Whitehall kicked off the 2014 football season with a resounding win that saw them have success through the air and on the ground.

If a good running attack is your cup of tea, the Zephs certainly filled the bill, reeling off 283 yards on the ground against Pocono Mountain West High School in the season opener.

What about a TD through the air? No problem. Gianni Sinatore found Conor Sullivan for two scores and Dalton Burrows for another as they completed a 45-8 victory over the Panthers last Friday.

The Zephs struck quickly, capitalizing on Mustafa Mitchell's interception that gave them the ball at the Panthers 4-yard line following a 46-yard return. One play later, Saquon Barkley dashed four yards into the end zone, his first of two scores, giving them a 7-0 lead following Conor Ilgenfritz's PAT.

Head coach Brian Gilbert said that they were opportunistic, one of the reasons why they got ahead early. The Zephs had three interceptions and two fumble recoveries that erased Panther drives.

On the Panthers ensuing drive, Chad Rex played the role of Commander In Thief, intercepting the ball at the 18-yard line and returning it 40 yards. That led to another touchdown with Jake Buskirk rumbling into the end zone for a three-yard score.

Conversely, the Panthers were only able to create one turnover the whole game.

"When you win the turnover battle five-to-one, that's pretty good," said Gilbert.

Gilbert said that creating turnovers is something they work on at practice, noting that it can often change the complexion of a game.

"We want to cause turnovers all the time," said Gilbert. "It's great when it happens in a game."

The Zephs were also proficient at carving up the Panthers defense on the ground. Their main weapon was Barkley who finished with 183 yards on the ground. His long run was a 92-yarder for a TD right before halftime.

Gilbert said the team was ready to go into the break with a 27-0 lead. He said they weren't going to throw a Hail Mary from their 8-yard line, opting instead for a safe running play.

"We were just going to run a play and go into halftime," he said. "That was our thought process."

However, Barkley had other ideas. The senior ripped through a bewildered Panther defense, going the distance for another Zephyr TD.

Barkley finished with a staggering 16.6 yards per carry to go along with his two TDs and 183 yards.

The offense also got a big boost from Sinatore who was able to hurt the Panthers via the pass, going 7-9 for 73 yards and three scores.

Gilbert said that Sinatore handled his first varsity start with aplomb.

"He was poised and had some really good throws," said Gilbert.

One of those throws was under duress with Sinatore stepping up in the collapsing pocket to find Sullivan in the back of the end zone, said Gilbert.

"That was a really nice throw," said Gilbert. "It was a really good first opening game for him."

PMW got their lone touchdown late in the fourth quarter when quarterback Matt Smith hit AJ Simon for a 40-yard score.

Gilbert thought they played extremely well defensively. Still, quarterback Qmac Quiteh was able to gain 146 yards on the ground as part of the Panthers wildcat package. He said the defense bent but didn't break something they can learn from as the year progresses.

Defensively, Buskirk led the way eight tackles. He also had a fumble recovery, one of the five turnovers logged by the Zephs. Danny Roustic also had a good game, recording five tackles, two of those for losses.

In addition to Rex and Mitchell fleecing the Panthers, Ronny Okungu had an interception as well, his pick in the third quarter leading to an Ilgenfritz 32-yard field goal. The remaining turnover belonged to Mitchell as he also recovered a fumble.

One area that Gilbert said needed improvement was in the penalty department. The Zephs were penalized five times for 48 yards.

"That's just too many penalties," said Gilbert.

As the team gathered Sunday night to watch the film from Friday's game, Gilbert said he talked to the younger players about the importance of getting out to a fast start. As they watched the game unfold, those underclassmen saw how a turnover led to six quick points.

"That was a good lesson," said Gilbert.