A lot of folks in both Hardy and Pendleton counties had their eyes on this game prior to the season. It promised to pit one of the top teams in Class AA, Moorefield, against one of the top teams in Class A. Observers hoping for a great game got their wish with big plays, big scoring, and a big comeback by the visitors.
Both squads used almost the entire first quarter to feel each other out. The Wildcats got deep within Yellow Jacket territory, but gave up a turnover. Moorefield quickly took advantage, driving almost the length of the field to pick up the touchdown.
Early in the game, the Yellow Jackets used a lot of five wide receiver sets with the quarterback alone in the backfield. This spread the defense and created space for running plays. On the ensuing kickoff, however, a great return put the Wildcats on the Yellow Jacket 32. Two plays later, Pendleton County got to the 13 and had earned a first down.
The Wildcats split Travis Owens very wide right with a cornerback left all alone to cover and no safety help. Colton Roberson tossed it high into the right corner of the endzone, letting Owens climb the ladder for the scoring reception. The Yellow Jackets never made that same defensive error again. In similar situations during the rest of the game, the safety moved to help with Owens.
Pendleton County stopped the next Moorefield drive when they held on fourth and three at the Moorefield 32. A few plays later, the Yellow Jackets got the ball back. Roberson rolled right and threw across the grain to the middle of the field. A defender tracked down the pass and snagged it. However, Pendleton County’s defense bottled them up.
The Wildcats took the punt at their own 37 with about seven minutes left in the second quarter. Roberson slung a pass to Cameron Wyatt over the middle. He scooted ahead to the Moorefield 37. On the next play, the quarterback tossed the ball to Britton Lough on a wide receiver screen and he fought his way to the 26. With Owens and Lough on the right side of the formation, Roberson ran left behind blockers and crossed the goal line. The ensuing kick made it 14-7.
In the third quarter, the teams exchanged possessions but did not score until a little more than three minutes remaining. Pendleton County took a punt to just inside their 25-yard line with a little over nine minutes in the third. A throw to Lough got the offense to their own 42. Not long after on third and five at the Wildcat 47, Roberson executed an option right and pushed to the Moorefield 45.
Roberson faced first and 20 at his own 45. With a blitz coming up the middle, Roberson found a safety valve in Braylon Willis who got to midfield.
At the 6:40 mark, Pendleton County got a new set of downs at the Moorefield 25 after a penalty. A few plays later on first and 10 at the 15, Roberson rolled to the right and tossed the ball to Noah Lockard who moved the ball inside the five. On fourth and goal at the one, Roberson bulled his way in. The kick made the score 21-7 with a wild fourth quarter awaiting.
The Yellow Jackets refused to stay grounded. Pendleton County had forced a fourth and six at the Moorefield 46. Ever the gamblers, the Yellow Jackets went for a momentum changing risk. The quarterback saw the snap fall off his hands, but picked it up and ran right. He raced past tacklers and got his team back in the game. The kick brought Moorefield again within seven with two minutes remaining in the third. They earned a tie score shortly thereafter when a fourth down snap sailed over the head of the Wildcat punter and the Yellow Jackets ran in the score.
Pendleton County faced a brand-new ballgame with 11:50 left in regulation. A number of games against Moorefield in recent years have gone into overtime with the Wildcats coming out on top.
Doubtless, those memories fueled Moorefield as they never stopped fighting. Roberson took over the offense at his own seven and quickly hit Mason Miller for a nearly 20-yard gain. A few plays later, Lough picked up a first down at about the Moorefield 40. Roberson then lined up the offense in the empty backfield glance and ran it himself to the 32. At the 9:50 point, he ran it in from two yards out to get his team back up, after the kick, 28-21.
Moorefield could not move the ball much and was held with one yard to go on fourth down at the Moorefield 45. Roberson orchestrated the offense and got the ball to the 25 of Moorefield. On first down, he stood tall and delivered the ball even with the rush coming at him. Moorefield delivered a hard and clean hit to Roberson as he delivered the ball to Owens as he raced past the defense. The Wildcats went up 34-21 with 5:43 left, but their starting quarterback and safety had to exit the contest.
The visitors were able to generate two scores to take a narrow lead, 35-34, but backup quarterback Mason Miller tried to give his team a shot late. He hit a 17-yard completion to get to the 15 with a little under two minutes remaining, but a goal line interception snuffed the drive and effectively ended the game.
This ends a three-week gauntlet that pitted Pendleton County against three of its most significant rivals, including two top ranked teams. Friday, the Wildcats travel to battle the Bulldogs of Tygarts Valley, then take on Tucker County at home as the schedule hits the midpoint.
