SPENCER, W.Va. - It wasn't too long ago Williamstown's football team was on the brink of playing spectator for the postseason.
But three straight wins later and the Yellowjackets have secured yet another berth in the Class A state playoffs.
Friday night at Roane County High School, Williamstown's latest victim were the host Raiders. The Yellowjackets scored the game's first 27 points and won 41-7 to end the regular season at 6-4.
Article Photos
Trace Hart
Winners in five of its previous six games before last night's defeat, Roane County slips to 6-4.
Both teams will be informed of their first-round opponents when the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission releases the official brackets for all classifications on Sunday.
Williamstown didn't waste any time moving in front to stay. After holding Roane County to a three-and-out on the game's opening drive, the Yellowjackets covered 65 yards in eight plays. Fullback David Hastings accounted for 46 yards on two carries, including a 34-yard touchdown run at the 7:14 mark of the first quarter.
Fact Box
Williamstown 41, Roane County 7
Williamstown (6-4) 7 7 20 7 -41
Roane County (6-4) 0 0 07 0 -7
W: David Hastings 34 run (Garret Butler kick), 7:14, 1st
W: Gage Wix 15 pass from Jake Tracewell (Butler kick), 6:23, 1st
W: Trace Hart 69 run (Butler kick), 11:40, 3rd
W: Tracewell 1 run (kick failed), 8:17, 3rd
RC: Tyler King 15 pass from Hunter Bradley (Bradley kick) 5:24, 3rd
W: Hastings 8 pass from Tracewell (Butler kick) 3:18, 3rd
W: Tracewell 19 run (Butler kick), 8:41, 4th
Team stats
Williamstown: First downs: 16. Rush-yards: 43-409. Passing yards: 33. Total yards: 442. Passing: 4-10-1. Punts: 3-31.5. Penalties: 5-35. Fumbles: 1-1
Roane: First downs: 15. Rushes-yards: 46-85. Passing yards: 248. Total yards: 333. Passing: 14-22-1. Punts: 3-36.0. Penalties: 3-15. Fumbles: 1-1.
Individual leaders
Williamstown: Rushing: Trace Hart 20-147, David Hastings 6-101, Brad Meeks 6-75. Passing: Tracewell 4-10-1, 33 yards. Receiving: Gage Wix 2-18.
Roane County: Rushing: John Ash 14-52. Passing: Hunter Bradley 14-22-1, 248 yards. Receiving: Tyler King 10-201, Steve McGinnis 1-23.
Next game: Williamstown in Class A playoffs, next week; Roane County in Class AA playoffs, next week.
Placekicker Garrett Butler converted the first of five extra point attempts for a 7-0 Yellowjacket advantage.
Another sustained drive midway in the second quarter put Williamstown in front 14-0. On the ninth play of the drive and facing third-and-3 from the Roane 15, quarterback Jake Tracewell found Gage Wix open in the end zone for a touchdown completion.
Twice in the first half, Hastings at linebacker recorded a quarterback sack to deny Roane County on fourth down after penetrating into Yellowjacket territory.
The junior recorded a total of three sacks as Williamstown enjoyed a 14-0 lead at intermission.
Williamstown's offense was electric in the third quarter while scoring three touchdowns in the opening nine minutes.
On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, running back Trace Hart broke loose for a 69-yard TD run. The junior tailback led all ballcarriers with 147 yards on 20 attempts.
After taking over at its own 35 on the kickoff return, Roane County didn't do itself any favors by fumbling on the very next play. Williamstown defensive lineman Alex Rauch recovered the loose ball at the Raider 33.
Six plays later, Tracewell kept it on the snap from center and scored from 1 yard out. With 8:17 still remaining in the third period, Roane trailed 27-0.
The Raiders finally broke through on the ensuing possession when Tyler King hauled in a 15-yard TD reception from quarterback Hunter Bradley. Bradley finished the game with a school-record 248 yards passing, breaking the old mark of 211 owned by Evan Kendall (2005).
King caught 10 passes for 201 yards, which also broke another school record of 182 yards recorded by Cody Brabham during the 2000 season.
The momentum swing didn't last long as Williamstown drove 58 yards in four plays for another touchdown. Hastings, who opened the drive with a 51-yard gain, reached the end zone from 8 yards out and extended the Yellowjacket cushion to 34-7.
Tracewell completed the scoring with a 19-yard TD run at the 8:41 mark of the fourth quarter.
