Kanawha Valley: Two top 10 MSAC matchups in Week 10

By: Jack Withrow, WVMetroNews.com

AAA No. 5 Capital (6-2) at AAA No. 8 South Charleston (5-3) – Friday, 7:00

Plenty to play for in this Kanawha Valley rivalry game including playoff positions and bragging rights.

No. 5 Capital, coming off a dismal showing in last week’s 21-0 loss at Spring Valley, will travel to No. 8 South Charleston for a 7:00 kick off at Black Eagles Stadium.

The trip to Spring Valley last Friday started out bad and never got better as the team bus was delayed for several hours due to traffic caused by a vehicle accident on the interstate. Once Capital finally arrived, Spring Valley – ranked No. 2 in this week’s WVSSAC playoff ratings – continued the Cougars’ woes as the Timberwolves held Capital to just 47 total yards of offense.

Sophomore quarterback Kerry Martin, Jr. completed only 3-of-11 passes for 33 yards and threw three interceptions as Spring Valley racked up 406 yards of rushing on a rain-soaked field.

Meanwhile, South Charleston recorded its best win of the season as the Black Eagles defeated visiting Huntington 34-23 last Friday night.

Quarterback Trae Murphy rushed for 117 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns while completing 9-of-11 passes for 128 yards and another score. Murphy connected with WVU football commit, Derrek Pitts four times for 62 yards and a touchdown. Pitts also contributed to the scoring with a 74-yard kickoff return in the second quarter.

This will be the 27th meeting between these two teams as Capital has a 20-6 advantage over South Charleston including a hard fought 26-21 victory in last year’s meeting at South Charleston.

 

AAA No. 10 George Washington (5-3) at AAA No. 9 Hurricane (5-3) – Friday, 7:00

Another top 10 battle between two Mountain State Athletic Conference teams as George Washington, ranked No. 10 in this week’s WVSSAC playoff ratings travels down to Hurricane to take on the No. 9 Redskins.

Last week’s rain showers grounded what has been a very potent Patriots’ passing game as George Washington running back Jonathan McClung rushed for a game-high 182 yards on 29 carries and a touchdown to lead the Patriots over visiting Riverside 21-6.

Sophomore quarterback Grant Wells, the leading passer in the MSAC didn’t complete a pass on the evening. Wells still leads the conference with 91-of-191 passes for 1,402 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Hurricane and Woodrow Wilson didn’t get started until 9:30 last Friday night as the Flying Eagles’ travels were also slowed by the traffic conditions around the Kanawha Valley. But it didn’t take long for the Redskins offense to get going as they used a 34-point second quarter to blank Woodrow Wilson 41-0.

The victory snapped a three game losing streak for the Redskins as senior Dylan Plumley rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown while throwing for 95 yards and two more scores. Plumley, in his first year as the starting quarterback, has completed 75-of-144 passes for 1,050 yards and 9 touchdowns with just three interceptions.

Defensively, it’s been Lucas Cooper leading the way for the Redskins with 70 total tackles including 50 solo tackles. Cooper recorded his second scoop-and-score of the season on Friday night as he recovered a Woodrow Wilson fumble and raced 30 yards for the touchdown. His younger brother, J.T. Cooper is second on the team with 66 total tackles.

George Washington owns a 14-8 overall series record against Hurricane as the Patriots won last year’s meeting 32-14.

 

A No. 13 Buffalo (6-2) at AA No. 9 Winfield (6-2) – Friday, 7:30

One of the most interesting matchups in the Kanawha Valley for this week as Class A No. 13 Buffalo travels across the Kanawha River to face Class AA No. 9 Winfield.

Generals Stadium should be packed on Friday night as a loss for either one of these two teams could put them on the outside of the playoffs.

Buffalo is coming off another close loss last week as Class A No. 2 Fayetteville used a last second field goal to defeat the Bison 24-21 at Bison Stadium.

Buffalo’s Dylan Lucas seemed to be slowed just a bit as he only rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns on a soggy, wet field. The senior running back is one of the top rushers in the state with 158 carries for 1,848 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Winfield picked up a big win last Friday night as they traveled down to Chapmanville for a 37-23 victory over the Tigers.

The Generals used a tough rushing attack as quarterback Andrew Huff carried the ball 31 times for 229 yards and three touchdowns while running back Zack Bratton added 154 yards on 29 carries and two scores.

This will be the 57th meeting between the two Putnam County schools as Winfield holds a 40-12-4 series record over Buffalo. However, the Bison have won the last 3 out of 4 matchups including a 24-13 victory the last time these two met on the gridiron in 2005.

 

AA No. 12 Herbert Hoover (6-2) at AA No. 4 Mingo Central (8-0) – Friday, 7:30

Herbert Hoover went on the road last week and picked up a big win over a good Roane County team. The Huskies defense faced a talented quarterback in the Raiders’ Tyler May. May rushed for 225 yards on 32 carries and two touchdowns but that would be the only scoring the Hoover defense would give up in the 25-13 victory.

This week, the Huskies have an even larger road test at No. 4 ranked and undefeated Mingo Central.

Central boasts a very talented quarterback as well in junior Jeremy Dillon. Dillon – a dual threat quarterback – is near the top of the Cardinal Conference in passing with 1,694 yards on 105 completions and 23 touchdowns.

Herbert Hoover’s Colten Rollyson continues to lead the Huskies offensive attack as he rushed 20 times for 149 yards and two touchdowns Friday night against Roane County. For the season, Rollyson has carried the ball 96 times for 842 yards and 12 scores.

This will be the 6th meeting between the two schools and Hoover has yet to defeat Mingo Central. Last year, the Miners defeated the Huskies 41-6 in Falling Rock.

 

Other Friday night matchups in the Kanawha Valley:

Parkersburg (3-5) at Riverside (4-5) – Friday, 7:00

Scott (2-6) at Nitro (1-7) – Friday, 7:00

AA No. 5 Sissonville (7-1) at Poca (0-9) – Friday, 7:00

St. Albans (1-8) OPEN

 





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