Whitlatch runs wild as Pioneers roll past Bentworth
West Greene coach Beau Jackson roams the sidelines during the Pioneers鈥� 39-6 victory at Bentworth on Friday night. Jackson has guided West Greene to a 4-1 overall record and a 2-0 mark in the Tri-County South Conference in his first season at the helm. (Photo by Westley Burchianti)
West Greene quarterback Lane Allison looks to pass against Bentworth during Friday night鈥檚 game. Allison threw three touchdown passes in the Pioneers鈥� 39-6 win. (Photo by Westley Burchianti)
Colin Brady was out with an ankle injury but that was no problem for West Greene on Friday night.
The Pioneers still had Billy Whitlatch.
West Greene rode a 242-yard rushing performance from Whitlatch to a 39-6 victory at Bentworth to improve to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the Tri-County South Conference.
Whitlatch carried the ball 24 times and scored three touchdowns. He deflected credit for his performance to his teammates.
鈥淚 give it all to the team,鈥� Whitlatch said. 鈥淚鈥檝e got to appreciate my lineman. Those holes, anybody could鈥檝e run through.鈥�
Johnny Lampe ran 10 times for 73 yards and had two touchdown receptions as West Greene churned out 17 first downs. Pioneers quarterback Lane Allison completed four of eight passes for 87 yards and three touchdown.
Allison got West Greene on the board first when he connected with Cooper Chambers for a 27-yard TD catch in the first quarter.
West Greene increased its lead to 18-0 by halftime with two second-quarter touchdowns on Allison鈥檚 11-yard pass to Lampe and Whitlatch鈥檚 15-yard run.
Whitlatch added TD runs of 14 and 5 yards in the third quarter sandwiched around Allison鈥檚 10-yard touchdown pass to Lampe for 39-0 lead.
Bearcats quarterback Vitali Daniels completed 10 of 21 passes for 160 yards and a late 54-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Washington but was intercepted twice. The Pioneers also recovered a pair of fumbles.
First-year West Greene coach Beau Jackson has only lost once in his first five games but still saw room for improvement after the victory over the Bearcats (1-1, 2-3).
鈥淚 know early, especially offensively, we did play a little bit sloppy,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淧enalties killed us on defense.
鈥淏ut what I鈥檓 proud of about these guys is we fight and we play with a lot of effort.鈥�
Bentworth was coming off a big win at Monessen but came up short in an attempt at pulling a second straight upset.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to regroup,鈥� first-year Bearcats coach David Pordash said. 鈥淲e knew Monessen and West Greene and California were the top three in the conference. We handled Monessen.
鈥淲e had some good drives against West Greene but we had fumbles, interceptions, some things that hurt us.鈥�
Pordash went to his bench and found some players he feels can him the Bearcats down the line.
鈥淭he positive thing is we found some personnel by playing other kids,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e still young but we鈥檙e getting there. We鈥檒l be OK.鈥�
Bentworth goes to Jefferson-Morgan next.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e a tough team,鈥� Pordash said of the Rockets. 鈥淭hey play us tough every year. It鈥檚 always a dogfight. It鈥檚 going to be a good game.鈥�
Jackson doesn鈥檛 look to change much as West Greene hosts Monessen in Week 5.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to keep doing what we do,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e at that time of year where we have our identity. We just go day by day. That鈥檚 been our goal all year is get better every single day.鈥�
Westley Burchianti contributed to this story.