By Stephen Smoot
Recently, Pendleton County had the experience of defeating the top ranked team in West Virginia single A football. Should any believe that they missed the meaning behind that great upset, the Wildcats restored the experience Friday night by once again avenging a 2023 loss to a top 10 team.
They came in, as a former West Virginia University coach used to say “humble, but hungry.” They left satiated after consuming the meal they worked so diligently to consume.
East Hardy, who remained in the West Virginia Metro news top 10 last week after a tough 45 to 14 loss to highly touted Ohio Valley school Wahama, received the kickoff. As they did all night, Cougar special teams gave their offense good field position, this time at their 40.
On their first play, the East Hardy running back eluded a tackler in the backfield, ran right, and picked up eight yards. Most of the evening, the Cougars handed the ball off to diminutive tailback Bryce Strawderman. He proved as easy to tackle as a pinball, bouncing off tacklers and finding holes all evening.
Three plays later, the Cougars picked up a Wildcat blitz and completed a pass to the right, giving them the Wildcat 24. Three plays after that, facing third and six at the Pendleton County 20, their quarterback scrambled left, but could not escape Bradey Bowers and others who dropped him for a nine-yard sack.
East Hardy tried to convert on fourth and 16, but Colton Roberson picked off the pass at the 11.
On their second play, Chase Owens took the ball left for a nine-yard gain that left his team one yard shy of a first down. Roberson then ran right for a first down, breaking two tackles. A Cougar defender helped the Wildcat cause with a face mask. This gave the visitors a first down at their own 37. The Wildcats took the ball to the Cougar 25, but East Hardy stripped the ball on a pass play and took possession there.
East Hardy could only advance the ball six yards on three plays, then sent a punt another six yards, giving Pendleton County the ball at the East Hardy 43. Three plays after this, the Cougars took the ball back on an intercepted pass, which they took to the Wildcat 42. They fired a pass deep downfield that Roberson had apparently stepped in front of the receiver to cleanly intercept, but drew a flag for pass interference. Shortly after, on 3rd and 16, East Hardy tossed a pass into the endzone and picked up the first score of the game.
As the sun’s light faded in the west and Wildcat fans turned their faces to the light of the crescent moon rising in the night, Pendleton County struck back.
On second and five from his own 20, Owens set up the offense with a makeable third down. Though called for holding to push them back 10 yards, on third and 16, James Vincell hit Josiah Kimble on the sidelines for a first down at the 40.
Not long after, Vincell renewed the connection, this time rolling right and throwing a 41-yard strike to Kimble in the corner of the endzone. A Gabe Harvey kick tied the game at seven with 9:20 left in the first half.
Undeterred, East Hardy returned the ball to their own 42. On their third play of the drive, they launched a 35-yard pass to the Wildcat 25. Their next play, a pass, came dangerously close to Roberson’s hands. The Wildcat defense stiffened, giving the Cougars a fourth and one at the Wildcat 18. Vincell sliced through the defense at the 7:20 mark and stopped the East Hardy back for a big loss and to take the ball back.
Pendleton County moved the ball five yards and punted to the Cougars at midfield. A second down interception by Roberson, however, got the ball to the Wildcats at their own 37.
The two teams continued to force punts from each other while playing the field position game. East Hardy missed a kick at the end of the half, but an offsides call on the Wildcats gave them another attempt, which they converted into a 10-7 lead.
When dawn rose Saturday morning, the Friday night game would be a memory regardless of outcome. Pendleton County remained doggedly determined to ensure that the memory was not of an opportunity lost.
Vincell screamed at his teammates as halftime trickled away “Look at them over there! They think it’s over! It’s not over!”
The Wildcats took over to open the second half at their own 20, thanks to the big leg of the Cougar kicker. Two Owens runs took the ball out to the Wildcat 35. Then Vincell ran play action, rolled right and completed a pass to Roberson. Roberson cut left, ran all the way across the field, and went out of bounds at the Cougar 30.
Next, a 12-yard Owens’ run took the ball to the East Hardy 18. Pendleton County’s offense ground out seven plays to pick up the yardage needed to score, with the Cougars giving up every inch begrudgingly. At the 7:11 mark, Vincell filed a quick slant right to Kimble for the touchdown.
Harvey’s kick provided a 14-10 lead.
With 7:07 left in the third quarter, East Hardy took over. They ran a long, sustained, ground oriented drive designed to take the lead by re-establishing dominance in the run game. From their own 30, they ran 14 plays and reached the Wildcat 12.
Pendleton County’s strength in red zone defense, going back to last season’s Moorefield game, convinced the Cougars to not risk going for a touchdown or first down when they had fourth and eight on the 12. A good kick closed the gap to 14-13 with 1:32 left in the quarter.
The Wildcats had to give the ball back at the start of the fourth quarter, having not moved it after receiving the kickoff. East Hardy took it to the Pendleton County 37, then turned it over on downs. They tried a run play on fourth and two and met a wall of resistance.
Pendleton County took over the ball at the 8:47 mark. The offense kept the ball for 11 plays until a crowd-questioned Cougar interception almost exactly four minutes later. Three plays later, working from their own 32, the Cougar quarterback tossed the ball forward to evade the sack. A ball likely simply thrown away found the hands of Vincell who advanced it back to just over midfield with 3:47 left to play.
The offense kept the ball for two minutes and 10 seconds, pushing the ball to the East Hardy 44. A Vincell punt pinned East Hardy back to their own 17 with 1:25 left and no time outs. A key play took place on second and 16 from the East Hardy 27. A receiver broke free up the middle of the field and got behind the defense. Corbin Dove hustled toward the play while the ball was in the air and knocked the ball away from a potential East Hardy score.
On fourth and 16 with 48 seconds left, the East Hardy quarterback rolled right, threw short, and hit nothing but dirt, ending the game.
Zac Smith, head coach, said after the game that “everybody got their money’s worth” from his teams second straight top 10 win. He gave offensive coach Ryan Boggs credit for calling a strong game and forming the game plan that laid the foundation for the performance.
“He always has them ready to play,” Smith remarked.
Vincell was 13 of 23 for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Kimble hauled in four receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Owens ran the ball 15 times for 77 yards.
Nick Rhodes had three catches for 20 yards, and Dove caught one for seven. Roberson ran the ball eight times for 38 yards, and Bowers had one catch for six.
The Wildcats are scheduled to play Friday at Petersburg.
