Morgantown leaning on defense in Week 2 matchup against Jefferson
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MORGANTOWN – Entering halftime last week against Parkersburg, Morgantown High held a 13-9 lead and was without its star player, Maddox Twigg, who left the game with an injury early in the first quarter.
Before exiting the game, Twigg was responsible for 170 total yards and both MHS touchdowns scored in the opening half.
The Mohigans managed 20 points in the second half for a 33-9 victory over the Big Reds, but the story of the second half was the defensive effort put forth by the defending Class AAAA state champions.
Parkersburg managed only 21 yards of offense in the entire second half, earning one first down during that span. MHS allowed 152 yards during the game (109 passing, 43 rushing).
With Twigg out, the Mohigans will have to rely even more on their defense when they host Jefferson at 7 p.m. tonight in what will be a rematch of last season's state semifinal game.
"Senior leadership is a strength for us," MHS defensive coordinator Adam King said. "There are a lot of seniors on that defensive unit who are four-year players for our program that have waited their turn to make a name for themselves."
All eyes will turn to the defense in the absence of Twigg, but the MHS coaching staff and players know that when needed, the Mohigans can be relied on to make the stops the team needs and set the tone for the game.
King says with limited film for Week 1 preparation against Parkersburg, his team met a tough challenge.
"It's always a great feeling to play solid defense in the first game," he said. "Coach (Matt) Kimes always presents a difficult challenge with formations and on the perimeter. We met the challenge mentally and played very smart football, limiting mistakes and missed assignments."
Even with the absence of Twigg, the MHS coaching staff and players know the importance of playing their best regardless of the situation.
"That's something Coach (Sean) Biser has established within our program," King said. "We are pretty close to a 50/50 split as far as where we spend time in practice between offense and defense, which I think is a rarity in today's time. Our kids always understand that they have a specific job to do, and they didn't flinch last week."