MORGANTOWN, W. VA. — They call it Quick Six, that being the receiving corps that is found on the University High football team.
“We really don’t want to be on the field too long,” senior receiver TT Brooks said after the Hawks dismantled Albert Gallatin (Pa.), 46-14, on Friday at Mylan Pharmaceuticals Stadium. “We want to be able to make some big plays and then get our defense back on the field.”
It is a name that gets total approval from UHS quarterback Chase Edwards.
“I’m all for the name,” he said. “If I can get my guys the ball in space, great things are going to happen.”
And, well, the Hawks (1-0) lived up to that billing against the Colonials (2-1), as Edwards completed his first seven attempts — two went for touchdowns — and Brooks had the big night with six catches for 162 yards and two scores.
“We’ve got weapons,” UHS head coach John Kelley said. “We shot them all tonight.”
Edwards, who finished 12 of 20 for 215 yards and four TD passes, is the calculated orchestrator, one who can make something out of nothing if need be, but he is surrounded by enough talent on the outside to make this more than just a one-man show.
“TT is the play maker,” Edwards said. “He can make something big happen every time he touches the ball.”
Brooks is the self-professed “jokester,” one who is always in Edwards’ ear off the field looking to get a smile or laugh from his young sophomore quarterback.
“He’s too quiet off the field,” Brooks said. “He’s very smart and he’s got a high IQ for this game, but I’m always telling him jokes just to get him to laugh or something.”
Edwards admits the jokes are always good. The offensive potential for this UHS team, which was making its season debut after being shut down by coronavirus restrictions for most of September, may be even better.
“We’re going to score some points,” Kelley said. “That’s the potential that we have with our passing game, but we’ve got to get our running game going. They were playing eight men in the box most of the night, which is why we had success throwing.”
Sage Clawges and Jaeden Hammack also caught scoring passes from Edwards, with Clawges coming up with a terrific one-handed grab in the back of the end zone that gave the Hawks a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
“I thought I overthrew him,” Edwards said. “That catch was crazy.”
“The funny thing is, Sage wasn’t even a starter at the beginning of the season,” added Brooks. “He kept working hard and worked his way into this role. He tries to make catches like that all the time in practice, but that one tonight was pretty special.”
UHS, which hosts Jefferson on Friday, also got big plays on special teams, with Daminn Cunningham scoring on a 75-yard punt return and Colin McBee recovering a fumbled punt in the end zone.
“Special teams were spectacular for us,” Kelley said.
Shawn Loring rushed for 101 yards on 19 carries for Albert Gallatin, but the Colonials also turned the ball over three times, including two interceptions from Hammack and Corban Cross.
“If we keep playing like this, I think the potential for us is to go undefeated,” Brooks said. “We’re a team that likes to get out and go and that could put a lot of pressure on defenses we see this year.”
Albert Gallatin 0 8 0 6—14
University 14 17 15 0—46
SCORING SUMMARY
UHS—TT Broks 28 pass from Chase Edwards (John Coleman kick)
UHS—Sage Clawges 9 pass from Edwards (Coleman kick)
AG—Tony Efford 45 pass from Tristan Robinson (Caleb Lobng pass from Robinson)
UHS—Jaeden Hammack 23 pass from Edwards (kick failed)
UHS—Daminn Cunningham 75 punt return (Joseph McBee run)
UHS—Coleman 27 field goal
UHS—Brooks 65 pass from Edwards (Colin McBee run)
UHS—Colin McBee recovered fumbled punt in end zone (Coleman kick)
AG—Quentin Larkin 6 run (pass failed)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Albert Gallatin—Shawn Loring 19-101, Bruno Fabrycki 4-17, Larkin 6-37 TD, Maurice Jackson 1-23, Robinson 2-2, Efford 3-9, Caleb Chapman 1-(-3). University—Eliki Barner 9-39, Colin McBee 5-37, Kolton Burns 1-43, Owen Hall 1-12, Cunningham 2-8, Edwards 3-0, Team 2-(-18).
PASSING: Albert Gallatin—Robinson 3-6 51 TD, Larkin 0-1-1 0, Efford 0-1-1 0. University—Edwards 12-20 215 4 TD.
RECEIVING: Albert Gallatin—Efford 1-45 TD, Dylan Shea 1-5, Fabrycki 1-1. University—Brooks 6-162 2 TD, Clawges 2-12 TD, Hammack 1-23 TD, Barner 3-18.
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