No matter what 2026 has thrown at Frankfort, the Falcons have relied on a next-man-up mentality, overcoming key injuries to pound Keyser 41-19 in the Mineral Bowl at Frankfort Stadium, times-news.com reported. Playing without Braydn Tyler and Cole Shanholtz, Frankfort leaned on its ground game and a stifling defense to secure the victory.
The win marks Frankfort’s sixth straight in the Mineral Bowl, extending the longest streak in the series, which Keyser leads 30-21.
Falcons Build Commanding First-Half Lead with Dominant Ground Game
Peyton Brittingham sparked the Falcons immediately with a 57-yard kick return to the Keyser 42 on the opening kickoff. Frankfort capped the game-opening drive with a four-yard touchdown run by Gunnar Bradshaw. Jake Snuff added a three-yard scoring rumble in the first quarter, and Bradshaw broke loose for an 82-yard touchdown run up the middle to build a 20-0 lead. Bradshaw added his third touchdown of the game on a seven-yard run in the second quarter, sending the Falcons into halftime with a 27-0 advantage.
Photo gallery: Frankfort wins the Mineral Bowl, 41-19 over Keyser:https://t.co/rEPkztqC4y #wvprepfb (Photo gallery by Will Wotring) pic.twitter.com/uu5BPjwuQv
Frankfort’s defense smothered the Golden Tornado in the opening half, holding Keyser to 46 yards of offense and four first downs—two coming via penalty. Frankfort head coach Kevin Whiteman praised his squad’s physical play, noting that the defense came out ready and aggressive after last week’s loss.
Teams Trade Second-Half Touchdowns as Early Deficit Seals Outcome
In the third quarter, Carson McBee tossed a 34-yard touchdown pass over the top to Brittingham to push the lead to 34-0. Keyser ended its offensive drought when Deacon Stanislawczyk connected with Rio Simone on a 65-yard touchdown pass. McBee later added Frankfort’s final touchdown on a one-yard quarterback sneak with 7:45 remaining.
Keyser tacked on two fourth-quarter scores via a 10-yard run by Stanislawczyk and a four-yarder by Simone in the final minute, but the early deficit proved too steep to overcome.
Top Performers
- Gunnar Bradshaw: 138 yards on 10 carries, 3 touchdowns
- Peyton Brittingham: 78 yards on 14 totes, plus a 57-yard kick return and a 34-yard receiving touchdown
- Deacon Stanislawczyk: 65-yard touchdown pass and a 10-yard rushing touchdown
- Rio Simone: 65-yard receiving touchdown and a 4-yard rushing touchdown
