Published: September 06, 2008 01:16 am      

Princeton topples Mercer rival Bluefield

BLUEFIELD — Ted Spadaro sat on 99 career victories as his Princeton Tigers prepared to take on county rival Bluefield. In 2007, the Tigers won just one game.

Friday night, the Tigers equaled their win total from 2007 and Spadaro finally reached the century mark. Tevin Allen gained 144 yards on 26 tough carries and the Tigers survived late heroics from Will Cole and the Beavers to hold on for an emotional 15-13 win.

“This is about as sweet as you can get,” Spadaro said. “I thought our team played well considering the injuries we had. We had these seniors out here that’s played for me for three years and really stepped it up the second half and wasn’t going to go and take no for an answer.”

“We turned the ball over, we had special teams, crucial offsides and whatever,” Bluefield coach Fred Simon said. “Once we learn to do the little things and quit making those mistakes, we’re going to be a good football team.”

This was the debut of Spadaro’s new-look offense. The spread was out. The power-I was in. As Graham had done the week before, Princeton pounded on the Beavers between the tackles.

The Tigers gained 223 yards on 52 rushing attempts and gradually wore down their opponents. They also kept the ball out of the hands of Bluefield’s talented offense, holding on to it for 29:55 and giving the Beavers the pigskin for just 18:05.

“We just went into this ball game saying, ‘If we can keep the ball they can’t score,’” Spadaro said. “And I think the first half we had the ball 15 minutes and they had it eight and something similar to it the second half.”

Allen carried the bulk of the load. But he was accented by 49 yards on 11 carries by Justin Lester and 39 yards on nine rushes by Jerrell Powell.

The Beavers tried to ride the arm of Cole to victory, and it nearly paid off. He went 12-for-22 for 235 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also led them on another last-minute clutch drive.

The Tigers tried to run the clock out with their running game. But with 2:11 to go, the Beavers got the ball on a fumble on their own 45.

Cole completed a pass to the left to Marcus Patterson. The receiver broke a tackle, then raced down the sideline and lunged past a Princeton defender for a 42-yard touchdown with 1:11 to go. Cole again looked for Patterson for the game-tying two-point play, but his pass was knocked down harmlessly.

Princeton (1-0) hosts St. Albans next Friday night.

Bluefield (0-2) has a week off before traveling to Charlotte Country Day School on Sept. 19.