The play would get called back due to a penalty, but Way and Bradshaw managed to replicate that result on the very next play, this time from 13 yards out. It was a sequence that encapsulated the core theme of the team’s performance, as the Millionaires prospered despite holding themselves back with flags.

On Friday night at Millionaire Stadium, Williamsport (1-0) opened the 2024-25 season in dominant shutout fashion, defeating Wyoming Valley West, 33-0, to kick things off on the winning end. Even in hitting triple digits in penalty yards, a win’s a win, and head coach Michael Pearson hopes the team can build off it.

“I’m thankful we came out of here with the win tonight, and I congratulate the kids for playing hard, on both teams,” said Pearson. “It’s the first game and it’s the start, but we have a lot of things to work on discipline-wise and with our conditioning.”

In terms of opening drives on both sides of the ball, the Millionaires started strong.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Aiden Everett navigates past a pair of Wyoming Valley West defenders during a high school football game on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Though the Spartans managed a few decent runs to start, Williamsport’s defense would halt them just before they passed midfield.

Then, after completing his first two passes as the team’s starting quarterback, Way would find Trey Damschroder wide open ten yards past the marker with a chance for a big play.

It wasn’t a perfect throw, as Damschroder had to halt his route to come back to the ball. But Way put him in position to make a play and he would do just that. A few moves got him back to the sideline and his speed did the rest, as the pair connected on a 58-yard touchdown pass to draw first blood.

Even with some missed opportunities through the next two drives – treks into opposing territory which were cut short due to penalties, the offense continued to click and the defense backed it up. Way’s poise seemed to grow throughout the game and improved accuracy came with it.

Through its fourth drive in opposing territory, Way would again make the most of one of his receivers finding an opening in the secondary, this time connecting with Kyreek Bradshaw for a 38-yard score.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Trey Damshroder grabs a pass and is hit by Wyoming Valley West's Chase Meyers during a high school football game on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

And in the third quarter, he’d double his touchdown total, with Samir Williams finding paydirt on a screen and Bradshaw securing his second touchdown off a wheel route.

On the day, Way completed 14 of his 23 passes for 186 yards and four touchdowns. He proved effective as a runner as well, leading the team in yardage in the first half and finishing with over 60 rushing yards.

“I was really proud of Ejijah Way and the way he played tonight. He did a really nice job,” said Pearson on Way’s debut. “He ran the ball fantastically. He’s a tough kid. He’s a weight room kid and he made some really smart decisions in running and getting down and moving the chains with a lot of his runs.”

With backs Kahyear Whaley and Jamel Bailey seeing similar success on the ground, there wasn’t much the Spartan defense could do to stop this offense when it wasn’t struggling with penalties.

On 14 combined attempts, the pair rushed for 163 yards on an average of just under 12 yards per attempt. Each Millionaire broke off big runs, with Whaley capping his day with a 49-yard rush to surpass 100 yards and Bailey breaking off a 30-yard scamper to set his team up a few yards away from paydirt.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport quarterback Elijah Way passes during a high school football game against Wyoming Valley West on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

“He had a beautiful run down the left sideline,” said Pearson when discussing Bailey. “I think it was probably one of the best plays of the game.”

Defensively, Williamsport held firm for the game’s entirety, finishing with two sacks and allowing just 124 yards and five first downs – four of which came in the first half. Their lead was never in question in the second half, as Wyoming Valley West failed to cross midfield through the last two quarters.

“They played really well as a team and Coach Walker, our defensive coordinator, was able to substitute quite a few kids in and they just kept playing strong,” said Pearson on the shutout performance from the defense.

It’s a well-rounded start to the season that the team hopes they can build on heading into next week. Pearson expects a tougher challenge next Friday, as Williamsport takes on Hazleton on the road.

“There’s a lot of film to watch tonight. We kind of figured the first game would have some bumps. The biggest thing we’ve got to look at is penalties,” said Pearson.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport quarterback Elijah Way looks for a receiver during a high school football game against Wyoming Valley West on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

“We just have to clean that up and we have to be better because our level of competition will improve immediately next week with a really well-disciplined Hazleton team.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport quarterback Elijah Way looks for a receiver during a high school football game against Wyoming Valley West on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport quarterback Elijah Way during a high school football game against Wyoming Valley West on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Tevin Williams (11) advances past a pair of Wyoming Valley West defenders during a high school football game at Williamsport on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Jamel Bailey (5) and Cordoza Minor (75) work to bring down Wyoming Valley West's Carter Isbel (99) during a high school football game at Williamsport on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Tevin Williams (11) is taken out of bounds by a pair of Wyoming Valley West defenders during a high school football game at Williamsport on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Wyoming Valley West's Tyler Mattis (3) bats away a pass intended for Williamsport's Kreek Bradshaw (3) during a high school football game at Williamsport on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Kahyear Whaley-Berry (23) is stopped by a pair of Wyoming Valley West defenders during a high school football game at Williamsport on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Lucas Naughton (19) and Kai Payton (10) bring down Wyoming Valley's quarterback Damien Eastman during a high school football game at Williamsport on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.