CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Most high school football fans in the Kanawha Valley will have their eyes trained on three games.
Game 1: South Charleston will host Capital. The Black Eagles are coming off a blowout win over Nitro last Friday night. Coach Donnie Mays was happy to get the victory, but admitted he was disappointed at times in the effort and enthusiasm in the win. Don’t look for effort and enthusiasm to be issues this week as the rival Cougars roll onto campus at South Charleston.
Capital is coming off a big win over Parkersburg. Sophomore quarterback Tyrhee Pratt rewrote the Capital record books in the victory over the Big Reds when he passed for 285 yards. Expect Capital to have a little payback in the back of their minds.
This game a year ago at Laidley Field saw the Cougars holding a 17-0 halftime lead, only to lose to South Charleston 20-17. It was also the debut of South Charleston quarterback Kentre Grier who started the second half and engineered the come from behind win.
Game 2: Hurricane is at Cabell Midland. These two have been rivals for years, separated by only a couple of interstate exits. However, the Knights have managed to have the Redskins’ number in the series of late. Midland is coming off an humbling showing against county rival Huntington last Friday night 19-6.
Hurricane last Friday night had a breakout game against then No. 10 Princeton. Austin Hensley found a new set of receivers to light up the scoreboard and his passing numbers. Both teams need a win to keep pace with their post season aspirations.
Game 3: Sissonville at Wayne. The Indians have quietly dished out payback to teams which frustrated them a year ago. Last week against Scott, the Indians had a close call in which three drive killing turnovers kept the game close. However, they managed to get out of Boone County with a win and go to 4-0 on the season. Wayne has been mowing down opponents like a machine. It’s how Wayne has rolled for years.
Sissonville Coach Eddie Smoulder knows it won’t be an easy task for his team, but he adds they aren’t going in there expecting to roll over.
“We’ve got to play as close to perfect as possible,” said Smoulder. “Wayne is a good football team with a great program. They’re two-time state champs and looking at it on paper they should beat us. But we’re going to go down there and not be intimidated or scared. We’re going to respect them, but we’re going down there to win not just to play close.”
Other games:
Lincoln County at Lewis County
Nitro at St. Albans
Riverside at Beckley
Winfield at Point Pleasant
Poca at Scott
Buffalo at Gilmer County
Off-weeks:
George Washington
Herbert Hoover