By: Jack Withrow
Week six of the high school football season brought cooler temperatures and lots of rain into the state and the Kanawha Valley. Class AAA No. 2 Capital blew past visiting Class AAA No. 3 Huntington 51-14. Once again the Cougars were led by senior quarterback Tyrhee Pratt and running back Silas Nazario. Pratt completed 21-of-27 passes for 282 yards and a touchdown while Nazario rushed 14 times for 189 yards and four scores.
Class A No. 8 Buffalo traveled to Tug Valley and came away with a 19-0 shutout over a tough Panthers team. On a very muddy field, the Bison churned out 337 total rushing yards as running back Dylan Lucas collected 212 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns. Jacob Hanshaw added 110 yards which included a 79-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Hurricane (3-2) at Class AAA No. 6 George Washington (4-1)
Hurricane and George Washington got an extra week to prepare for each other as they were both idle during last week’s action. Hurricane is coming off a 42-28 loss at Capital while George Washington defeated Winfield 56-20.
Running back NuNu Miller continues to pace a high-powered Patriots offense that averages 53.8 points per game and has reeled off three straight wins since their early season setback at Paul Blazer in Ashland, Ky. Miller has rushed for 855 yards on 49 carries and 11 touchdowns.
Don’t sleep on the Patriots air attack as the two quarterback system has worked well so far for head coach Steve Edwards, Jr. Senior Kaleb Mackey and freshman Grant Wells have combined to throw for 1,075 yards and 19 scores while senior receiver Druw Bowen has 15 receptions for 460 yards – eight of those catches went for a score.
Hurricane will try to counter the Patriots’ attack behind the arm of Brandon Stover. The senior quarterback has completed 68 of 120 passes for 881 yards and 9 touchdowns. Senior Connor Watts and junior Nick Williams have been Stover’s favorite targets so far this season.
Hurricane defeated George Washington 37-27 in last year’s meeting.
Class A No. 7 Buffalo (5-0) at Wirt County (2-3)
Buffalo is out to a 5-0 start and ranked No. 7 in this week’s Metronews Power Rankings. This week, the Bison are once again on the road as they travel to Wirt County. The Tigers have a record of 2-3 but have played well at times including a 44-36 victory over Class AA Roane County.
Buffalo will once again rely heavily on their running game with Dylan Lucas and Jacob Hanshaw but also sophomore quarterback Ethan Burgess is developing into a threat with his arm.
This could be one of those “trap” games for Buffalo as they are coming off a hard fought victory over Tug Valley last week and now facing a Wirt County team that has its backs to the wall and desperately needs a win to stay in the playoff hunt.
Buffalo blanked Wirt County last year by a score of 39-0.
Nitro (1-4) at Winfield (1-5)
It’s Homecoming Week at Winfield as head coach Craig Snyder and his Generals host the Nitro Wildcats. Both teams are looking for that second victory of the season.
Last week, Winfield totaled only 142 yards of offense in a 48-12 loss at Spring Valley while the highlight of the night for the Generals was an Andrew Huff touchdown pass to running back Jacob Lewis that went for 71 yards.
Winfield will somehow have to shore up its run defense as Nitro features one of the top running backs in the Kanawha Valley in Austin Banks. Banks has rushed for 695 yards and eight touchdowns so far this season.
Generals sophomore quarterback Andrew Huff threw for a touchdown and ran for another in his first career start last year against the Wildcats as Winfield held on late to defeat Nitro 20-16 at Underwood Field.
South Charleston (2-3) at Ripley (1-4)
Ripley notched their first victory of the season last week with a 34-0 win at Nitro. That was also Vikings’ head coach Eddie Smolder’s first career victory while directing his alma mater.
The Vikings rolled up 442 yards of total offense which included 377 yards on the ground. Quarterback Chance Ranson had a game-high 192 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown. Chance Morgan ran for 62 yards and touchdown while Chase Morgan added 41 yards on eight carries and two more scores.
This week, Ripley will welcome South Charleston to town on Friday night. The Black Eagles have been hit with injuries at key positions early in the season and are coming off a much needed week off.
As always, head coach Donnie Mays’ team is full of talent which includes all-state quarterback Kentre Grier, who has thrown for 878 yards and eight touchdowns through the first five games.
Sophomore Curon Cordon has emerged as a new target for Grier in the first half of the season with 19 catches for 218 yards and four scores. Cordon had a break-out game against No. 1 Cabell Midland two weeks ago with six catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns.
South Charleston defeated Ripley 70-14 in last year’s meeting.
Herbert Hoover (3-2) at Sissonville (1-4)
Sissonville hasn’t lost to Cardinal Conference rival Herbert Hoover since 2011. That year, the Huskies came into Joe Sawyer Field and blanked the Indians 42-0. Friday night, Herbert Hoover will make the trip once again from Falling Rock to face a Sissonville team that has struggled through the first half of the season.
Last week, the Indians were led by Jared Wilkinson’s 84 yards on 18 carries in their 26-0 loss to Class AA No. 3 Tolsia.
In last week’s 71-42 romp over winless Poca, Herbert Hoover amassed 444 rushing yards which included Brody Thomas’ 248 yards on 12 carries and three touchdowns. Tristan Hager added 67 yards and three more scores.
Last year, Sissonville defeated Herbert Hoover, 34-14.
St. Albans (1-4) at Parkersburg (1-4)
The Big Reds are another team that picked up their first win of the season as Parkersburg downed Woodrow Wilson, 34-6 last Friday night at Stadium Field.
Parkersburg outgained Woodrow Wilson in total yards as the Big Reds rushed for 287 yards including running back Easton Martin’s ten carries for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
St. Albans will try to get back in the winning column after giving up an average of 52.7 points per game in its last three losses.
Parkersburg and St. Albans last met on the field in 2012 as the Big Reds defeated the Red Dragons 42-22 at St. Albans.
Other Friday night matchups in the Kanawha Valley:
Riverside (0-5) at Woodrow Wilson (1-4)
Class AA No. 6 Mingo Central at Poca (0-6)
Class AAA No. 2 Capital (5-1) OPEN