Bridgeport Football Runs Record to 4-1 With 21st Straight Series Win over Robert C. Byrd
By Michael Minnich on September 25, 2026
In front of the first-ever Harry Green Bridgeport High School Athletics Hall of Fame class, the current iteration of the Bridgeport Indians football team put up another award-winning performance, thumping the previously undefeated Robert C. Byrd Flying Eagles, 49-7, at Wayne Jamison Field.
Gabe Martin ran for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns and Graham Vincent and Troy Jackson added 55 stripes and a TD each on the ground, with Vincent hitting 3 of 3 passes for 93 yards and 3 more TDs.
"We weren't super happy with how we played last week," Bridgeport coach Tyler Phares said. "We had the No. 2 team in the state coming to our field and we felt we had something to prove. I think the kids did that tonight."
Bridgeport recovered RCB’s onside kick to start the game.
Gabe Martin picked up an early third-and-5, then, two plays later, Graham Vincent threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Eli Knight with 9:12 left in the first quarter.
Jaylen Brown’s kick made it a 7-0 Bridgeport lead.
On the first Flying Eagle pass of the game, Isaiah Helfin was intercepted by Gabe Martin, who had his return turned from a touchdown into a solid return by a holding flag.
"The kids did a great job. There were a few busted issues we had in the back end, but for the most part, the kids played hard. Super happy to see those turnovers," Phares said.
Starting the drive from the RCB 20, Martin scored after all on a 12-yard rush on third down: 14-0, 7:58 left in the first.
The Eagles got a 38-yard catch-and-run from Junior Smith to move across midfield, then, after a personal foul on Bridgeport moved the chains, Smith darted for a 16-yard touchdown run.
Heflin’s kick halved the deficit to 14-7 with 5:31 left in the first quarter.
Bridgeport faced a fourth-and-2 at the RCB 7 to open the second quarter and Martin was stopped just short of the marker.
But Martin took it back with his second drive-opening interception of the game.
"He's a baller," Phares said. "He does everything for us."
Going from the Eagles’ 16, Bridgeport needed three plays to score on a Martin 6-yard rush: 21-7 with 9:52 left in the half.
Smith made a huge catch on fourth-and-10 for a gain of 22 to the Bridgeport 34, but two holding penalties brought up fourth-and-Stonewood.
No problem: Throw it up to Smith and he’ll catch it, this time for 33 yards down to the Tribe 13.
On fourth-and-5 from the BHS 8, thought, Sean Veltri grabbed Bridgeport’s third interception of the game.
"That was huge," Phares said. "Any time you're knocking on the door and you don't score, it's pretty deflating."
From their own 4, Bridgeport went to Vincent for 10, then Troy Jackson exploded for 27 more.
Martin gained 33 yards down to the RCB 26, then four more runs set up a 3-yard Vincent TD with 16 seconds to go in the half: 28-7.
“Junior’s getting the ball!” came the exclamation from the crowd but with Bridgeport’s propensity to pilfer through the air, it was a run from Calvert instead that capped the half.
Junior did get the ball on fourth-and-2 on the first drive of the second half, but was stopped for a 2-yard loss to turn the ball over on downs.
"The kids were engaged," Phares said. "Our assistant coaches did a really good job of making adjustments at halftime and I thought that showed there in the seocnd half."
Vincent then connected with a wide-open Veltri for a 36-yard touchdown pass two plays later: 35-7.
After an RCB punt, Vincent threw a 25-yard TD pass to Aiden Gorby: 42-7, 4:48 to go in the third.
A sack of Helfin on fourth down forced another turnover on downs at the RCB 25 and Troy Jackson scored from there: 49-7 with 47 seconds left in the third quarter after Jackson Nicewarner’s PAT.
RCB had a passing touchdown from Helfin to Sean Adams nullified by a hold and eventually turned the ball over on downs with under 7 minutes left on a running clock.
At halftime, Homecoming royalty was crowned.
Gracia Knight was the Maid of Honor and Audrey Kerr won Homecoming Queen.
The Homecoming float decoration competition finished with the seniors in third, sophomores in second and the juniors in first.
Next, Robert C. Byrd (4-1) heads to East Fairmont and Bridgeport (4-1) visits Fort Hill (Md.).
Editor's Note: Photos by Joe LaRocca of Eli Knight (top) and Gabe Martin (bottom).
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