No. 3 UHS gets past Linsly on Homecoming, 31-6
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MORGANTOWN - Other than maybe catching the dreaded injury bug, there's one main worry that would occupy most high school football coaches who had defeated their previous five opponents by an astounding average of 58-15.
Complacency.
So, when Class No. 3-ranked University High hosted The Linsly School at Mylan Pharmaceutical Stadium on a rainy Homecoming Friday night, and the final score of 31-6 gets posted in the books, it might appear that the undefeated Hawks mauled yet another opponent.
Not so fast, as the Cadets' defensive schemes gave the vaunted UHS offense fits for much of the night, and a few near misses from the Linsly offense could very well have made the final score very different.
University (6-0) broke the ice early in the first quarter on Brady Goodenow's 26-yard field goal after Evan Toler's interception, but despite dominance from the UHS defense - Linsly (2-2) only earned three first half first downs - it took the Hawks' offense until the second quarter to cut down on its unforced errors and get untracked.
Midway through the quarter, quarterback Harrison Helbig connected on the left sideline with Toler, who broke two tackles and scooted down the sideline for a 30-yard score. Following another three-and-out from the Hawks defense, the UHS offense struck quickly again, when Helbig patiently drifted to the right, then fired a laser from the 21 to Hayden George cutting across the goal line to extend the lead to 17-0 to close out the first half scoring.
Starting the second half, the Hawks needed just seven powerful running plays to drive 50 yards, the last 15 from Brody Kehler, to make it 24-0, and appeared as though the rout might be on. But Linsly head coach BJ Depew's squad never backed down or backed off for a single minute, as the Cadets offense ground out a 14-play, 78-yard scoring drive that featured a perfectly executed fake punt 22-yard pass completion from Skyler Hunter to RJ Zitzelsberger to keep the drive alive. Workhorse junior running back George Mamakos powered in from the 10 to cut the lead to 24-6 midway through the third, then the Cadets forced a UHS fumble on their next possession. But the momentum and subsequent drive stalled, and early in the fourth, a crazy sequence from the Hawks offense put any hopes of a Linsly upset to bed.
Taking a pitch near midfield, Kehler's fumble was plucked out of the air by a Cadets defender, but after both seemed to share possession for a few steps, Kehler wrestled the ball back. The double turnover gave UHS the ball right back, and one play later, elusive senior scatback Jaedyn Katchur zipped around the right edge, cut around a pair of defenders, and sprinted in for a clinching 37-yard TD run.
After the game, University head coach Eric Snyder had nothing but praise for the Cadets.
"That is one tough team," he insisted, "and I have a ton of respect for what Coach Depew has done with his team. They are very talented and disciplined and played hard-nosed football the entire game. We had to respond with discipline and toughness, and I think we did a good job with that.
"They came out well-prepared, especially with a defense that we hadn't seen on film from them all season," Snyder continued with an appreciative smile, "so it took us a bit to get on track, and they were able to take away some of our explosive plays for most of the game. But we responded well with patience on offense, kept our confidence up, and still found a way to put up 31 points."
Snyder knows his team needs challenges to continue to improve, and the Cadets provided that challenge.
"Steel sharpens steel," he explained, "and we had to grind this one out for four quarters. Our starters had to play ironman football, instead of resting the second half, and we had to play the kind of football that wins games late in the season and beyond. I'm proud of their effort, their response, and I'm very happy with a Homecoming win."
BOX SCORE
Linsly 0 0 6 0 - 6
University 3 14 7 7 - 31
SCORING SUMMARY
UHS-Brady Goodenow 26 field goal
UHS-Evan Toler 30 pass from Harrison Helbig (Goodenow kick)
UHS-Hayden George 21 pass from Helbig (Goodenow kick)
UHS-Brody Kehler 15 run (Goodenow kick)
LIN-George Mamakos 10 run (try failed)
UHS-Jaedyn Katchur 37 run (Goodenow kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
PASSING: Linsly-Landon Cottrill 7-20-2 39, RJ Zitzelsberger 1-1 3, Skyler Hunter 1-1 22. University-Helbig 10-20 136 2 TD.
RUSHING: Linsly-Mamakos 21-98 TD, Rocco Troullos 2-5, Zitzelsberger 3-0, Chris Upton 1-1, Cottrill 9-(-28), Jacoby Thomas 3-1, University-Kehler 21-98 TD, Katcher 11-116 TD, Helbig 7-(-15), Nico Maisel 1-(-3).
RECEIVING: Linsly- Nolan Smith 1-3, Upton 2-23, Tairee Smith 1-0, Troullos 2-16, Zitzelsberger 1-22. University- Branden Custer 1-11, K.K. Lewis 3-38, Kehler 1-9, George 4-48 TD, Toler 1-30 TD.