By Tom Bragg, For Lootpress.com
ELKVIEW, W.Va. – Herbert Hoover has been tasked with a lot of tests so far in the 2024 season.
The Huskies opened with a visit from perennial power Independence, and after weather delays and a game that started on a Thursday and ended on a Friday, prevailed. Winfield had been a tough out for Hoover in recent seasons, but the Huskies raced past the rival Generals.
Hoover had to go on the road twice – once at up-and-coming Nitro, who took the head coach Joey Fields’ team to overtime before senior quarterback Dane Hatfield raced 12-yards for a Huskies’ victory, and last week at always-tough Chapmanville – another win.
So it should come as no surprise that this week Herbert Hoover faces another challenge – this time in the form of a visit from Wayne for a Thursday showdown in Elkview.
The Pioneers (4-1) have been one of the surprises in the new-look Class AA this season, sitting at No. 4 in the WVSSAC Playoff Ratings this week.
The only blemish on Wayne’s record so far came in a 52-6 loss to Nitro on September 27. Othan than that, the Pioneers have taken care of business against Tolsia, Scott, Winfield and Lincoln County.
“Last year we went down there when they were 2-3 and we came out of their with a win by less than a touchdown, then they win the rest of them [in the regular season],” Fields said of the last time Hoover faced Wayne. “Then they go and face Fairmont Senior [in the playoffs, but lose] 31-28 late in the fourth quarter. That’s a team that their dads, or uncles or brothers or whoever it may be have played in state championship games or state championship teams. There is a lot of fight in them.”
Defensively, the Pioneers are a stingy bunch, allowing just 17 points per game and holding the opposition to just 95.2 rushing yards per game.
Four different players have at least 100 rushing yards so far this season for Wayne, led by junior Jayden Waymon’s 504 yards with four touchdowns on 61 carries.
“They’re heavy with old-school Wing-T,” Fields said. “They do a great job of deception with a downhill run game and play action. You’ve got to be disciplined with your eyes, watch for screens and all of those things that they give you window dressing for. They’re really good at it, and they’re coached really, really well at it. It’s always a challenge playing them no matter what type of team you have. If you don’t play well you’re going to have less possessions and you’ve got to get them off the field.”
***
George Washington (5-1) looks to keep its momentum rolling this week when the Patriots welcome old Mountain State Athletic Conference rival Parkersburg (2-3) to Steve Edwards Sr. Field in Charleston’s South Hills neighborhood.
GW suffered its only setback of the season two weeks ago at Spring Valley before bouncing back with a win against cross-town rival Capital last week. The rushing attack continues to lead the way for the Patriots, averaging 271.3 yards on the ground per game.
Parkersburg visits the Kanawha Valley for the third time this season on Friday, hopeful to make it 3-for-3 after wins at South Charleston and Capital in September.
The Big Reds (2-3) have found ways to move the ball this season, but turnovers have hurt. Senior quarterback Cooper Cancade has thrown for 812 yards this season and completes more than 63 percent of his passes, but he has also tossed five interceptions while Parkersburg has fumbled eight times this season, losing four of those.
Across town at University of Charleston Stadium, Capital (2-3) will host Hurricane (4-2) in an MSAC battle.
The Cougars have looked much improved this season with veteran head coach Jon Carpenter, who led CHS to the Class AAA state title in 2014 and a runner-up spot in 2015, back on the sidelines and sophomore running back David Robinson turning heads. Still, they will have a tall task on their hands Friday attempting to slow down a Hurricane offense that averages right around 550 total yards per game – with nearly 300 yards per game of that coming on the ground – and hasn’t scored fewer than 35 points in a game this season.
***
In a crowded new-look Class A field, Sherman has hit the midway point of the schedule in position to potentially push for a state playoff berth.
The Tide (3-1) has only played four games so far, so the back half of the slate include six consecutive weeks of contests, starting Friday at home in Boone County against Man.
Sherman checks in at No. 7 in this week’s Class A WVSSAC Playoff Ratings thanks in large part to the play of junior Trey Lester.
Through four games, Lester leads the Tide with 30 carries for 281 rushing yards with three rushing touchdowns, and is also the team’s leading receiver with 11 receptions for 288 yards and four more touchdowns.
Sophomore quarterback Eli Pauley, meanwhile, is averaging more than 150 passing yards per game with eight touchdown passes compared to just one interception thrown in four games played.
Nnn
Other Kanawha, Putnam and Boone games this week
– Ripley (4-1) at Sissonville (0-6)
– Woodrow Wilson (4-1) at Riverside (1-4)
– St. Albans (0-5) at South Charleston (0-5)
– Lincoln County (0-6) at Nitro (5-1)
– Buffalo (3-3) at Mount View (1-4)
– Logan (2-3) at Scott (3-2)
– Tolsia (3-2) at Van (1-5)
Off this week: Poca (3-3), Winfield (3-3).
***
This week’s updated WVSSAC Playoff Ratings for Kanawha, Putnam and Boone teams:
Class AAAA: Hurricane (No. 9), George Washington (No. 10)
Class AAA: Herbert Hoover (No. 4), Nitro (No. 8), Winfield (No. 16), Capital (No. 21), Riverside (No. 25), St. Albans (No. 30), South Charleston (No. 31)
Class AA: Poca (No. 12), Scott (No. 15), Buffalo (No. 21), Sissonville (No. 29)
Class A: Sherman (No. 7), Van (No. 31)