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Masters of disguise: Frontier rolls past Belpre, 41-6

By Kerry Patrick 5 min read

NEW MATAMORAS -- Not that Frontier quarterback Luke Mendenhall and his backfield buddies needed camouflage uniforms to disguise themselves from the opposition.

Nonetheless, they were hard to track down on occasion as the Cougars defeated Belpre 41-6 in the first-ever meeting between the two schools on Friday night.

Behind a pair of touchdown runs from Mendenhall, along with a touchdown completion from the junior, Frontier improved to 3-0.

"We are feeling real good, that's for sure since it's the best start of my coaching career," Frontier head coach Damon Metheney said. "We have a very tough path in the back half of the schedule. We know we had to make this one count, so we are excited.

"Belpre is a talented team. I was impressed with them. So kudos to them."

First quarters have been a Belpre bugaboo in the past, and it bit the Golden Eagles again as Frontier scored on its first two drives of the game. After a 10-yard gain by Mendenhall on the Cougars' first play from scrimmage, Mendenhall dropped back and found a wide open Hunter Ruble making his way to the end zone for a 28-yard TD reception.

After Belpre went three-and-out for the second straight time, Frontier methodically made its way downfield and capped a nine-play, 52-yard drive with a four-yard TD run from Davyn Ferrell.

Frontier placekicker Preston Binegar converted his second straight point after and the Cougars led 14-0 with 3:49 still remaining in the opening period.

"The first quarter has been our emphasis throughout the summer," Belpre coach Brian Hutchinson said. "I've seen things in the last five, eight years here at Belpre in the first quarter. We just keep digging ourselves a hole.

"We had a good first quarter last week then our old first quarters came to life tonight. In the second and third quarter, though, the guys just kept bringing more energy. The boys got themselves back into it. They were trying to dig in and get back in this football game."

After Frontier botched a field goal attempt in the early moments of the second quarter, Belpre turned the table for nearly the entire 12-minute quarter.

Defensively, the Golden Eagles allowed just 22 yards from Frontier's offense. Prior to the final minute of the second quarter, the Cougars did not record a first down by the time.

Mendenhall, who passed 143 yards on the night and also rushed for another 91 yards, was just 3-of-9 with one pick by Belpre's Malik Currie prior to Frontier's final possession of the first half.

Starting a drive on the Belpre 27, Frontier only needed a few plays to set up Mendenhall's 18-yard TD run. On the play, Mendenhall used his boys in the trenches as a shield before darting toward the sidelines for the final few yards.

Despite trailing 21-0 at halftime, Belpre stayed on Frontier's heels midway into the third quarter. The Golden Eagles finally broke through in the third quarter.

Following a Frontier punt, Belpre took over at the Cougars' 29-yard line. On second down, Currie found Carson Woodford open down the middle for a 27-yard gain.

After Frontier was whistled for having 12 men on the field, the ball moved forward to the 1. Woodford's number got called again, this time for a carry which resulted in Belpre's only score for the game.

Frontier applied the dagger on the ensuing possession. The Cougars took just six plays to cover 65 yards. Again Mendenhall called his own number and made his way 30 yards to the end zone with his blockers acting as a snow plow and preventing Belpre from making the tackle.

In the fourth quarter, Frontier tacked on touchdown runs from Austyn Kephart and Phoenix Nedley.

Throughout the game, Frontier was its own worst enemy after committing 17 penalties for 129 yards.

"It was a very stressful game coaching because we could never pull away," Metheney said. "It's nice to win, but we have to clean that stuff up now rather than later.

"I was impressed with how our guys were able to keep grinding away and finish the game through the humidity and heat. I know in the past we would have kind of folded up, but these guys pushed through a lot of adversity."

Currie finished the game completing 11-of-27 passes for 125 yards.

"I think we are trending in an OK direction," Hutchinson said. "You always want to strive to be better. The defense has done well.

"The guys are trying. We are going in a good place."

Frontier 41, Belpre 6

Belpre (1-2) 0 0 6 0 - 6

Frontier (3-0) 14 7 8 12 - 41

First Quarter

F: Hunter Ruble 28 pass from Luke Mendenhall (Preston Binegar kick), 9:19

F: Davyn Ferrell 4 run (Binegar kick), 3:49F: Mendenhall 4 run (Binegar kick), 3:49

Second Quarter

F: Mendenhall 18 run (Binegar kick), 1:04

Third Quarter

B: Carson Woodford 1 run (kick failed), 6:57

F: Mendenhall 30 run (Caden Barrows pass from Mendenhall), 5:22

Fourth Quarter

F: Austyn Kephart 21 run (kick filed), 6:47

F: Phoenix Nedley 4 run (kick failed), 2:13

Team stats

Belpre: First downs: 8; Rushes-yards: 31-(-7); Passing yards: 127; Total yards: 118; Passing: 11-27-1; Fumbles-lost: 5-4; Penalties-yards: 9-64; Punts-average: 2-19.5

Frontier: First downs: 11; Rushes-yards: 25-226; Passing yards: 143; Total yards: 369; Passing: 11-23-2; Fumbles-lost: 3-1; Penalties-yards: 17-129; Punts-average: 2-31.5

Individual stats

Belpre: Rushing: Malik Currie 2-5; Passing: Currie 11-27-1, 125 yards; Receiving: Malakai Ensor 5-40; Jaden Gibbs 2-23; Alex Parker 1-22; Carson Woodford 2-40; Davis 1-0

Frontier: Rushing: Luke Mendenhall 15-91, 2 TDs; Austyn Kephart 9-43, TD; Caden Barrows 3-7; Davyn Ferrell 4-26, TD; Phoenix Nedley 2-(-2), TD; Cooper Schmidt 2-61; Passing: Mendenhall 11-23-1, 143 yards, TD; Receiving: Hunter Ruble 1-29, TD; Barrows 3-62; Ferrell 4-51; Kephart 1-1

Next game: Belpre at St. Marys; Shadyside at Frontier

Starting at /week.