By: Jack Withrow
Riverside (0-0) at Capital (0-0)
The 2015 high school football season gets started on Thursday night here in the Kanawha Valley as Class AAA defending state champion Capital hosts Riverside. The Cougars, who are ranked No. 1 in the MetroNews Power Rankings, lost 2014 Kennedy Award winner Kashuan Haley to graduation, but return senior QB Tyhree Pratt who will lead a high powered offense which includes junior running back Silas Nazario and talented freshman receiver Kerry Martin, Jr. The Cougars’ defense will be led by junior linebacker Dorian Etheridge.
Riverside first-year coach Zach Davis takes over a program that finished 0-10 in 2014 but will get immediate help from senior-transfer Henry Barron-Houchins. Barron-Houchins scored twice during Saturday’s MSAC Grid-O-Rama this past weekend. Davis will also look to quarterbacks Mark Scites and Cole Sigman to direct the Warriors’ offense.
St. Albans (0-0) at South Charleston (0-0)
The Black Eagles enter the season ranked No. 2 in the MetroNews Power Rankings and entertain visiting St. Albans on Friday night. South Charleston will be led by senior QB Kentre Grier, last year’s MetroNews Player of the Year, who threw for 3,553 yards and 47 touchdowns in 2014. Junior Derrek Pitts, who holds multiple Division 1 offers heads up a talented group of skilled players for third year coach Donnie Mays.
Red Dragons are coming off a 3-7 season in 2014 which included a 56-16 loss to the Black Eagles. Fourth year coach Steve Stoffel will rely heavily on a veteran offensive line and senior Jacob Grigsby. Grigsby, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound receiver/linebacker, led St. Albans in both rushing & receiving yards last year. The Red Dragons will look to some underclassmen to replace graduated QB Noah Reed.
Buffalo (0-0) at Parkersburg Catholic (0-0)
After going winless in 2013, coach Mike Sawyer guided his young Bison team to a 9-3 record and a spot in the Class A quarterfinals. Buffalo will welcome back QB Ethan Burgess who threw for 1,086 yards and 15 touchdowns as a freshman. The Bison will look to replace one of the state’s top rushers in Jordan Tucker with running backs Dylan Lucas and Caleb Tucker.
Buffalo will travel to Parkersburg Catholic for a Saturday evening kickoff. Last year Buffalo defeated the Crusaders 13-12.
George Washington (0-0) at Parkersburg (0-0)
George Washington looks to return to the postseason playoffs after going 5-5 in 2014. The Patriots received votes in the MetroNews Preseason Power Rankings and looked impressive in Saturday’s MSAC Grid-O-Rama scrimmage against Huntington. Coach Steve Edwards, Jr. enters his 20th season and welcomes back senior QB Kaleb Mackey and senior receiver Druw Bowen. Mackey and Bowen hooked up for three scores through the air during Saturday’s scrimmage.
Parkersburg coach Don Reeves guided the Big Reds to a 6-5 record and a first round playoff appearance in 2014. Parkersburg defeated George Washington 27-24 in a 3 overtime thriller in Charleston last year.
Other Friday night matchups in the Kanawha Valley:
Winfield at Hurricane
Sissonville at Chapmanville
Scott at Herbert Hoover
Poca at Nitro
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