a lead it would not surrender.
Running back Robert Evans was a workhorse for the Rebels, carrying the ball 23 times for 164 yards in the game. The sophomore had 88 yards in the first half, including a 4-yard touchdown run that broke a scoreless tie in the second quarter.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s something special,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Tolsia coach David Thompson said, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œand heÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s just a sophomore.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
That offensive series seemed to get the ball rolling for Tolsia (5-2), which came into the game at Buffalo Stadium looking to boost its No. 17 ranking in the Class A playoff ratings with a win.
Bray Mollette followed on the next drive for the Rebels with a 23-yard run that gave Tolsia a 14-0 lead after Luke WilliamsonÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s 2-point conversion.
Buffalo (3-5), No. 21 in the Class AA ratings, could never get the offense started. The Bison had 51 yards of offense through the first half that was offset by 70 penalty yards for the same two quarters.
The Bison finished the game with 110 yards of total offense, unofficially.
The Tolsia defense, ranked No. 1 in Class A in points allowed, surrendered just six points in the game, on a 9-yard run by Buffalo quarterback Caden Craig late in the fourth quarter.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThey are loaded in the backfield,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Bison coach Bob Mullett said of Tolsia. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThey got big kids up front, theyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re physical, theyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re mean, theyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re tough and, you know, they just keep on hitting you and hitting you. We tried to bend and not break, but we broke a few times.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Evans added a rushing touchdown in the third quarter, along with a 47-yard punt return as the Rebels broke the game open with a 22-point third quarter. His 14-yard run gave Tolsia a touchdown on its first drive of the second half.
The punt return was to start TolsiaÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s second drive of the third quarter, but Evans had other plans, giving the Rebels a special teams score.
Quarterback Luke Williamson chipped in a pair of 16-yard TD runs, the first of which closed scoring in the third quarter.
The second came during a running clock in the fourth quarter that put Tolsia ahead 44-0.
CraigÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s touchdown cut the Tolsia lead to 44-6, but the Rebels, on a 71-yard kickoff return by Greyson Golden, got that touchdown back.
The final score was set with a safety, giving Buffalo two points on a fumble recovered by Tolsia in its own end zone.
Buffalo will remain home for its final two games of the year against Richwood next Friday and Meadow Bridge on Nov. 1.
Tolsia will be home to face Hurley and Grundy ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” both Virginia schools ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” then will close out the regular season at River View.
TOLSIA 0 14 22 14 -- 50
BUFFALO 0 0 0 8 -- 8
T -- Evans 4 run (kick failed)
T -- Bray Mollette 23 run (Williamson run).
T -- Evans 14 run (kick failed).
T -- Evans 47 punt return (Williamson run).
T -- Williamson 16 run (Evans run).
T -- Williamson 16 run (Blackburn run).
B -- Craig 9 run (run failed).
T -- Golden 71 kickoff return (run failed).
B -- Safety. Tolsia recovered fumble in end zone.
T B
First downs 21 8
Rushes-yards 42-309 26-110
Passes 3-6-1 3-12-1
Passing yards 78 15
Total yards 387 125
Fumbles-lost 2-2 3-2
Penalties-yards 9-85 12-95
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: (T) Evans 23-160, Williamson 10-76, Mollett 3-32, Blackburn 3-21, Jarrell 2-20; (B) Oldaker 10-49, Craig 9-14, Weaver 3-18, Thomas 2-12, Neal 1-minus 2, B. Whittington 2-2, Rutan 1-17.
PASSING: (T) Williamson 3-5-1, 78 yards; Evans 0-1-0; (B) Craig 3-11-1, 15 yards; Oldaker 0-1-0.
RECEIVING: (T) Ratliff 2-63, Mollett 1-15; (B) C. Whittington 1-11, Neal 1-3, Weaver 1-1.
