MORGANTOWN — Morgantown head football coach Matt Lacy is typically as even-keeled as they come, but there were moments of frustration from the Mohigans sideline during Friday’s 13-7 loss to Musselman.
However, Lacy is quick to say that his team’s struggles start at the top with himself, whether it’s with penalties that continue to plague the Mohigans or the offensive rut they currently find themselves in.
“It all starts with me,” the third-year head coach reiterated over and over. “It’s a reflection on me and my coaching staff.”
But while the Mohigans (3-3) appear to be as up and down as much as a The Widow at Kennywood, their schedule has been among the toughest in West Virginia through the season’s first six weeks.
Without a bye week — typically reserved for the final week of the regular season — MHS faced perennial powerhouses in Parkersburg and Steubenville (Ohio) on the road.
In Week 3, the Mohigans traveled to Fort Hill, which made it to the Maryland Class A state championship game the last five seasons, winning four of them.
The lone reprieve came in Week 4 at lowly Brooke, but MHS returned home to play unbeaten Linsly, followed by the undefeated and No. 5 Applemen.
It’s been a brutal stretch and it doesn’t get any easier next week, traveling to 4-1 Wheeling Park. The rest of schedule features three teams with winning records — Park, Parkersburg South and John Marshall before ending the year hosting University in the Mohawk Bowl on Oct. 26.
Regardless of how tough the slate has been so far, Lacy isn’t using that as any excuse for the .500 start for the Mohigans.
“We’re beat up a little bit, but everyone is at this point six games in,” he said. “We have to continue to find ways to move the ball and get out of our funk.”
With the way Class AAA is currently set up with 29 teams, MHS could sneak into the playoffs with four wins like it did last seasons. Five wins would all but guarantee a slot in the postseason, and there would be no team tested more than the Mohigans.
Until then, they have to figure out how to put the ball in the end zone consistently and improve on penalties.
“We’ll watch the film, evaluate and see where we need to make corrections and we’ll do that,” Lacy said.
Holgorsen hurt
University quarterback Logan Holgorsen left Friday’s game against St. Albans with what appeared to be a lower leg injury. He was on crutches after the game.
Head coach John Kelley said after the game that Holgorsen would have an X-ray tonight to find out the severity.
The Hawks (3-3) did see the return of running back Logan Raber, who missed the last four weeks after being injured against Parkersburg South. He had 68 yards and two touchdowns in the 60-6 win.
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