Myke Parker and Kenny Strong contributed as Cowboys quarterbacks.

By Greg Gulas | September 14, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

CANFIELD — Having scored just 21 points their first three games this season, Chaney High football coach coach John Protopapa was looking for a way to kick-start his sluggish offense Saturday against fellow independent East Liverpool.

Using Myke Parker and Kenny Strong at quarterback might just be the formula he is looking for the remainder of the season.

Strong’s 38-yard scoring strike to Parker and a touchdown run by Tyler Thompson in the final period lifted the Cowboys to a hard-fought 14-0 victory over the Potters.

It was the Cowboys’ first victory of the season and the first under second-year head mentor Protopapa.

“We felt that we could get something going by using both [Myke] Parker and [Kenny] Strong at quarterback,” Protopapa said. “We wanted to mix up our offense and it worked.

“We played three Division I opponents to start the season and that was a real test for us,” Protopapa said. “We start nine juniors offensively so at halftime we told the team just to dig in and go right at them.

“Costly penalties hurt us and if we expect to build on this win, then we cannot lose our focus and discipline,” Protopapa said. “It looked like we were finally getting into a groove offensively.”

The Potters (0-4) and Cowboys (1-3) were looking for their first win of the season, each coming off winless campaigns a season ago.

East Liverpool started the game by recovering the opening kickoff, but four plays netted only two yards and the Cowboys took over on downs.

On their very first series of the game, Strong found Parker from 38 yards out, but a botched placement kept the score, 6-0.

Strong credited the score to Parker’s extra effort and the additional yardage he accrued after the catch.

“This was my first game with any sort of playing time, so I was nervous, to say the least,” Strong said. “Coach just told me to lay the ball in there and Myke would do the rest and that is exactly what happened.

“After making the catch, he just did the rest with his legs,” Strong said.

Parker was happy that Strong had enough time to get the ball away.

“Our offensive line played well the entire game,” Parker said. “I found an open seam on the touchdown route and Kenny just put the ball right on target.

“Credit our offensive line, however, because they did an excellent job during both our running and passing situations the entire game,” Parker said.

The Cowboys held the Potters to 55 total offense yards in the first half, all coming on the ground.

Neither team could find the end zone in the third quarter with Thompson sealing the victory on his seven-yard dash with 9:06 remaining in the game.

“I cannot tell you how great this feels,” Protopapa said. “We kept the pressure on them all game and with Kenny [Strong] and Myke [Parker] complementing each other under center, we now hope to build on this the rest of the way.”

Thompson led all rushers with 65 yards while the Cowboys rolled up 266 yards offensively.

The Chaney defense held the Potters to 92 total offensive yards on 42 snaps.