CHARLESTON, W.Va. — George Washington secured their third state quarterfinal appearance in five years last fall while making their seventh consecutive postseason appearance. The Patriots fell at Jefferson in round two but their 9-3 mark tied GW’s best season over the last 12 years.
“When the season started, we didn’t have very many superstars. Nobody knew much about the guys. But it was a group that had been together for a long time,” said George Washington head coach Steve Edwards Jr. “They were pretty much all John Adams [Middle School] kids and they lived in the area. My son being a part of that class, I knew those guys. I just knew they were a tough bunch of kids. And they were.”
“Last year was a good year,” said George Washington senior lineman James Payne. “The first time I won a playoff game and it felt good. Playing in front of our home crowd, it was the first time I did that in the playoffs too. Hopefully we can do better this year. That’s the goal.”
The Patriots have starters to replace throughout the roster after losing starting quarterback Cy Persinger and leading receiver Samaje Wesley to graduation. A mix of veterans and newcomers are settling in.
“We’ve got a lot of new guys,” Edwards Jr. said. “We’ve got some kids that transferred in mixed in with the guys that have been here. That’s the thing that I worry about is how they are going to mix. So far, so good.”
Jaden Black was the only freshman to earn Class AAAA first or second team All-State honors last fall and his first team selection was well-earned after a season where he rushed for nearly 1,600 yards with 26 touchdowns. Much will be expected of Black as he enters his second season with the Patriots.
“Fourteen years old and in his first high school game, he carries it 35 times. Who’s that coach?,” Edwards Jr. said. “But he did a great job. He’s a very humble kid. He handles himself well. He has worked real hard in the offseason. He’s gotten stronger and a little bit faster. His best days are ahead of him, for sure.”
“We had a good line last year but there were plays he was just incredible on. Sometimes we would miss a block and he would shed it and run for 30 or run for a touchdown. It was amazing to watch, for sure,” Payne said.
Marshall commit and senior tackle James Payne will be one of the Patriots tasked with plowing the road for Black this fall.
“[Marshall] were my first offer. They stayed in contact. They have a lot of new facilities,” Payne said. “They have a lot of moving pieces. I didn’t see myself leaving the state and going four hours away. I wanted to stay somewhere near home. Marshall is becoming that home for me.”
“He does a good job of relating to the younger guys,” Edwards Jr. said. “He’s got a really compassionate side to him. You wouldn’t know it when you watch his film because he is nasty. But he does a good job and he is a good leader.”
In the early stages of preseason training camp, three quarterbacks are vying for the starting spot and head coach Steve Edwards Jr. would not be surprised to see multiple signal callers share the snaps.
“De’Sean Isabell and Tavion Woods both are good athletes. It adds another dimension if you can get them on the edge a little bit. It is a little different than the GW teams of the past.” Edwards Jr. said. “We usually have a guy that can throw it and hand it off. Now we’ve got a guy that can throw it, hand it off and run it too.”
After finishing fifth out of 20 teams in the Class AAAA playoff ratings, the Patriots hope that Thanksgiving week football, or even December football, may be ahead of them.
“If we can make it just a little bit further, just one more game,” Edwards Jr. said. “The ultimate goal is 14 [games]. If we can do that, great year.”