MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Much has been made about University’s high-powered offense.
The Class AAAA No. 1 Hawks entered Friday’s matchup against No. 7 Wheeling Park with 167 points over their first three games.
Should the UHS defense perform near the level it did against the Patriots, an already strong team becomes that much more dangerous.
University got another stellar offensive showing and was sound on special teams, while limiting Wheeling Park to 60 total yards as the Hawks cruised to a 66-0 victory at Mylan Pharmaceuticals Stadium.
“Our kids were pretty upset about giving up 50 points to Parkersburg South [in a 76-50 Week 2 win], and as a staff, we were, too. We knew we had to make it more simple for the guys,” UHS coach Eric Snyder said. “We have kids that can play this game and had to say quit trying to outthink us. Ever since, we’ve had a little chip on our shoulder and tonight was a good accumulation of all three phases being fundamentally sound. Our defensive front played their best game of the entire season. I always think the weather helps out a little bit with our big guys up front. It’s hard when it’s 90 degrees, so when it’s in the mid 60s and 70s like tonight, it’s a lot better for those guys.”
After forcing Park (2-2) to go three-and-out on the game’s first series, UHS (4-0) showcased its balanced and fast-paced offense off the bat, driving 77 yards and scoring the game’s first points on Brody Kehler’s 2-yard touchdown run. Brady Goodenow made his first of nine point-after kicks to make it 7-0.
One play after Hawks’ quarterback Harrison Helbig connected with wideout KK Lewis for a 34-yard gain on the second UHS series, Kehler crossed the goal line on a 1-yard run to double his team’s lead with 4:15 left in the first quarter.
UHS wasn’t done with its first-quarter scoring, however, and after forcing another Patriots’ punt, Helbig connected with Branden Custer on a fourth-and-5 conversion to move the ball into the red zone, and two plays later, the quarterback had his first touchdown pass of the matchup when he found Evan Toler on a 5-yard scoring play for a 21-0 lead.
“We’re able to get the tempo,” Snyder said. “Coach [Dustin] Lawless is doing an amazing job calling the offensive system. We have the ability to pass at times, but we’re wanting to run the rock. I bet we’re right about 50/50 just anywhere on the field, too. We’re not just going to be 50/50 and then run-heavy inside the red zone. It keeps guys off balance and makes them guard the entire width of the field. It opens up lanes. When you have an unloaded box and our offensive line is playing the way it is, that’s going to be a nice advantage for us.”
The Hawks’ defensive front continued to dominate and erased any threat of a Patriot ground game, while consistently getting into the backfield to prevent Park quarterback Jay Bordas from growing comfortable.
A mishandled snap moved University out of the red zone on its fourth series, but the Hawks still produced points when Goodenow knocked in a 43-yard field goal for a 24-point advantage.
Helbig would go on to throw two more touchdown passes in the first half, the first a 24-yard connection with Hayden George, before he found Lewis on a 14-yard scoring strike with 8 seconds left in the second quarter to make it 38-0 at halftime.
Halftime: University 38, Wheeling Park 0
After first touchdown, Hawks have also scored on:
Kehler 1-yard run
Helbig 5-yard pass to Toler
Goodenow 43-yard field goal
Helbig 24-yard pass to George
Helbig 14-yard pass to Lewis #wvprepfb pic.twitter.com/BxbIHMXx5Z— Greg Carey (@gcarey938) September 19, 2026
“I thought we would have a little more offensive production,” Wheeling Park coach Chris Daugherty said. “Credit to them. We’re a young football team starting five new kids up front and three of them are sophomores. We can only say that for so long. We have to get better. We’ll have moments, but then we’ll have moments the other way, too.”
UHS generated 312 yards on 32 plays over the first two quarters.
The Hawks hardly let up the rest of the way and scored touchdowns on four of their first five plays of the second half. The first was Helbig’s 70-yard pass to Lewis, before Kehler reached the end zone on a 30-yard run that put him over 100 yards for the game.
Helbig connected with George on a 70-yard TD pass to make it 59-0, and Jaedyn Katchur capped the scoring on a 62-yard touchdown run.
Helbig completed 18-of-21 passes for 366 yards with five touchdowns.
George led all players with 145 receiving yards on six catches, while Lewis followed with 123 yards on four grabs.
Kehler carried 10 times for 102 yards.
“Harrison had a terrific game and the offensive line is able to make stuff happen with our protection and make stuff happen for our playmakers on the perimeter,” Snyder said. “Hayden George had a heck of a game and he’s having a heck of a year as well.”
The Patriots netted 10 rushing yards on 22 attempts, while Bordas completed 7-of-14 passes for 50 yards. He did not play in the second half.
“At the end of the day, that’s an older, better football team,” Daugherty said, “but we should not look the way we looked tonight.”