BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — The records were the same for Chapmanville and Bridgeport entering Saturday’s Class AAA quarterfinal contest at Wayne Jamison Field. The seeds were far different. However, the No. 9 Tigers surged past the top-seeded Indians, 33-27 to secure Chapmanville’s first appearance in the state semifinal round since 2011.
CHS (12-0) scored 20 unanswered points to start the second half, turning an eight-point halftime deficit into a six-point win. A large crowd of Chapmanville fans made the lengthy drive from Logan County to watch the Tigers end Bridgeport’s 25-game winning streak.
“We turned the lights off in Chapmanville,” said Chapmanville head coach Zachary Belcher. “All of us came up. I am so thankful for our community coming up here and traveling to support our boys. They believe in this team and we believe in this team.”
The teams traded touchdown drives on their four first-quarter combined possessions. Bridgeport led 14-13 after the opening 12 minutes with touchdown totes from Kasen Baun (27 yards) and Gavin Williams (68 yards). The Tigers countered with touchdown passes from Dakota Dalton to Trey Ward (18 yards) and Benji Adkins (24 yards).

The pace of scoring slowed in the second quarter. Williams scored on a one-yard run and the Indians (11-1) took a 21-13 lead into the locker room.
Chapmanville quickly gained momentum in the third quarter. Touchdown runs from Preston Kovach (2 yards) and Dalton (5 yards), gave the Tigers their first lead of the game at 27-21. On the next possession for the Indians, Adkins recovered a fumble. Bridgeport was held off the scoreboard in the third quarter.
“I have complete and total faith in my defensive coordinator Andy Bender. He has studied the single wing for many years. He has been to Coach [Tyler] Phares’ clinics. He put in a great game plan and our boys executed it to their fullest extent. I am so proud of them.”
Chapmanville took a 12-point lead (33-21) early in the fourth quarter on Dalton’s second touchdown run of the half. “We controlled the offensive line of scrimmage. That was the thought. We came up here and watched them last week. They’re a great team, a very disciplined and very physical team. I knew our boys had a challenge and I thought they rose to it.”
Bridgeport pulled within a score with 6:06 to play when Williams collected his third touchdown of the game on a 7-yard tote. The Indians intercepted a pass on their own 1-yard line with three minutes to play. They drove to the CHS 25-yard line before Ward intercepted a pass as time expired to seal the win for Chapmanville.
The Tigers will visit No. 5 Nitro in the semifinal round next weekend. Nitro defeated North Marion, 57-38 on Saturday.
In his third year leading the Tigers, Belcher has led CHS to a new program record with 12 wins this season.
“Being from this community, playing for this team, being able to come back and coach and having the mentors I have had, having the coaching staff I have had, it means the world to me. All these guys, we are all friends. We all love these kids and it shows because they will fight tooth and nail for us.”