PHOTOS: Wolverines Wrap Up Unbeaten Regular Season With Senior Night Victory Over Beaver Falls

Ellwood City has earned is first unbeaten regular season in 80 years after a convincing 52-0 blowout of Beaver Falls Friday night.

The shutout performance was part of the senior night where sixteen Wolverine players were recognized before the game.

One the game started, Ellwood City made quick work of the visiting Tigers as quarterback Chris Smiley tossed three first half touchdowns and the Wolverines raced out a 39-0 halftime advantage.

Dailonn Currie was on the receiving end of two of the tosses, first an 11-yard strike in the first quarter and later a 59-yard touchdown in the second quarter that opened up the flood gates.

After Currie’s second TD reception put Ellwood City ahead 20-0, senior running back Elijah Palmer-McCane found the endzone midway through the second quarter and minutes later Deklan O’Brien collected a blocked punt and returned it 44-yards for a defensive score for the Wolverines.

Fifty-four seconds later, Josh Gilchrist hauled in Smiley’s third touchdown pass of the half – a 15-yard strike to put Ellwood City ahead 39-0 right before halftime.

In the third quarter, wide receiver Gavin Partridge found the endzone on a 57-yard pitch and catch with Smiley. Tyler Smiley, Chris’ younger brother, capped off the scoring on an 8-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

The Wolverines stacked up 496 of total offense in the section victory, averaging 10.8 yards per play and collected 23 first downs in the contest. Eleven Wolverines attempted rushes as the bench was cleared late the second half with the mercy rule in effect.

Smiley finished with 159 yards passing and four touchdowns. Palmer-McCane led the rushing attack with 139 yards rushing on 12 carries. Palmer-McCane also crested the 4,000 career rushing mark Friday night.

With four point-after-touchdown kicks Friday, Caitlin Kreitzer surpassed a 13 year old record, and now holds the Wolverines career PAT record with 61.

Defensively, the Wolverines defense collected 17 tackles for loss in the victory, holding the winless Tigers to only 91 yards rushing. Currie collected an interception and Luciano Gagric collected a sack.

Ellwood City (9-0 Overall), Midwestern Conference Champions, will await the WPIAL Playoff pairings to see how their Class 2A bracket shapes up. It has been 27 years since a section title for the Wolverines, and 24 years since the Wolverines hosted a playoff game.