By Philip See for WVMetroNews.com
Hurricane Harvey, which brought record levels of rainfall and destruction to Houston, Texas and residents along the Gulf Coast, has since made its way inland and is creeping toward West Virginia.
While the Mountain State is fortunately not forecasted to receive nearly the amount of precipitation and winds as when it first made landfall, the potential for heavy rainfall, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods has prompted a few schools to move contests to Thursday night.
Among the games that will be played on Thursday are Riverside at Capital, Hurricane at Paintsville, Ky., and George Washington at Ashland Blazer, Ky.
Riverside (1-0) at Class AAA No. 4 Capital (0-1)
Riverside football is on the rise. After string of tough years that included consecutive winless seasons in 2014 and ’15, the Warriors amassed four wins last year and were in the mix for a playoff berth late into the season.
The Warriors started this season looking even stronger than the last with a dominant 45-7 victory over Woodrow Wilson. Quarterback Mark Scites led the way, passing for two touchdowns and running for a third while running backs Caden Easterling and Gage Lanham both surpassed the 100-yard mark on the ground and Blake Wentz collected more than 150 receiving yards.
A huge test awaits Riverside in week two in the form of the Capital Cougars. The Cougars dropped their season opener against Kentucky 4A power Johnson Central, but they have dominated the Warriors in recent years. Capital has won the last five meetings between the two squads by a combined score of 253-35.
If Riverside can find a way to knock off Capital, it would be a huge step toward returning the program to the success it had in the late 1990s and early 2000s. A loss, though, would not necessarily derail the Warriors’ hopes to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2007.
For Capital, this game represents an opportunity to get back on track. The Cougars dropped their opener to Johnson Central last year but went on to a 7-3 regular season and a semifinal appearance. Another win over Riverside could set them on a similar path this season.
Class AAA No. 7 Cabell Midland (0-1) at No. 8 South Charleston (1-0)
Quarterback Trae Murphy broke free for a 74-yard touchdown run with 4:13 to play to spark South Charleston to a 13-12 victory over George Washington.
This marked the second consecutive season that Black Eagles have been able to grind out a low-scoring, defense-dominated victory over their rivals. In fact, it was a great defensive play that sealed the victory for South Charleston when D.Q. Watkins came up with an interception deep in his own territory with less than a minute to play.
The schedule certainly does not lighten for the Black Eagles as they welcome in Cabell Midland this week. The Knights are coming off a tough 49-41 loss to a very good Cincinnati Anderson, Ohio squad. The Black Eagles will need to find an answer for running back Ivan Vaughn, who rushed for more than 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the opener.
South Charleston has not beaten Cabell Midland since 2010, though that span only includes four contests. (The two teams did not meet in 2013 or 2014.) Though the recent outcomes have been in favor of Midland, the series has been very competitive. Outside of last year’s 29-0 Midland victory, the other three contests have been decided by 4, 6, and 15 points.
Class AAA No. 9 Hurricane (1-0) at Paintsville, Ky. (2-0)
Hurricane started its season in familiar fashion with a 31-15 victory over rival Winfield, its eighth consecutive victory over the Generals. Quarterback Nathan Roy threw for 184 yards and two touchdowns in his debut, and Christian Hill surpassed the 100-yard mark on the ground in the victory.
Hurricane will be the second team from the Kanawha Valley to travel to Paintsville, Ky. to play in as many weeks. Last week, Capital traveled there to face Johnson Central, and this week Hurricane will take on Paintsville High. The Tigers are one of the top teams in 1A, Kentucky’s smallest classification, and advanced to the state semifinals last season.
Paintsville features senior Tyrese Allen, a 6’3” 290-pound defensive tackle. Not only is Allen a force on the field, but he is also of special interest to Mountaineer fans. He has committed to play football collegiately at West Virginia University next year.
Other Games:
Buffalo (0-1) at Tolsia (0-1)
Chapmanville (0-1) at Poca (0-1)
George Washington (0-1) at Ashland Blazer, Ky. (1-1)
Herbert Hoover (0-1) at Winfield (0-1)
Nitro (1-0) at St. Albans (0-1)
Sissonville (1-0) at Logan (1-0)