WEST FORK — After losing the conference opener West Fork has bounced back to win its next two. The Tigers won their second straight conference matchup on Friday night 19-7 against the visiting Clarksville Panthers.

“This is a big win for us,” West Fork coach Rodney Selph said. “I guess if you are going to talk about the win you have to start with the defense.

We gave up the touchdown early and then we shut them down pretty good.”

Clarksville (4-2, 1-2) took an early 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. Quarteback Trey Shucker tossed an 18-yard strike to Tyler Minnier capping a sevenplay, 61-yard drive to give the Panthers the early edge.

West Fork (5-1, 2-1) struck back in the middle of the second quarter when quarterback Isaac Muggy scored from 22 yards out. The Tigers missed the extra point and were down 7-6 with just under six minutes to play in the second quarter.

From here it was all West Fork. Shortly after the Tigers’ first touchdown, Griff Smith intercepted Shucker, and his pick proved to be the turning point in the game.

The next play Muggy threw a 50-yard pass to Logan Genz down to the Panthers’ 13-yard line.

Two plays later the Tigers were in the endzone. Running back Garrett Eakins scored on a 7-yard run finishing off a four-play, 73-yard drive that gave West Fork a 12-7 lead going into the locker room.

“That interception by Smith was a big play,” Selph said. “Genz also made a great catch and run after the interception to put us in scoring position.”

Defense was the name of the game in the second half for West Fork.

Clarksville ran only 16 plays in the second half and had only 30 yards of total offense.

Neither team got on the scoreboard in the third quarter.

Eakins scored his second touchdown of the night on a 35-yard interception return to setthe final score at 19-7.

This would not be the last interception for the Tigers as Lee Gaesswitz came up with a pick late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory for West Fork.

Eakins was the star for West Fork on the night with two touchdowns one on offense and with one on defense. He had 60 yards on 19 carries.

“Eakins played really well tonight, and he even has a hip flexor,” Selph said. I would like to see him play when he is well, but I thought he played really well.”

After two consecutive home wins West Fork looks to continue its winning streak on the road this week as it travels to Dardanelle to take on the Sand Lizards.

Sports, Pages 6 on 10/15/2009

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