Hayden George proved why he’s the state’s best WR in 2026 Mohawk Bowl
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MORGANTOWN – University High School senior wide receiver Hayden George has exploded onto the scene over the past few seasons in West Virginia high school football.
As a junior in 2025, George totaled 1,323 receiving yards on 93 catches. He averaged 14.2 yards per catch and 101.8 yards per game, and scored 11 touchdowns in 13 games for the Hawks, playing a massive role on a team that reached the Class AAAA semifinals as the No. 7 seed.
He didn't even make the top three in voting for the 2025 Randy Moss Award, given annually by the West Virginia Sportswriters Association to the state’s best wide receiver.
Fast forward to 2026, and George is once again putting up impressive numbers for the Hawks, who concluded their regular season undefeated in Week 10 with a 20-13 victory over Morgantown High in the Mohawk Bowl.
George finished the contest with six catches for 143 yards and a touchdown, which was the game-winning reception with five seconds left on the clock, but that was just one of a number of moments he had that defined his night.
His second catch of the game in the first half may have been the play of the night, as George hauled in an overthrown pass with his fingertips, beat a defender, and turned what looked like an incompletion into a massive gain for UHS.
He also had a catch on the Hawks' scoring drive to tie the game at 13, outjumping an MHS defender to secure the pass that set up Harrison Helbig for a yard-out score.
George finished the 2026 regular season with 38 receptions for 1,137 yards and 17 touchdowns in 10 games. He averaged 26.6 yards per catch, nearly doubling his 2025 mark, and 101.1 yards per game.
There's still plenty of football left to play in the coming weeks leading up to the state championships in December, but George has proved he is the top wideout in the state. He put a seal on that on Friday night in the Mohawk Bowl with a spectacular performance that lifted UHS to its first victory in the annual game since 2021.
It's what he's done every single game for the past 23 games for University, dating back to the beginning of the 2025 regular season.
When the Hawks need someone to rely on when the going gets tough, George is there to provide the relief his team needs to change a game’s trajectory.
He's also elevating his game in ways that put him at the top of the list. As a smaller, shiftier player with quick feet and vision, George wasn't looked at as much of a vertical threat in 2025. This season, he is putting that narrative to rest after proving he can be any type of receiver he needs to be, making catches every way possible.
The Mohawk Bowl is a game where players etch their names into the history books for all time. For Hayden George, his moment came on Friday, but his job is far from over on Baker's Ridge as he leads the Hawks into the postseason.