CRUM, W.Va. -- Everyone wonders how the Wayne Pioneers high school football team stays so consistent from year-to-year.

They need not look any further than their feeder program.

For the fourth-straight year, Wayne took the Wayne County Middle School championship after defeating Buffalo 20-8 on Thursday evening.

"Buffalo came out well prepared and did a nice job holding us early," said assistant coach Jeff Wallace, who took the reins of the team on Thursday due to an illness to head coach Ted Williamson. "They were taking away our bread and butter, but our guys stepped up and made plays out of our basic offense."

Wayne (8-1) took a 14-0 lead to the locker room but Buffalo sliced that lead to 14-8 following a 5-yard scoring pass from Tyler Robertson to Zachary Gwynn and a conversion run by Adam Page on the opening drive of the third quarter.

From there, the Pioneers churned out an 89-yard drive that not only chewed up yardage, but also the rest of the quarter. Mason Hodge bulled his way in on a 1-yard run to put the game away.

"Our offensive line stepped up and played well tonight," Wallace said.

Hodge was the catalyst for Wayne on the evening.

After Buffalo (6-3) had stopped Wayne at the 1-yard line, Hodge broke through and tackled Page in the end zone for a safety to put the Pioneers up 2-0.

Nathan Robertson's kickoff return set Wayne up at the 30-yard line and Hodge promptly scampered in from 29 yards out to push the lead to 8-0.

"That (return) was big for us," Wallace said. "You'd much rather drive 30 yards than 80 or 90 for a score. Down inside your own territory, you are limited on what you can do."

It appeared the teams would go to the halftime break locked in a one-score game, but Hodge took the final handoff of the first half and cut twice before scoring from 25 yards out to give Wayne its 14-0 edge as the teams went to the locker room.

Hodge finished with 98 yards rushing for Wayne and accounted for all Pioneer points on the evening (three touchdowns, safety).

The game was played at Crum Middle School, based on a rotation between the county school each year.

Wallace said that despite the long drive for both teams, the folks running the contest did a great job, providing food for both teams after the game and being more than hospitable.

"Crum is always a good host," They are always top-notch and treat you well."

BUFFALO 0 0 8 0 -- 8

WAYNE 0 14 6 0 -- 20

W -- safety (Adam Page tackled in end zone by Mason Hodge)

W -- Mason Hodge 29 run (pass failed)

W -- Hodge 25 run (run failed)

B -- Zachary Gwynn 5 pass from Tyler Robertson (Adam Page run)

W -- Hodge 1 run (pass failed)

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