South, Parkersburg in quest for first win

Parkersburg South’s Derek Sandy (2), Kinzyn Lutchmansingh (7) and Kaidyn Johnson (10) chase down Wheeling Park’s Brennan Wack (4) during last week’s season-opener at Erickson All-Sports Facility. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

PARKERSBURG – One game does not a season make.

After dropping its season-opener last Friday to Wheeling Park, Parkersburg South returns to Erickson All-Sports Facility to meet a University outfit which has a new coach for the first time in 38 years.

Game time is set for 7 p.m.

Taking over the Hawks’ program is Eric Snyder, who was a longtime assistant under John Kelley. Kelley stepped down in February after compiling nearly 250 wins and taking University to 23 playoff appearances – including a state runner-up finish in 1994 as part of the program’s only appearance in the title game.

“Coach Snyder has been on staff previously for about 10 years – a lot of the things they do are similar with what they have done the past couple of years,” South coach Natde Tanner said.

Friday marks Snyder’s debut since University opened the first week of high school in West Virginia with an open week.

“We have film from their two scrimmages, so we have been preparing with what they use,” Tanner said. “On film, they saw them use a variety of concepts offensively. They did a good job of executing.”

In his sixth season with South, Tanner is 3-1 against University – including wins over the Hawks the past two seasons.

South’s skills players have changed drastically due to graduation, and after losing to Wheeling Park 35-14 in its season-opener the Patriot coaching staff has decided to make some personnel adjustments on offense.

What to be exact? Coach Tanner remained mum on what fans can expect to see.

“We are excited about the few little things we have changed,” Tanner said. “We will apply them on Friday and hopefully execute.”

South running back Eli Bartley is coming off a 101-yard rushing performance against WP, while quarterback Collin Hayes threw for 207 yards and one touchdown. Receiver Taj Joyce hauled in eight catches for 123 yards and one TD.

Defensively, Derek Sandy recorded a team-high 15 tackles, while Logan Middleton ranked in a tie for second with nine tackles, including two resulting in minus yards.

“We have made some adjustments from Week 1 to Week 2 – I’ve seen a lot of growth,” Tanner said. “I told the guys I believe in them as a group, and I’ve seen them take big steps before. This team looked a lot different at the end of July than at the beginning of June.”

University will showcase a new quarterback. Make that quarterbacks because the Hawks are working with a trio of individuals at the position with Jack Bryer, Glenn Brown and Harrison Helbig.

Second-team, all-state receiver Erthan Jackson returns after finishing with 65 catches for 1,041 yards and 12 TDs last year as a sophomore.

Two-way player Brock Kehler could be a handful lining up at tight end and linebacker. Kehler has announced his intentions to wrestle for West Virginia University.

PHS opens

season in MSAC

PARKERSBURG – Following a tough season-opening setback at Stadium Field to Morgantown, the Parkersburg High School football team is ready to start the Mountain State Athletic Conference portion of its schedule when the Big Reds invade Class AAA South Charleston for a 7:30 p.m. Friday kick.

The Class AAAA Big Reds, who ran 83 plays during last week’s 24-13 setback to the Mohigans, will take on the Black Eagles of head man Dustin Resler, whose squad opened up with a 38-19 defeat at the hands of Ripley.

“They got some talent around the board, across the field,” PHS boss Matt Kimes said of SC, which saw Malcolm Brown score all three touchdowns versus the Vikings. “They’ve got a quarterback and a running back that can both run the ball and they got a couple skill kids on the outside they try to get in space that can make plays. I think their offensive line is kind of a work in progress. They’ve got a couple nice looking kids and one kid I think is going to be a real good player.

“They are kind of a work in progress there. They are trying to spread it out and they go 2 by 2 and 3 by 1 and try to get people in space, which is what I think they got to try and do. Defensively they are really simple. They are just doing a 4-4, cover 3, kind of a base defense. I think as long as we play like we are capable of playing it’s a game we should be able to have some success in.”

The Big Reds had plenty of success against Morgantown other than the final score for the most part.

“We’re probably going to have two or three guys who are game time decisions,” admitted Kimes. “See how they progress the rest of the week. A couple guys are going to be out. (Sylas) Cheuvront is going to be out from four to six weeks, probably, with his elbow. Preston Riffle has an ankle and he’s probably going to be out for a couple weeks. You know, the other guys are trying to go this week and trying to get healthy, but again it’s day-to-day and game time decision on them.

“What I told the kids this week, I said it’s OK to be disappointed with the outcome, but don’t be discouraged for how we played because for 90, 95% of that game I felt we were in control of the football game. When you go back and watch the film it’s even more disappointing because we did so many good things to put ourselves in a position to win it, and then just had some crucial mistakes and also not capitalizing in the red zone to finalize drives.”

Chevront had a key forced fumble on the second half kickoff return by MHS, which was recovered by teammate Tyler Shahan.

“He actually went down right before the lightning delay,” Kimes said of Cheuvront. “Jakel (Shelton) was cramping. (Ethan) Jones was cramping. We threw him in there and he had a screen he caught and then two nice runs, and right there on our sideline his elbow popped up.

“Unfortunate for him. Nobody works harder than him. He’ll do everything it takes to get back as soon as he can.”

Despite the setback last Friday, Kimes is anxious to move ahead with the campaign.

“It seems like I called plays all night is what it seemed like,” Kimes said of PHS having 83 offensive snaps. “I was exhausted. Not to mention a two-and-a-half hour delay. It just felt like we had the ball the whole game is what it felt like.”