SUMMERSVILLE, W.Va. — A double-overtime thriller was the highlight on Friday night of the seven opening round playoff games that were played. No. 7 Nicholas County edged No. 10 Scott in two extra sessions 28-22, advancing into quarterfinal play next week.
“It was a tough one, that’s for sure. Scott came in and gave us all we could handle,” said Nicholas County coach Gene Morris. “They did an excellent job.”
The two teams went into overtime tied at 16-16. Nicholas County scored a touchdown to start off the first overtime, leading 22-16 heading into Scott’s possession. The Skyhawks answered with a touchdown themselves, but the potential game-winning extra point was blocked, forcing a second overtime.
“We called a timeout and just made sure that we weren’t going to drop our heads – we wanted to put some pressure in there and see if we could get a guy free to rush the kicker and get someone in his vision,” Morris said. “We were fortunate enough to be able to do that and get it blocked. The seniors really stepped up and they were not about to give up in that situation.”
In the second overtime, Nicholas County picked off a Scott pass to start off the extra session. The Grizzlies then won the game on a 20-yard touchdown scamper from standout running back Wil Mayes. Mayes had a huge game overall for Nicholas County, rushing for 180 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. He also added a 65-yard interception return for a score in the second quarter as well in the win.
“He steps up all of the time and makes plays,” Morris said. “That’s just his character, that’s the way he plays the game. He’s a ball player and that’s just all you can say about him. He does a lot of the things that you just don’t coach. You can’t speak highly enough about Wil. He’s someone you want on your club and you really don’t want to face.”
Morris’ interview on GameNight is posted at the top of the page.