KINGWOOD, W.Va. — Each week brings a bit of improvement for University football. After a tough outing against Keyser last week, the Hawks bounced back as they traveled to Preston for a scrimmage on Friday night. They would convert a pair of touchdowns and move the ball efficiently while keeping the Knights out of the endzone.
“Our overall performance was a lot better. It feels like we’re starting to click more,” UHS sophomore Donald Brandel said.
“We really improved in a lot of areas and we were much more physical,” head coach John Kelley said. “I think we were a little intimidated last week because Keyser tossed us around, but we seemed to gain some confidence this week.”
The Hawks will look to use the strong performance to build momentum as they host John Marshall at home to open the regular season this Friday.
Energy high on Preston sideline
There’s a different vibe eminating from the Preston football program this fall, and you can tell by simply watching them play.
The Knights struggled to establish a rhythm as they battled the Hawks on Friday, but came out cracking pads in a fierce performance that showcased the young team’s gutsy mentality.
“Us seniors have been here three years and we decided we’re tired of losing,” Knights senior Hunter Lance said.
“Overall, I liked the aggression,” coach Jonathan Tennant said. “I told them if we play as hard as we did tonight we’ll be competitive with any team on our schedule.”
The Knights struggled to move the ball consistently, with Tennant calling the group’s execution “poor.” Lance attributed the lack of cohesion to a poor focus in practice earlier in the week, which the team looks to fix ahead of the Week 1 contest with Hampshire.
