COAL CITY, W.Va. — A fast start and a stout performance with their defense in the red zone allowed No. 2 Independence to pull away from No. 3 Bluefield, 31-10.

The Patriots scored 14 points in the first four minutes and their defense played well with their backs against their own goal posts to run their record to 5-0.

Sylas Nelson scored on a pair of touchdown runs of 32 and 11 yards and he recovered a fumble in Bluefield territory in the first quarter, giving IHS a 14-0 lead.

“Anytime you are playing a championship-type team, you’ve got to jump on them and get momentum on your side. I think for the first quarter-and-a-half, we had momentum,” said Independence head coach John H. Lilly.

“I tip my hat off to them. It was a great football game with two championship-type teams playing toni

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