Bluefield completes step #1...

[Bluefield_Rules 46]

http://www.bdtonline.com/articles/2004/11/14/sports/01.beavers.txt

 

Beavers take first step back to Wheeling

Posted: Saturday, Nov 13, 2004 - 09:13:45 pm EST

By DUSTY HARMAN

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

 

BLUEFIELD - Consider Step 1 a rousing success.

 

Back in the playoffs for the third straight year, the Bluefield Beavers (11-0), rated No. 1 in Class AA, dominated nearly every aspect of the game Saturday to run away with a 58-0 first-round victory over No. 16 Mount View at John Chmara Field at Mitchell Stadium.

 

"It was the first step today," said Bluefield senior quarterback Rusty Coeburn, who threw for 73 yards and a touchdown while rushing for another score.

 

"... We started off good, kept going and never looked back."

 

Bluefield outgained the Golden Knights 369-53 to rack up their 17th straight victory at Mitchell Stadium, including four playoff games.

 

The Beavers used 11 different rushers to total 296 yards on the ground, led by Quintin Steptoe's 78 yards and two touchdowns.

 

"The line blocked real good," said Steptoe. "They've been working hard, coming out and blocking hard for the backs."

 

Derrick Steptoe added 76 yards and a score, and David Perdue found the end zone twice, along with 51 yards.

 

Lucas Stone added a 38-yard field goal and seven PATs, clearing the newly-installed nets behind the goal posts with a pair of the kicks.

 

Andy Bales hauled in an 11-yard TD toss from Coeburn, and T.J. Morris, a starting linebacker, capped the Beavers' scoring with a 30-yard score in the fourth quarter.

 

"It feels great to win against a team like Mount View," Perdue said. "... It feels great to (score), but not only for me - I also liked seeing some other guys get the ball in, like Andy Bales and T.J. Morris."

 

Saturday's contest proved a stark contrast to the teams' Week 7 meeting, which the Beavers had to rally to win 17-14 at Welch.

 

In that outing, Bluefield committed six turnovers that opened the door for Mount View.

 

This time, the breaks went the way of the Beavers.

 

A trio of short punts set Bluefield up inside Mount View territory on its first three possessions. The Beavers scored every time, getting a 1-yard keeper from Coeburn, a field goal from Stone, and Quintin Steptoe's first dash to the end zone to go up 17-0 in the first quarter.

 

"I thought we really improved on the first (game with Mount View)," Bluefield coach Fred Simon said. "The biggest thing that hurt Mount View early was the punts - getting that good field position. We took advantage of it, and that took them out of their game plan, I guarantee you."

 

"I guess you could say revenge is sweet because we didn't play very well the first time," Coeburn said. "We came out fired up and played good. You can't ask for anything more."

 

The Golden Knights showed a momentary spark late in the opening quarter, snuffing a Beaver drive with a goal-line stand, but the Knights set up BHS again with a fumble three plays later at its own 11.

 

Coeburn found Bales on the next play for a 25-0 lead.

 

The rout was on after that, and Derrick Steptoe and Perdue each found paydirt to cap a 38-point first half.

 

"We didn't play well offensively, defensively, or on special teams," Mount View coach Leon Gravely said. "They took their game to another level, and we didn't. When you do that, hey, that's the result."

 

The Golden Knights (6-4) managed just 53 yards of total offense and one rushing first down on the day.

 

Michael Helm led Mount View with 20 yards on eight carries, while Doug Vineyard had 14 yards on 12 rushes.

 

Helm and Adrian Thomas, who shared time under center, combined to complete 5 of 18 passes for 18 yards.

 

"Our players were ready to play and I think they know what's at stake now," said Simon, whose Beavers are the back-to-back runners-up in Class AA.

 

"I'm proud of their performance today. I'm very proud of them."

 

Bluefield moves on to the second round, where they will host No. 8 Keyser (8-3) either Friday or Saturday at Mitchell Stadium.

 

- Contact Dusty Harman

 

dharman@bdtonline.com

 

At Chmara Field/Mitchell Stadium

 

Mount View (6-4)...................0 0 0 0 - 0

 

Bluefield (11-0)...................17 21 7 13 - 58