— By Ethan Collins
SISSONVILLE, W.Va. — The shock value in Class AA was high Friday night as No. 16 seed Elkins defeated top-seeded Sissonville, 42-27, in a first-round playoff matchup.
It also marked the first playoff win in program history for the Tigers.
“It doesn’t even really seem real, but I am ecstatic,” Elkins coach Evan Hott said. “It’s just a testament to how much work these players have put in.”
The Hott family has been in the Elkins coaching tree for an extended time, as Evan’s father, Greg Hott, was the head coach before him. The two shared a long embrace with each other and Evan later added on High School Gamenight, “this means more for him than it does for me.”
This first half went back and forth and Elkins led 18-13 heading back into the intermission.
Sissonville came out trying to seize back momentum with an onside kick that was successful and helped lead to a touchdown.
Although the Indians took the 20-18 lead into the fourth quarter, it didn’t hold for long as Elkins went back on top after scoring on a QB power 1-yard rush by Rodney Vandevender — and a successful two-point conversion made it 26-20.
Sissonville took its last lead of the contest at 27-26 on a 44-yard TD run by Dylan Griffith.
But on the ensuing kickoff, the Indians squibbed it and a slow rolling ball went into the hands of Dante Ramirez, who raced 99 yards for what proved to be the winning touchdown. Another successful two-point conversion from the Tigers gave them a 34-27 lead.
Sissonville’s hope for a comeback took a major hit when it fumbled on the ensuing kickoff and the Tigers recovered. EHS capitalized with a final touchdown to take the two-score lead.
Griffith had 133 of his team’s 176 rushing yards to go with three TDs. The Indians also had 64 yards passing and one touchdown by quarterback Jackson Foster. Braeden Murray accounted for all 64 receiving yards and a score.
Elkins had 312 yards rushing, with fullback Trevor Smith accounting for 109 yards and Vandevender finishing with 102-yards.
Ramirez, however, led the way with four total touchdowns, including three on the ground.
Elkins’ run defense will be put to the test in a quarterfinal as it will face the winner of No. 8 Robert C. Byrd vs. No. 9 Poca — a first-round matchup scheduled Sunday in Clarksburg.