[ad_1]
Photo of Michael D. McElwain Wheeling Park wide receiver Jerrae Hawkins has 248 receiving yards and two of 15 touchdowns this season.
WHEELING – Even though this is only week four of the West Virginia high school season, there will be plenty at stake on Saturday night at Wheeling Island Stadium when Wheeling Park plays host to the University in a football powers clash. .
The Patriots (1-1) will be looking to show they are still the team to beat in the OVAC after dropping a game in Steubenville two weeks ago and calling off their game last week due to COVID. Meanwhile, the Hawks (3-0) are looking to build on their impressive start to the season and prove they can be a true contender in 2021.
“We knew this game against Park and next week against Fairmont Senior is going to prove whether we’re a contender or a contender,” University coach John Kelley said. “This is what will happen. We know we have to win big name games like these to show we belong. “
The University has finished its schedule so far this season, beating John Marshall 55-0, Parkersburg South 62-33 and Brooke 52-20.
“We’ve scored over 50 points in all three games, that’s not going to happen against Park, we know that,” Kelley said. “Park is a tough draw because you have to go and it’s a really tough place to play. You have to win these types of games if you want to be good. We think we’re a good football team, but I’m happy that we have a real measuring stick and find out how good we really are. “
Park, on the other hand, made his way early in the season.
This season’s schedule officials have done the Patriots a disservice as they faced Powers Ohio, St. Clairsville and Steubenville in their first two games and now face the Hawks on Saturday. Park coach Chris Daugherty has said he would have liked to play a few easier games early in the season, but the Patriots are still fighting.
“I think a good healthy mix (of difficulty) would be nice, but at the end of the day you can’t always choose that,” Daugherty said. “There are a lot of advantages to playing two tough games, especially when they’re local because, mentally, your kids are focused for those games. This sharpens you for the rest of the season.
Daugherty was able to watch the University game at Brooke last week and was impressed with what he saw of the Hawks.
“Coach Kelley is doing a great job, his staff are doing a great job,” he said. “They’ve been playing with a bunch of kids since they were in second grade and they’re now seniors, they’re seasoned. They really have it all. They can throw it, they can run it, they have you defending a lot of the ground.
After the game, Brooke coach Mac McLean said the University had outperformed its Bruins. Daugherty agreed, acknowledging how fast the University team is this season.
“There were times when Brooke was in a good position and they just got beaten there,” Daugherty said. “You have to eliminate these things and you have to play the ball.”
Against the Bruins, University quarterback Chase Edwards had 337 yards and six touchdowns. Receiver Noah Braham caught four passes for 163 yards and two scores. Sage Clawges (four catches, 73 yards, two touchdowns) and Elija Jackson (four catches, 71 yards, two touchdowns) also had big games.
Despite last week’s victory and their impressive start to the season, Kelley is making sure her team gives the Patriots the respect they deserve this week.
“They are very skillful, they probably have as much speed, if not more, than us and we are a speed team,” Kelley said. “They graduate 20 kids and they put 20 kids back there who are just as good. … We wouldn’t be 3-0 if we played their schedule, I can tell you that.
The story for Park entering this season was that they replaced their 11 of their offensive starters as of 2020. Quarterback Brett Phillips has been excellent so far, throwing for 442 yards and four touchdowns in two games and the speedster Jerrae Hawkins became the Patriot’s top playmaker, catching 15 passes for 248 yards and two scores.
“Our first two opponents were very, very good and so in order for us to be as effective as we were sometimes against Steubenville and to be as effective as we were in the St. Clairsville game, I was happy with it. 11 new faces, ”Daugherty mentioned. “But now it’s going to start to fade, they played football and we can’t go on saying ‘young’ forever.”
Daugherty said Park’s keys to winning on Saturday generate big plays on offense while limiting those for University.
“I’m a guy who normally says you have to win the line of scrimmage, and that’s true, but I think it’s going to be a game of big plays and if we can limit their big plays and keep pace, I think will be a key, ”Daugherty said.
Kelley, on the other hand, aims to keep Park’s offense off the field for as long as possible.
“We have to keep their attack off the pitch, we have to stretch their defense, neutralize their special teams, which are really, really good, and hope for a break here and there,” Kelley said. “It should be a great game, I don’t see anyone blowing themselves up for sure.”
[ad_2]
Source link