MORGANTOWN – Friday night’s contest between the University High Hawks and the visiting Oak Hill Red Devils could best be described as a tale of two halves for UHS head coach Eric Snyder and his club.
After entering the locker room at halftime leading 20-14, UHS (4-6) was outscored 20-8 in the second half by Oak Hill, which left Baker’s Ridge with a 34-28 victory by way of a go-ahead touchdown with under 30 seconds to go in the game.
UHS will now wait to see where they will finish in the WVSSAC Class AAAA playoff rankings before hitting the road for the opening round of the postseason next week.
“Our message at halftime was trying to adjust to our second-string quarterback (Harrison Helbig) after Glenn Brown went out early in the first half,” Snyder said. “He did phenomenally in leading his team down the field tonight, and I was proud of the whole offense and being able to adjust to that situation after an entire week of practice with our starter taking the reps. We have some things to work on going into next week if we want to give ourselves a chance to do something no one expects us to do.”
Oak Hill senior quarterback Devin Richardson accounted for 350 total yards on the night, with his lone touchdown coming on a 61-yard strike in the second quarter to receiver Mathias Spack.
Four different Red Devils found the endzone on the ground as they carried the ball 44 times, racking up 238 rushing yards as a team.
The Hawks were led by freshman Brody Kehler, who ran the ball for 115 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown. Sophomore Hayden George caught five passes for 103 yards and two scores of his own.
After both clubs came up empty on offense to begin the contest, the Hawks broke the ice as Brown found sophomore wideout Kaleil Lewis in the endzone for an 18-yard touchdown.
Oak Hill drove to the UHS 32, but the defense made another stop and was rewarded with six more points by the offense as Brown found sophomore Hayden George across the middle, who scampered home for a 16-yard score.
UHS extended its lead after George intercepted a pass on the ensuing Oak Hill drive, giving his team positive field position. Brody Kehler found the endzone from 17 yards away and put the Hawks ahead 20-0 with 6:48 to play in the first half.
“We saw a lot of positives out of the offense tonight,” Snyder said. “Brody ran the ball really well and was very patient in the backfield. Harrison played well after coming in and threw the ball efficiently, limiting turnovers. Complimentary football is crucial when trying to win, and we need to ensure we have that starting next week from the opening kickoff.”
The Red Devils found their first score with just over 90 seconds to go in the second quarter as James Green stumbled home for six from seven yards out.
UHS failed to run enough time off of the clock on its next possession and punted the ball with a minute left until the half.
Oak Hill took advantage as Richardson found Spack for a 61-yard bomb that brought the visitors within one possession going into the locker room, 20-14.
Despite having two possessions each, neither team scored in the third quarter, but the visitors didn’t take long into the fourth to find the endzone, as Tyler Ashmore rumbled home from two yards out, tying the game at 20. Oak Hill then took the lead on a two-point conversion 22-20.
On the ensuing drive, the Hawks drove the length of the field, earning an attempt at a field goal from 27 yards that was blocked and returned to the opposite 20-yard line.
Ashmore found pay dirt again after the turnover, this time from a yard away, extending the Red Devils’ lead to 28-20.
On the next Hawks possession, after a decent kickoff return by Brody Kehler, Helbig found a streaking George down the left side of the field for a 40-yard touchdown. The Hawks tied the game at 28 after a successful conversion that George also scored.
But the visitors still had just over 60 seconds left on the clock, and they began their drive at their own 24.
Richardson lost a yard on a run play before finding Carson Treadway for a 22-yard completion to the Oak Hill 45.
Two plays later, Richardson connected for 24 yards to Spack, pushing the ball into UHS territory at the 25.
The Oak Hill senior quarterback ran for two plays of nine and seven yards, advancing the ball to the one-yard line with 30 seconds left.
Jeremiah Mauritz punched home from one yard away to give the Red Devils a 34-28 lead.
Helbig’s attempt downfield as the Hawks tried to drive to get a game-tying touchdown was intercepted, ending the contest.
“We saw some things we like and need to work on in practice next week,” Snyder said. “We know what we can do when we put together a complete performance and that’s what we will ensure we prepare to do next weekend in the playoffs.”
BOX SCORE
Oak Hill 0 14 0 20 – 34
University 6 14 0 8 – 28
SCORING SUMMARY
UHS – Brown 18 pass to Lewis (PAT missed)
UHS – Brown 16 pass to George (Goodenow kick)
UHS – Brody Kehler 17 run (Goodenow kick)
OAK – Green 7 run (Conv. failed)
OAK – Richardson 61 pass to Spack (Conv. good)
OAK – Ashmore 2 run (Conv. good)
OAK – Ashmore 1 run (Conv. failed)
UHS – Helbig 40 pass to George (Conv. good)
OAK – Mauritz 1 run (Conv. failed)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Oak Hill – Richardson 12-77, Green 12-71 TD, Mauritz 14-46 TD, Ashmore 5-33 2TD, Treadway 1-11. University – Brody Kehler 21-115 TD, Brown 6-31, Helbig 2-(-9).
PASSING: Oak Hill – Richardson 16/26 273 1TD 1INT. University – Helbig 10/17 145 1TD 1INT, Brown 4/7 78 2TD.
RECEIVING: Treadway 5-106, Spack 5-102, Grose 3-39, Hicks 2-19, Lewis 1-7. University – George 5-103 2TD, Byrer 2-46, Brock Kehler 3-38, Lewis 1-18 TD, Deel 1-10, Weaver 1-5, Brody Kehler 1-3.
