HUNTINGTON – University is the latest team to find out just how explosive and dominant Huntington High can be.
The Highlanders (10-1), seeded No. 5 in the West Virginia Class AAAA playoffs, amassed 35 points in the first period and closed the day victorious, 56-28, over the Hawks on a chilly Saturday at Bob Sang Stadium.
All playoff teams had an extra week before play due to litigation between the WVSSAC and schools. Rulings came down and play began Friday night.
“We felt like our kids were ready to play,” Highlanders coach Billy Seals said. “Especially the first quarter. We had to wait a couple of weeks and play with a chip on our shoulder.”
Despite the record, Huntington will travel to No. 4 Wheeling Park next week. The Patriots defeated No. 13 Musselman 43-0 on Saturday.
“It is what it is,” Seals said of the playoff schedule. “I’m not going to comment on it. I’ve said my peace on it.”
Huntington set the tone on its first series. The Highlanders needed just two plays to cover 67 yards for the score. Avonte Crawford threw a 25-yard pass to Tayveon Wilson on first down and then Jamari Tubbs sprinted 37 yards for the TD. Wilson earlier this week gave a verbal commitment to play at Clemson.
The Highlanders would go 5-for-5 on scores in first-quarter possessions. Tubbs caught a 6-yard pass from Crawford, Zah Jackson went over from a yard out, Keegan Sack raced 35 yards for a TD and Crawford wrapped things up with a 7-yard TD toss to Mayshaun Okonkwo just two seconds before the end of the period. Sack would score on a 3-yard run with 3:01 left in the second, good for a 49-7 lead at the break. That meant a running clock in the second half.
Sack, a 1,000-yard rusher, piled up 161 on 15 carries. The two scores give him 29 for the season.
Seals went to his bench in the second half and No. 12 University capitalized a bit. A big moment came when Crawford, who would also pick off two passes, saw Kyle Weaver intercept a tipped ball and speed 76 yards for a score. In the fourth period, senior Brock Kehler scored on a 2-yard run and snared a 24-yard TD pass from Harrison Helbig. Hayden George caught a 31-yard TD pass from Helbig in the second period.
“The second half was tough. We tried to get a lot of guys playing time,” Seals said. “It was a good day for us. We’ve just got to prepare for the next one. The staff will go to work tonight. We hope to have a great week of practice and see what happens.”
This was the first football meeting between the Highlanders and Hawks.
“For sure we came to play,” Sack said. “Come out and do what we do and have fun. It’s all about the (offensive) linemen. We’ve got weapons all over.”
University coach Eric Snyder tipped his cap to the Highlanders and Kehler duo of senior Brock and freshman Brody. They also wrestle.
“We came out at the half and I said we’re being a little too complacent,” Snyder said. “We’re waiting too much, be authoritarian. Take a shot and see what happens. We played better in the second half. We didn’t implement the game plan the best we wanted. We came out sluggish. Both (Kehlers) are wonderful athletes. Glad to see Brock have a nice way to end his career. It’ll be hard to replace that guy. I’m sure Brody will do a little bit to help.
“Huntington is big and fast. Saw that on film. I told our team if you think you’re fast, you’ll have to get faster.”
— Story by David Walsh
