— By Randall Jett, The Doddridge Independent
WEST UNION, W.Va. — The name Curt Warner has been linked with Doddridge County for 40 years.
In his senior season, Warner and his Pineville teammates met up with the Bulldogs in a Class A semifinal contest in 1978. The future Penn State and Seattle Seahawk standout had his prep career end in a 27-18 loss at Salem College’s Catalino Field.
It’s fitting that 40 years later Warner’s name is again linked with Doddridge County as the Bulldogs’ Hunter America was chosen as the recipient of this year’s Curt Warner Award as the state’s top running back by the West Virginia Sports Writer Association.
America, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound junior tailback, led all classifications with 2,829 yards and 40 touchdowns this season.
“There’s no other way to say it, it was a tremendous year,” Bulldogs head coach Bobby Burnside said. “The single-season rushing record, single-season scoring record (at Doddridge County) — it might be a career scoring record (at DCHS). He missed one full game. There were several games where he played one or two quarters — it was a phenomenal year. All year long, we gave credit to the line, but he’s also a very gifted, strong, powerful and elusive running back.”
Even more significant was the way America did it.
The junior played roughly 24 quarters in nine games in the regular season, gobbling up 2,193 yards and 34 touchdowns on 207 carries.
America played just four full games in the regular season, a quarter or less in two contests and was out by the half in two others.
That averages out to 91.4 yards and 1.4 touchdowns per quarter and almost 236 yards per game in the regular season.
“Almost 100 yards a quarter,” Burnside said. “That’s crazy. Over a touchdown a quarter. When you put it that way, that’s nuts.”
In three playoff games, America added 636 yards and six touchdowns to his totals before Doddridge County had its season ended in the Class A semifinals by eventual champion Wheeling Central at 12-1.
America was as surprised as anyone at just how successful he was this season.
“I don’t think anyone was expecting me to have a year like this,” America said. “It was a crazy year. No one expects something like that.”
Coming into summer workouts, Doddridge County still had plans to time-share the tailback duties, but America’s competition for the position transferred, leaving him as the lone running back with any experience on the roster.
“Obviously, we shared carries with our running backs in recent years,” Burnside said. “At that position, the only depth behind him at tailback was a freshman and a sophomore, so it was a pleasant surprise. We knew Hunter was very talented, but what he did this year — I think he surprised everyone with just how good he was.”
When fall practice began in earnest, America looked around and realized his workload was going to increase.
“I knew I was going to have a lot more carries than I had last year,” America said. “I knew I’d have to pick up my game this year.
“I hit the weight room and ate right — just training for football.”
It was obvious from the first game, it was going to be a season of Hunter doing the hunting as he ran for 195 yards and five touchdowns and hauled in a 33-yard pass reception for a sixth score in a 52-14 win over South Harrison.
Week 2 though, brought him statewide attention as America ran for 454 yards and seven touchdowns on 32 carries in a shootout, 62-43 win over Tyler Consolidated.
From there, America continued to roll up rushing yardage and touchdowns. If he managed to get through into the second level of the opponent’s defense, more times than not, the elusive runner was headed to the end zone.
“After you get through the first line, it’s your vision,” America said. “I’ve got pretty good vision, so I can see — it’s like a layout, a blueprint of the field, pretty much.You just have to judge and know what’s going to happen.”
The Warner Award was the icing on the cake that was America’s season after he was earlier named as the Little Kanawha Conference player of the year and captain of the Class A first-team offense.
“He’s just a junior,” Burnside said. “To win the Curt Warner Award — all classes — to be recognized as the best running back, what an honor. I mean, that’s huge. I think, it’s an award for Hunter, for our team and for all of Doddridge County.”
Bridgeport senior Jake Bowen was second in the voting for the Curt Warner Award, while Cabell Midland senior Ivan Vaughn was third.
Bowen finished the year with 2,270 yards and 35 touchdowns on 285 attempts in 13 games. Like America, Bowen also sat out large portions of the second half of several contests this season for the Indians. He ends his prep career as the all-time leading rusher at Bridgeport.
Vaughn ran for 1,740 yards and 20 TDs on 233 carries in 11 games for the Knights.
America will be honored for winning the award at the 73rd Victory Awards Dinner at the Embassy Suites in Charleston on May 5, 2019.