MORGANTOWN — After being shut out the week prior, the Morgantown High football team needed a jolt to get things going against South Charleston last week.
The Mohigans got just what they needed right away when A.J. Thomas took the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.
It was smooth sailing the rest of the way as MHS rolled to a 62-0 victory over South Charleston on Saturday.
“Returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown last week was a great feeling and it was better because it showed that all the practice we put into special teams works,” Thomas said.
It was the first kick return for a touchdown in his high school career.
Morgantown (2-1) head coach Sean Biser credited special teams coach Chase Gump for getting things in place for that pivotal score.
“He makes sure our special teams are working well together and he puts the players in the right positions to make plays like that,” Biser said. “We do work hard in practice, especially on special teams, because getting those plays downright can make a big difference in games.”
After a hard-fought 24-13 win at Parkersburg in Week 1, the Mohigans were humbled in Week 2 with a 49-0 loss against Bridgeport.
Knowing it is still early in the season, the Morgantown players never got down on themselves and knew what needed to be done in order to get back on track.
Thomas’ big score right away against South Charleston gave the Mohigans the confidence needed to get back to their winning ways.
“I think that play set the tone really well and I feel like we played with a lot of energy throughout the game because of it,” Thomas said. “The message going into the game was just to get better all week and show improvement so that we don’t have to feel that feeling of defeat again.”
The Mohigans had to wait a little bit longer to take the field last week as their original kickoff time of 7 p.m. on Friday was moved back to noon on Saturday due to bomb threats made at schools throughout the state of West Virginia.
“We overcame some adversity,” Biser said. “The guys adjusted well and came out and played hard and physical and put together a complete game on both sides of the ball.”
The players didn’t let the extended break phase them. It may have even allowed them to get a little more rest, which led to more focus, for the game on Saturday.
“We adjusted really quick,” Thomas said. “We didn’t do anything Friday, but just went to sleep early and got ready to play the next day once we found out the news.”
The Mohigans may have had one less day to prepare for this week’s opponent, Connellsville (Pa.), but the same amount of focus is applied this week for an unfamiliar foe.
The schools are less than 40 miles apart, and this is the first meeting in the Biser era of MHS football.
“I’ve only seen what they do on tape and they have talent with a good quarterback, solid running back and a tough offensive line,” Biser said.
Connellsville (1-3) picked up its first win of the season last week, 19-7, against Berlin Brothersvalley (Pa.). Running back Jayden Mickens tallied 184 yards and two touchdowns and quarterback Caden Matthews hit Christian Thomas for a 36-yard touchdown pass.
The Falcons are just a few plays away from being 3-1. They were shut out by Greater Latrobe (Pa.) to open the season but then lost to Meadville (Pa.), 48-41, in four overtimes.
The following week, Connellsville’s Fayette County rival, Albert Gallatin (Pa.), sneaked by the Falcons with a 29-26 win in the closing seconds.
By MATTHEW PEASLEE/For The Dominion Post
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