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SETH, W.Va. — Following an 8-2 regular season in 2024, the Sherman Tide collected their first postseason victory in six years with an opening-round win over Tyler Consolidated. Sherman was eliminated by eventual champion Wahama in the quarterfinals. The Tide collected their third playoff victory in 15 years.
“It was invigorating. It was great,” said Sherman senior lineman Luke Elkins. “It was a great feeling to finally do what everybody said we couldn’t do and just have fun while we were doing it.”
An impressive senior class graduated in the spring and many of those players were found on the offensive and defensive lines. Luke Elkins is the lone returning starter up front.
“He started as a freshman and he missed his year as a sophomore,” said Sherman head coach Kevin Buzzard. “Last year, he stepped in well. He played the season with injury but this year he is good to go. He has been working hard in the offseason and making a good run at it.”
The Tide welcome back many of their top skill players. Their offense will once again by engineered by junior quarterback Elijah Pauley. As a sophomore, he passed for 1,272 yards with 15 touchdowns and he also rushed for five scores.
“He’s just focused,” Buzzard said. “He’s hard on himself but he does very well. He’s young and he’s real hard on himself. But he stayed at it and worked hard.”
“I think the line, where we had a really good line, I think it helped him give me and others the ball and let us do what we do,” said Sherman senior wide receiver Trey Lester.
Senior Trey Lester led the Tide in rushing and receiving last year. He accounted for 1,384 yards from scrimmage and 16 total touchdowns.
“His main position is wide receiver but he has many positions on the field,” Buzzard said. “He is one of those kids that if he could play line, he would play line.”
Senior Dawson Green was Sherman’s leading tackler last season with 116 stops and he provided a power presence in the backfield, rushing for 713 yards and six touchdowns.
“He came along midseason last year at running back,” Buzzard said. “We just kind of threw him in there and he took off and ran with it, literally. He is a big part of this offense to get the running game going to open up the pass.”
Sherman has advanced to postseason play in three of their four seasons under Buzzard and the Tide are looking to win multiple postseason games for the first time in school history.
“I think with the crew we have here and the younger guys, most of us were with that crew last year, it is just going to help us feed off that and hopefully go even farther,” Lester said.
“I think we can make a good playoff run, I really do,” Buzzard said. “If we get past that second round, I think we could be a team to watch. We’ve got to focus on the first game, which is Sissonville. If we can get them to come together, I think we will be alright.”