BLACKSVILLE — Having someone on your offense reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season is an achievement in itself. But having two reach that mark is something that doesn’t happen often for a football program, if ever.
This season, Clay-Battelle High School seniors and football captains Carson Shriver and Zac Hall became the first duo in program history to both reach the 1,000-yard total.
“It feels great to be in the C-B history books,” Shriver, the starting quarterback, said. “My time at C-B has been a great experience, everybody that I’ve played with has left a mark on me and has a special place in my life because they’ve all taught me something valuable.”
Shriver finished the year with 1,140 rushing yards on 126 attempts. He averaged 9.0 yards each time he touched the ball and scored a team-high 17 touchdowns in just eight games played. An ankle injury against Webster County in week six sidelined Shriver for two games. Before the injury, he totaled 234 yards on 18 carries in the game.
“The front line and coaching staff really helped me achieve the 1,000 mark this year,” he said. “The line makes it easy for me to find holes and the play calling also helps out. They trust me with the ball and that leads me to get those yards.”
Shriver’s season-high came against Valley in week two when he ran for 287 yards on 35 attempts.
Not only did Hall also reach the 1,000-yard total, the senior running back only trailed his teammate by 25 yards. He accumulated 1,115 yards and 12 touchdowns on 98 carries for an astounding average of 11.4 yards per touch.
Hall was the backbone for the Cee-Bees during Shriver’s time recovering from his injury. Half of Hall’s season total came in weeks 8-10 as he ran for 593 total yards over the three-week stretch (150, 308, 135).
“It is awesome to be a part of the history books with Carson,” Hall said. “I see all of my teammates as my brothers and C-B is a great program to be involved in from all the tradition we have as a team and as a community.”
Echoing Shriver’s words, Hall credited his coaches and teammates for helping him achieve history, and it was clear for both players that having someone beside you in the record books who feels as close as a brother makes it that much better.
“Zac took a big step from last year to this year. It’s great to always have a guy like him that can make a big play on the field,” Shriver said of his running back. “When I was out with my ankle injury he really stepped up and became a leader.”
“Carson is my guy on and off the field,” Hall said. “We lifted and went to camps in the offseason together and I think that helped our connection on the field. We compliment each other well in our play styles also.”
Now, after seeing their season come to an end in the opening round of the WVSSAC playoffs, Shriver and Hall won’t return to the gridiron for C-B. However, their names will forever be etched in history and they will always have a place in “C-B land.”
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