DELBARTON, W.Va. — Mingo Central junior quarterback Jamere Knuckles rushed for four touchdowns and passed for three more scores as the Miners defeated Logan in a battle of unbeaten teams, 48-27 at James H. “Buck” Harless Stadium on Miner Mountain.
Knuckles completed 23-of-30 passes for 450 yards and he factored in to each of Mingo Central’s seven touchdowns. He also rushed 21 times for 88 yards.
“He had it. We haven’t opened up the playbook but we did tonight, playing a team like this,” said Mingo Central head coach David Jones. “They have the firepower just like we do. Jamere is a stud and we are blessed to have him.”
Mingo Central (7-0) jumped out to a 26-7 second-quarter lead before the Wildcats (6-1) trimmed their deficit to just six points at halftime after a pair of Adam Baisden-to-Lucas Lambert touchdown connections. The Miners got a defensive stop and two more third-quarter touchdowns to regain momentum.
“Coming back out and getting a stop, that was our main focus. We had to go in and do a couple of adjustments. Lucas Lambert is a monster, all credit to that young man. We went and put our D1 guy on him, Aidan Burke.
“We came back out here and we took care of business.”
All four of Logan’s touchdowns came through the air.
“We knew we had to bend and not break. We knew they could pass the ball. We were going to make them try to beat us running the ball. A lot of people haven’t tested us throwing the ball. But we have some great DBs. I am proud of those young men. I am very hard on them. I actually get to coach the DBs.”
Baisden completed 20-of-43 passes for 312 yards. Lambert reeled in 11 passes for 209 yards.
Mingo Central is now one of four undefeated teams remaining in Class AA.
“It is hard to keep teenagers focused on one game, one game whenever you are neighbors. That was just like the Tug [Valley] game. We’re blessed they were able to keep that focus. Our focus was strictly Logan.”