PARKERSBURG — Parkersburg South scored on its first four possessions Friday night inside Erickson All-Sports Facility and squared its record at 1-1 after handing University a 49-20 setback during the Hawks’ season opener.
For the second straight week, Mother Nature had plans of its own as the game was delayed following the second-half kickoff by the Patriots of head coach Nathan Tanner.
The Patriots’ first drive covered 65 yards as Eli Bartley’s 10-yard touchdown run and James Thompson’s extra point put the hosts ahead for good at the 8:45 mark.
University first-year head coach Eric Snyder’s program didn’t waste any time in answering as freshman Brody Kehler took the ensuing kickoff 80 yards to the house. However, Brady Goodenow’s PAT drilled the top of the right upright and fell into the end zone.
Bartley’s 18-yard touchdown run followed to make it 14-6 and then disaster struck for UHS as the Hawks fumbled the kickoff, which was pounced on by Kaidyn Johnson.
Coach Tanner then dialed up a pass play and Collin Hayes fired a 41-yard bomb that Taj Joyce high-pointed in the back of the end zone for a 21-6 lead with 6:52 still remaining in the opening quarter.
South’s defense forced a three-and-out on the next drive by the Hawks, who then snapped the ball well over the head of punter Stephen Gregg. The junior raced back to get the ball and was unable to get a punt off. He tried a desperation pass and was called for intentional grounding, which led to Bartley’s third score of the affair via a 1-yard TD run on the next snap.
Trailing 28-6, University faced a fourth-and-12 at the Patriot 45 and signal-caller Jack Byrer completed a 19-yard pass to Glenn Brown. Despite facing a fourth-and-8 at the PSHS 24, Byrer managed to find Logan Deel for the 24-yard scoring strike and the deficit was trimmed to 15 after Goodenow’s extra point was true with 1:15 left in the first quarter.
The visitors closed the gap to within one score after Roman Konchesky recovered a Bartley fumble and Byrer capped a nine-play drive by bulling in on a fourth-and-goal from the 1 play.
Coach Snyder then opted to try an onside kick and it was successful as Konchesky came up with the pigskin.
However, the Patriots’ defense forced a three-and-out and the Hawks were intercepted after a tipped ball thanks to Kinzyn Lutchmansingh.
Two plays later, Hayes followed the trap block of Cole Middleton and darted 45 yards to paydirt. Thompson’s extra point was wide left, which made it 34-20 with 2:43 still remaining in the first half.
Patriot Tyson Wagoner recorded his second sack of the game on the next UHS series, which ended when Lutchmansingh came up with his second pick.
South’s final play of the first half resulted in an interception by Luke Byrer.
Following the delay of one hour and 50 minutes, the Hawks went three-and-out and were forced to punt. South needed just six plays to find paydirt again and it was Bartley who darted 37 yards for another six-pointer, which extended the lead to 41-20 with 8:14 to go in the third.
South’s Logan Middleton had a key tackle for loss on University’s next drive, which ended thanks to a Jaxton Lord interception.
The Patriots picked up a team safety with 4:25 remaining in the third when there was another bad snap to the punter Gregg, who turned around and threw the ball out of the back of the end zone, which made it 43-20.
PSHS, which held a 442-147 advantage in total yards, tacked on the final score of the affair late in the third. Devon Forshey, who had six grabs for a game-high 99 yards, hauled in a 23-yard reception from Hayes after Joyce (3-85) had grabbed a 40-yarder. Bartley’s fifth TD of the night came from 2 yards out.
“We came out confident,” admitted Bartley, who joined Hayes with 103 ground yards apiece. “We had a good week of practice this week because we needed a bounceback. We didn’t really play a great game last week. Changed some stuff up on the offensive side and we pounded that rock today.
“I probably did something like that (five TDs) in little league. I think I had seven once, but in high school yeah (career-high TDs). The defense played great. We took out a wide receiver and added Cole Middleton at H-back and man he blocked his tail end off tonight, and so did the O-line. They did great.”
Hayes finished 13 of 18 for 206 yards as Bartley added three receptions for 17 stripes.
Byrer, who completed 17 of 30 for 111 yards, was replaced in the second half after getting injured by Harrison Helbig. Brown paced the UHS wideouts with seven catches for 56 yards.
Parkersburg South, which allowed negative 2 yards rushing on 27 attempts but had more than 100 yards in penalties, returns to action at 7:30 p.m. next Friday at Woodrow Wilson.
The Hawks will look to rebound when Buckhannon-Upshur invades at 7 p.m. next Friday.
By JAY W. BENNETT/The News and Sentinel
BOX SCORE
Parkersburg South 49, University 20
UHS (0-1) 13 7 0 0 – 20
PSHS (1-1) 28 6 15 0 – 49
PS: Eli Bartley 10 run (James Thompson kick) 8:45, 1st
U: Brody Kehler 80 kickoff return (kick failed) 8:32, 1st
PS: Bartley 18 run (Thompson kick) 7:10, 1st
PS: Taj Joyce 41 pass from Collin Hayes (Thompson kick) 6:52, 1st
PS: Bartley 1 run (Thompson kick) 5:31, 1st
U: Logan Deel 24 pass from Jack Byrer (Brady Goodenow kick) 1:15, 1st
U: Byrer 1 run (Goodenow kick) 8:11, 2nd
PS: Hayes 45 run (kick failed) 2:43, 2nd
PS: Bartley 37 run (Thompson kick) 8:44, 3rd
PS: Team safety 4:25, 3rd
PS: Bartley 2 run (kick failed) 2:48, 3rd
Team stats
UHS: First downs: 14; Rushes-yards: 27-(-2); Passing yards: 149; Total yards: 147; Passing: 20-38-3; Punts-average: 4-16.8; Fumbles-lost: 3-2; Penalties-yards: 7-87
PSHS: First downs: 15; Rushes-yards: 34-234; Passing yards: 208; Total yards: 442; Passing: 14-21-1; Punts-average: 4-36.0; Fumbles-lost: 2-2; Penalties-yards: 11-120
Individual stats
UHS: Rushing: Team 2-(-14), Jack Byrer 9-0, Brody Kehler 10-29, Glenn Brown 3-(-6), Harrison Helbig 3-(-11); Passing: Brown 0-1-0, 0 yards; Helbig 3-7-0, 38 yards; Byrer 17-30-3, 111 yards; Receiving: Kaleil Lewis 5-11, Brown 7-56, Hayden George 4-33, Logan Deel 2-33, Kehler 2-16
PSHS: Rushing: Collin Hayes 12-103, Eli Bartley 16-103, Dedrick Riggs 4-15, Kinzyn Lutchmansingh 2-13; Passing: Hayes 13-18-1, 206 yards; Lutchmansingh 1-3-0, 2 yards; Receiving: Devon Forshey 6-99, Taj Joyce 3-85, Brendon Kelley 1-5, Bartley 3-17, Kooper Jackson 1-2
Next games: Parkersburg South at Woodrow Wilson, 7:30 p.m. Friday; Buckhannon-Upshur at University, 7 p.m. Friday.
