By John Middleton
Sports Editor
WILLIAMSBURG – After picking up a statement victory over Pikeville in week zero, the Harlan Green Dragons found themselves on the receiving end of the statement on Friday. This time it was the Williamsburg Yellow Jackets who introduced themselves as a legitimate Class A contender with a 36-0 victory over the visiting Dragons.
The Yellow Jackets took control from the opening drive on their way to the win. Williamsburg went 50 yards on 10 plays, capped by a 3-yard touchdown run by sophomore Jefferson Patrick with 7:41 left in the first half. Dalton Sizemore ran in the two-point conversion on a quarterback keeper to make it 8-0.
Harlan marched the ball down the field on the ensuing possession, but the drive stalled when Corey Shelton picked off Ty Saragas’ pass in the end zone.
The Jackets wasted little time capitalizing on the opportunity, as Sizemore found standout sophomore Skyler Griffith for a 28-yard completion just two plays later to move the ball into Harlan territory. Sizemore then connected with Shelton for a 38-yard score with 2:56 left in the opening quarter. Sizemore’s two-point run made it 16-0.
“They punched us in the mouth early when they drove down to score, but I thought we responded well. We drove right back down the field and threw the interception,” said Harlan coach J.B. Donahue. “When they went back down and scored I think they took all the momentum, and we didn’t respond.”
After forcing Harlan to punt on its next possession, the Jackets pushed the lead to three scores with a 10-play drive that covered 80 yards. Sizemore again found Shelton, this time on a 31-yard connection that set Williamsburg up at the Harlan 4. Sizemore ran in for the score on the next play. Micah Purdie hauled in the two-point pass from Sizemore to make it 24-0.
Sizemore closed the first half scoring with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Griffith with just six seconds remaining. The two-point pass attempt was incomplete, and the score remained at 30-0.
The teams exchanged defensive stops to open the second half before the Jackets struck again with 5:53 remaining in the contest. Sizemore connected with Shelton on a 5-yard touchdown to close the scoring.
They lined up and hit us in the mouth early with the running game, and I don’t think we were able to respond,” Donahue said. “I don’t know how to explain this. I thought we were a lot more prepared. Williamsburg is a good football team, but we weren’t ready to play tonight.”
Harlan (1-1) will host Lexington Christian on Friday, while Williamsburg (2-0) will face Pineville.
RUSHING
Harlan – Williams 8-31, D. Morris 6-23, Logan 8-12, Young 1-1, Brock 1-0, T. Morris 1-(-2), Powers 2-(-2), Saragas 5-(-4). Williamsburg – Patrick 14-100, Lowrie 4-39, Sizemore 8-25, Hamblin 5-13.
PASSING
Harlan – Saragas 5-6-1-65, T. Morris 2-2-0-1. Williamsburg – Sizemore 17-27-0-228.
RECEIVING
Harlan – Allen 2-44, Young 2-19, D. Morris 3-3. Williamsburg – Shelton 7-96, Skyler Griffith 4-62, Lowrie 2-28, Purdie 1-23, Rose 1-11, Patrick 2-8.
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