PHILIPPI -- Preston scored two touchdowns in the first 2:30 of the game, and the Knights picked up their first win since the 2001 season with a convincing 40-7 victory over Philip Barbour.
"We played Parkersburg South tough last week for three quarters but, tonight, we showed a lot of character," Preston coach Mike Contic said.
The Knights (1-1) wasted little time grabbing the lead and putting the game out of reach. On the first play of the game, quarterback Jon Whitehair hit Zachary Metheny for a 39-yard pass play before Chad Chambers scored from 29 yards. Chambers' extra-point gave the guests a 7-0 lead with less than a minute gone in the game.
Preston added its second score a short time later after recording its first of six turnovers in the contest. This time, Whitehair connected with Metheny on a 25-yard scoring pass for a 13-0 lead.
The second Colt turnover in the first period, this one a fumble on a sack, was picked up by Justin Bolyard and returned 55 yards for the score to stake the Knights to a 20-0 lead in the first.
"That's the second week in a row that we had at least five turnovers," first-year Philip Barbour coach Curtis Bodkins said. "We can't do that and have a chance to win."
Two more turnovers in the second resulted in two more touchdowns for the visitors and gave them a 33-0 lead at the break. A fumble set up Chambers' second score of the game while Seth Wheeler picked off a pass and went 58 yards for a score to give the Knights a commanding lead.
The Colts finally reached the end zone in the third quarter when Tony Skidmore raced in from 22 yards out for the hosts' lone score of the night. Philip Barbour did have several other scoring opportunities, but were stopped three times inside the 10-yard line.
Skidmore led the Colts with 142 yards rushing on 28 carries, while quarterback Bryan Jones completed 10 of 22 passes for 102 yards. Matt Summerfield caught nine passes for 99 yards.
Chambers led the Knights with 118 yards rushing on 18 totes, while Wheeler added 88 on just eight carries. Wheeler also picked off two passes.
