Momentum-changing plays on the football field come with little warning.
 
A long touchdown run, a big pass play on third down, a kick return that finds its way into the end zone, all can quickly change the tide of a game.
 
Bridgeport junior standout Gabe Martin took a different approach to changing the momentum in Friday's 56-14 victory for the Class AAA defending state champions against East Fairmont at East-West Stadium.
 
With the second-quarter clock approaching the 3 minute mark, East Fairmont quarterback Anthony Corwin scrambled into the flat where Martin from his strong safety spot decided it was time for a heatseeking missile imitation as he delivered a clean, textbook open field hit that registered on the Richter scale.
 
Although he wouldn't return to the game, Corwin was OK and even passed concussion protocol at halftime.
 
For the Indians, it was the wakeup call they needed – at least on the defensive side of the ball against . The ball popped out, Wes Conley recovered it and two plays later, Martin was in the end zone on a 24-yard touchdown run that extended the BHS lead to three scores at 28-7.
 
"It was instinct," Martin said. "I was covering a corner and I saw the QB roll out. He was looking the other way. It was my opportunity to deliver a clean hit and that's what I wanted to do."
 
The win extended the Indians' win streak to 17 games and except for last week's weather-shortened victory against Heritage (Va.) every game during this stretch has ended with a running clock.
 
The initial drive of the game was one in typical Bridgeport fashion as Martin, Gavin Williams and Eli Knight alternated carries until Knight capped a six-play drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. Williams booted his first of seven PAT kicks to make it 7-0.
 
The Bees however responded with a drive that gave the Indians' defense all kinds of fits. Their first play would have been a touchdown as a double pass play had a wide receiver wide open with no BHS defender within a mile. The ball was dropped though so East put together a methodical 11-play drive.
 
Not much success came on the ground but Corwin completed enough clutch passes to keep the drive going before he eventually hit Kaeden Barr over the middle for a 38-yard touchdown. Karson Church's PAT kicked tied it at 7 with 5:28 left in the first quarter.
 
Williams had touchdown runs of 16 and 55 yards to give BHS a 21-7 lead but the Bees continued to be pesky on offense up until Martin's hit.
 
"What a hit," BHS coach Tyler Phares said. "We needed a big momentum swing for sure. There was a bit of back-and-forth going on and we weren't playing with the most confidence. We had a few mistakes early. We sensed our kids were playing on their heels and Gabe fixed that quickly."


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