Photo by Bill Ferguson Cameron’s Cole Burkett, left, goes high for a touchdown catch over Tyler Consolidate’s Sage Landis.

CAMERON — Big plays, taking advantage of opportunities and turnovers are all key components to winning big games.

Cameron used all three Friday night to record an important victory over Tyler Consolidated in a battle of West Virginia Class A powers.

The Dragons scored a defensive touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, got plenty of big plays from junior quarterback Colton Wichterman to senior receiver Cole Burkett and let the defense do the rest, including forcing five turnovers, as unbeaten Cameron recorded a 21-7 triumph over the Silver Knights in front of a large crowd in the chilly hills of Marshall County.

The victory moves coach Tim Brown’s Dragons to 5-0 on the season with another big game next week against visiting Madonna. Meanwhile, coach Ryan Walton’s Silver Knights fall to 3-2 heading into their bye week.

While Tyler Consolidated suffered a two-touchdown defeat it was not hard to figure out the difference in the game was the plus-four turnover margin. The Knights actually finished the contest by outgaining their hosts, 232-162.

“You aren’t going to win many games with that many turnovers,” Walton admitted. “They were fast and physical, and we definitely could not match that in the first half. They had scoop and score and a recovered a muffed punt that were difference makers. But make no mistake, Cameron is a very good football team.”

On the game’s very first offensive play the Dragons’ Adam Angel picked up a loose football near the 28-yard line and rambled down the sidelines to give the hosts the quick lead, just 18 seconds into the contest. Burkett booted the PAT to make it 7-0. It was the second consecutive week Angel produced a scoop-and-score for his team.

“Our defense came into the game prepared,” Brown said. “Our defensive coach, Derek Martin, does a great job of having the kids ready and diagnosing what the other team is going to do. We were actually screaming out their plays before they were running them and when you can do that it is when you start getting turnovers.”

Cameron’s first offensive possession produced more of the same as the hosts moved 76 yards on seven plays, with connections of 30 and 10 yards from Wichterman to Burkett keying the march. Wichterman finished things off, rolling to the right and into the end zone from three yards away at the 5:01 mark. A bad snap prevented the conversion leaving the count at 13-0.

Walton’s Tyler Consolidated squad had a nice 12-play mark of its own late in the opening quarter, however, the drive ended with consecutive sacks early in the second frame. Wes Starcher tackled quarterback Brady Strode for a five-yard loss on a fourth-and-10 play from the 20 to cap things off.

The Knights had one final drive late in the second period, moving to the Dragons’ 17 before Payton Neely intercepted Strode in the end zone to end the threat. Cameron ended up punting from its own 28 after failing to move the ball but the third Tyler turnover of the half, a muffed punt, had the hosts back in business at the enemy 45.

Wichterman and Burkett needed just one play to make the visitors pay with Burkett reaching over a defender near the 15 to haul in the pass before rolling in for the touchdown with 2:35 showing in the half. Wichterman dove into the end zone for the deuce to give the hosts a 21-0 advantage at the break.

Tyler Consolidated avoided the shutout when Sean Winfrey, who finished with 141 yards on the ground, busted in from three yards out with just 1:33 to play. Brody Seckman’s PAT made it 21-7.

The Knights actually then recovered the onside kick, however, Burkett intercepted Strode on the very next play and the Dragons ran out the clock to celebrate the victory.

“Our offense struggled a little in the second half, but I have to give a big shout out to our defense,” Brown added. “Cole (Burkett) and Colton (Wichterman) got us going in the first half. Cole has made big catches for us all season and he is such a good athlete on both sides of the ball. And Colton really understands what he is doing and has matured over the last three seasons.

“The great thing about Cole is that while he is so good we have so many good athletes around him that you just can’t focus on him. I also want to say how proud I am of the kids on our line, which is a little banged up right now. We had some kids fight through some things and had some younger kids step up and help out as well.

“For us we have to be able to stay healthy. Our schedule is tough and not going to get any easier and we have to be able to deal with the bumps and bruises we are going to pick up along the way.”

Cameron 21, Tyler Consolidated 7

Tyler Consolidated 0 0 0 7 — 7

Cameron 13 8 0 0 — 21

C-A.Angel 28 fumble return (Burkett kick), 11:42

C-Wichterman 3 run (run failed), 5:01

C-Burkett 45 pass from Wichterman (Wichterman run), 2:35

T-Winfrey 3 run (Seckman kick), 1:33

Rushing: Tyler Consolidated 44-131-td (Winfrey 32-141-td; Strode 10-(-9); Walton 1-1; Ke.Huffman 1-(-2)). Cameron 24-67-td (Wichterman 12-26-td; Ross 4-25; Neely 8-16).

Passing: Tyler Consolidated 8-13-101-0-2x (all by Strode). Cameron 6-13-95-td-x (all by Wichterman).

Receiving: Tyler Consolidated 8-101 (Tuttle 1-15; Walton 4-35; Landis 2-48; Winfrey 1-3). Cameron 6-95-td (Burkett 6-95-td).

First Downs: Tyler Consolidated 13; Cameron 7.

Penalties: Tyler Consolidated 8-68; Cameron 7-78.

Fumbles: Tyler Consolidated 5-3; Cameron 0-0.