MILL CREEK, W.Va — Kole Puffenberger threw four touchdown passes in the first half as No. 10 Pendleton County defeated Tygarts Valley 34-7 Thursday night at Bulldog Field. The game was called off with 9:54 left in the third quarter due to persistent lightning in the area.
Puffenberger needed just eleven completions to account for his four scores. He ended the game with 233 yards passing.
Timothy Thorne was the top target for the Wildcats. The senior wideout caught six passes for 190 yards and two scores. Dallas Sly led the Pendleton rushing attack. He rushed for 70 yards on 11 totes with a touchdown.
Tygarts Valley needed just 12 seconds to take a 7-0 lead. Caden Boggs returned the opening kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown.
But Pendleton responded quickly. They scored just 47 seconds later when Puffenberger connected with Thorne on a 44-yard scoring strike.
Later in the first quarter, Puffenberger rolled out and found Joshua Wagoner in the back of the end zone to give the Wildcats a lead they would not relinquish.
Puffenberger would engineer three more scoring drives in the second quarter as Pendleton jumped out to a 34-7 halftime lead.
The Wildcats outgained the Bulldogs 339-32.
“Defensively, we schemed well early in the week,” said Pendleton County head coach Zach Smith. “We knew what they were going to do. I was pleased with our effort on defense and the way we ran to the football.”
The Wildcats (5-2) have posted back-to-back quality wins to solidify their bid for a playoff spot. Pendleton defeated previously-unbeaten Tucker County, 16-0 last week. They will enter their bye week inside the top ten in the WVSSAC rankings.
“We have a lot of things to work on and fix,” said Smith.
Tygarts Valley (3-3) will host Wirt County next Friday.