Former NFL player and Beaver Local Athletic Hall of Famer Derek Wolfe was introduced before Friday’s game with his wife, Abigail, and daughter, Tatum. (The Review/Jimmy Joe Savage)

CALCUTTA — It was a win for one of Beaver Local’s all-time greats.

Beaver Local honored one of its favorite sons in Derek Wolfe, a member of 2016 Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, before Friday night’s football game between the Beavers and arch rival East Liverpool at Pastore Field.

The Beavers went out and put the proverbial icing on the cake for Beaver Local Hall of Fame member Wolfe, posting a 21-12 win over the Potters before a packed house.

“Beating East Liverpool (is a highlight) any time,” said Wolfe, who reflected on his playing days with the Beavers. “We never lost to those guys, I don’t think.”

Wolfe also took in the beautiful new Derek Wolfe Athletic Complex for the first time and gave it rave reviews.

“I love coming back here,” said Wolfe. “When I come back here, I just slip in and do some deer hunting and then I leave, but to get to come back and see this (new Derek Wolfe Athletic Complex) and to bring my wife and kids here to experience it with me has been extremely (nice).”

On the field, the Beavers rushed for 363 yards, led by senior running back Lane Jones, who rushed for a game-high 203 yards and a touchdown.

“The O line was really blocking,” said Jones. “It (the 203 yards) was the best night, yes. It (playing in the rivalry with East Liverpool) is the best feeling in the world. It makes the year.”

“When you think about it when Derek (Wolfe) was here, they were a ground and pound-type team and didn’t really throw the ball and ran it a lot, so maybe we can say that was (in honor) to him,” said McKenzie. “We were back to smash-mouth football and playing hard.”

Beaver Local running back Peyton Cowdery added 65 yards rushing and quarterback Wade Foster added 62 on the turf.

“It was a good night rushing,” said McKenzie. “They (the Potters) were doing some different things, which is a credit to coach (Paul) Cusick and his staff, they came out and gave us a completely defensive look. At times, we were struggling a little bit with it. It really took away our passing game because they were getting so much pressure so quick. The kids stuck with it. There we a lot of times we could have given up momentum but we kept plugging away.”

With the win, the Beavers (3-1) lead the entertaining 47-year-old series with the Potters, 24-23.

“We just didn’t make the plays when we had opportunities,” said East Liverpool head coach Paul Cusick. “It was a struggle and that’s what happens but you know our kids kept fighting.”

In a defensive dominated, flag-filled first half in which 15 penalties were called on the two teams, both teams had defensive stops. The Potters were stopped at the Beavers’ 34 on their first drive of the game and were thwarted on their last drive of the first half when Beaver Local defensive snack Zaiven Riley intercepted a Potter pass in the Beavers’ end zone with 17 seconds left on the clock.

Beaver Local also had a drive stopped on downs at the Potters’ 41 in the second quarter.

But on the Beavers’ next-to-last drive of the second quarter, they cracked the end zone. The score was set up by a 42-yard fake punt run by the Beavers’ Cowdery to the East Liverpool 18. After several penalties moved the Beavers back, they impressively overcame those penalties to find the end zone when Jones, who rushed for 51 yards in the first half, raced eight yards to score around the right side. Kicker Brayden Hall added the PAT kick and the Beavers led 7-0 with 2:37 left in the second quarter.

“I happy with Lane and I’m sure he’ll be the first one to tell you a big part of it was his line,” said McKenzie. “We were forced to do some things that we hadn’t shown.”

Beaver Local outlined the Potters 170-131 in the first half and 396-289 for the game.

East Liverpool closed the gap to 7-6 on its first drive of the second half, highlighted by a 14-yard scoring pass from quarterback Ben Myers to wideout Dre’Keim Abercrombie. However, the PAT was foiled on a dropped snap.

“We make a good play and get a touchdown and screw up the extra point and we get a chance to make a big play and jump offsides, things like that. It’s just things we have to clean up but they’re battling,” said Cusick.

But Beaver Local answered with a sustained march to go up 14-6 on a 32-yard scoring run by Zaiven Riley on a reverse. Brayden Hall added the PAT kick and the Beavers went up 14-6 with 3:23 left in the third quarter.

“Zaiven got the touchdown on a reverse and made a really nice run,” said McKenzie.

The hosts got some separation with 9:32 left in the fourth quarter when Cowdery rumbled five yards to score. Hall added the PAT boot and the Beavers took a 21-6 advantage with 9:32 left in the game.

But East Liverpool made one last rally as the Potters capitalized on an interception and scored on a leaping 19-yard reception by receiver Meshach Harris from Myers with 2:00 left. The two-point conversion pass failed and the Potters trailed 21-12.

East Liverpool attempted an onside kick but the Beavers recovered and eventually ran out the clock.

“I’m so proud of the kids and happy for the community,” said McKenzie. “This is always a big deal when these two communities come together.”

“The execution isn’t always there but I love the fact that they’re playing hard and practicing hard,” said Cusick of his team. “It’s just we’ve got to get over that hump. It’s just disappointing when we keep shooting ourselves in the foot.”

“Give coach Cusick and his staff credit because their kids played their tails off,” said McKenzie.

The Potters were led by running back Amir Baker who finished with 113 yards on 16 carries.

Game notes

¯ Beaver Local is hosting a meet and greet with Derek Wolfe on Saturday at the Derek Wolfe Complex. The ticketed event will go toward scholarships for Beaver Local student athletes.

¯ Prior to Friday’s meeting, Beaver Local and East Liverpool had split their past 10 meetings, but Beaver Local has won four of the past five games. The Potters did win last year’s game by a 14-9 final.

¯ East Liverpool hits the highway to St. Clairsville Friday night for a Buckeye 8 game with the Red Devils.

“We’re going to have our hands full, obviously a great team (in St. Clairsville),” said Cusick. “We just have to worry about ourselves and get better.”

¯ Meanwhile, Beaver Local travels to Salem to meet the Quakers in an independent battle at Sebo Stadium.

“They’ve got a very good offense so we’ve got our work cut out for us,” said McKenzie.

EL: 0-0-6-6–12

BL: 0-7-7-7 –21

SCORING

BL — Lane Jones, 8 run, 2:37 2nd (Brayden Hall kick)

EL — Dre’Keim Abercrombie, 14 pass from Ben Myers (8:31 3rd (run failed)

BL — Zaiven Riley 21 run, 3:23 3rd (Brayden Hall kick)

BL — Peyton Cowdery, 5 run, 9:32 4th (Brayden Hall kick)

EL — Meshach Harris, 19 pass from Ben Myers, 2:00 4th (pass failed)

EL BL

First downs 13 16

Total yards 289 396

Rushes-yards 28-161 39-363

Passing 131 33

Comp-Att-Int 8-20-2 3-8-0

Penalties-Yards 11-90 9-70

Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-1

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INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING — East Liverpool, Amir Baker, 16-113, Ben Myers, 9-35, Tamar Tisdale, 1-3; Beaver Local, Lane Jones, 16-203, Peyton Cowdery, 6-65, Wade Foster, 10-62.

PASSING — East Liverpool, Ben Myers, 8-20-131-2-2; Beaver Local, Wade Foster, 3-8-33-0-1.

RECEIVING — East Liverpool, Dre’Keim Abercrombie, 4-81, Meshach Harris, 3-22, Jaylen Smith, 2-16; Beaver Local, Aiden Price, 1-5, Luke Rettos, 1-7, Zaiven Riley, 1-11.