Valley (Fayette) has certainly risen to the occasion this season, and nothing illustrated that more than the Hounds’ versatile attack that was on display during a 38-8 win over previously undefeated and then No. 2 Meadow Bridge.
Cody Winter has been the Greyhounds battering ram all season, and he was against Meadow Bridge, with 15 carries for 107 yards. He now has 494 yards rushing on the season for the 5-0 Hounds.
The Hounds showed their versatility in the game as quarterback Raeshawn Breckenridge threw two touchdowns passes and intercepted another, returning it for a touchdown. Also, Dante Wilkerson caught one of the touchdown passes, while also returning a punt 89 yards for a score.
The punt return gave the Hounds a 22-6 lead at the half.
"He’s been close (to breaking one) this year," Valley coach Benny Hopkins said. "He can run now."
Interestingly, the two spent last season in the Kanawha Valley, Breckenridge as a back-up QB at Class AAA state runner-up George Washington and Wilkerson at Capital, where he did not play football.
Both are from the Montgomery area originally and moved back home over the summer.
"It’s just good to be back with all these guys that I grew up with," Wilkerson said. "Me and Raeshawn have known each other forever. We all grew up together. It’s just like being back with all my friends and family."
Now the Hounds host Pendleton County, a team that is 3-3 after falling to a pair of ranked Class A teams in Meadow Bridge and East Hardy.
Pendleton is led by running back Logan Raines, who had 158 yards rushing on Meadow Bridge in a 34-24 loss. Quarterback Daniel Heavner completed 5 of 16 passes for 56 yards.
Pendleton led 24-22 heading into the fourth quarter before Jake Parker scored twice to give the Wildcats the lead.
Point Pleasant (5-1) at Oak Hill (4-1)
The Jalen Jones Show continued Friday, as the Red Devils won their fourth straight game, shutting out Shady Spring 20-0 at rain-soaked John P. Duda Stadium.
Jones rushed for 236 yards and a pair of touchdowns to run his mid-season stat sheet to 1,066 yards and 15 touchdowns. Including his kicking chores, Jones has tallied 114 points on the season.
For all the notoriety Jones has received, and deservedly so, Oak Hill’s defense has flown under the radar.
Oak Hill has now pitched back-to-back shutouts against Nicholas County (40-0) and Shady Spring (20-0).
Coach Eddie Souk Jr. has stressed over the last three weeks that his defense has started to buy into what the coaching staff is trying to do, scheme-wise.
After giving up 43 points in a season-opening loss to Elkins, which had been undefeated until running into Bridgeport last week, Oak Hill has given up just 33 points and is giving up just 15.2 points per game in starting 4-1.
Meadow Bridge (5-1) at Grundy, Va . (2-3)
The Wildcats suffered their first loss of the season, as Valley handed Meadow Bridge a 38-18 setback Friday at Frank Arritt Memorial Stadium.
It was only the second time Meadow Bridge has lost at home in the last three seasons.
The other was a 22-21 loss to Grundy last season.
Jake Parker was actually limited to 106 yards by Valley (62 of those yards came on 13 carries on the opening drive, which Parker finished off with a 3-yard run).
After that, the Hounds did a good job of containing Parker, who now has 1,362 yards on the ground.
"It’s no surprise what we are going to do," coach Larry McClintic said. "Valley is a very physical football team. They whipped us up front."
Parker, who now has 204 carries on the season, is on pace to break the state record for carries in a season, which is 330.
Midland Trail (4-2) at Clay County (1-4)
Don’t look now, but Midland Trail is becoming a player in the Class A playoff race.
The Patriots, who has suffered through back-to-back winless seasons before winning two games last season, won their third straight game Friday, beating Montcalm (3-3) 29-12.
Jake Grimmett has responded with a huge season as a multi-position player for the Patriots, with 749 yards rushing and 295 passing.
He had a pair of rushing touchdowns Friday in the win over Montcalm and also returned a fumble for another score.
Clay County stands at 1-4, but three of those losses have been by a touchdown, including a 36-31 loss to undefeated Valley.
Wyoming East (4-2) at PikeView (0-6)
Wyoming East is making strides at getting back into the Class AA playoff picture.
The Warriors earned a big 10-6 win over River View Friday and also have a big win over Mingo Central to their credit.
The Warriors are led by the one-two running punch of Jacob Summe (162 carries, 849 yards and five touchdowns) and Chris Cecil (60-286-8).
The Warriors have been in every game this season. Their two losses were by a combined five points to county rival Westside (22-20) and a surprising loss to Mount View (18-15).
Struggling PikeView is winless.
Other games:
Huntington (4-1) at Woodrow Wilson (4-2)
Summers County (3-3) at Independence (2-3)
James Monroe (2-4) at Shady Spring (2-3)
Greenbrier West (5-1) at Pocahontas County (2-4)
Greenbrier East (1-4) at Nitro (2-3)
Fayetteville (0-6) at Mount View (2-4)
Saint Albans (0-6) at Princeton (0-6)
Tygarts Valley (0-5) at Richwood (2-4)
Tug Valley (5-1)) at Webster County (3-3)
River View (4-2) at Bluefield (4-1)
Liberty Raleigh (4-2) and Nicholas County (3-3) are off this week.