CHARMCO – On a night designated for senior athletes to be honored by their teammates and families, several seniors took it upon themselves to conduct a football clinic at the expense of the Midland Trail Patriots on Friday, October 27. Fueled by a little, friendly social media fire throughout the week, it didn’t take much for the Patriots to have the Cavaliers’ attention. It took even less time for Greenbrier West to grab the attention of Midland Trail.
Ethan Holliday scored on the first play from scrimmage to set the tone for the night. Holliday’s 69-yard touchdown pass from Cole Vandall was his only reception of the night, but it was the second time in as many seasons that the senior Swiss army knife scored on the game’s first snap. Holliday added a six-yard scoring run in the second quarter and led the Cavaliers with 12 tackles. Holliday tormented the Patriot backfield all evening, registering six tackles for loss.
Cole Vandall continued to set a torrid pace at quarterback. In addition to his scoring toss to Holliday on the game’s first play, Vandall added a 37-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Lilly and a 30-yarder to Colton Dunbar for the game’s first three scores. Vandall ended the night 8-13 for 213 yards and 3 touchdowns. The 200-yard passing night was the eighth in school history and the second time Vandall eclipsed the threshold since October 13. Vandall tossed three touchdowns passes for the fifth straight game, easily a school record.
Jake Pate made a huge push in his quest for a 1,000-yard season. The senior tailback exploded for a career-high 234 yards on 22 carries. Pate scored on runs of 11 and 26 yards, both in the third quarter. Pate added two receptions for 51 yards for good measure. After nine games, Pate needed 139 yards to reach the 1,000-yard milestone.
Senior lineman Trent Parker scored his first career touchdown with a 1-yard run early in the fourth quarter, continuing a tradition of big men carrying the football as a reward for their selfless blocking. Marcus Adkins also notched his first score of the season, a 29-yard scamper to close of the Cavalier scoring.
Isaac Agee again displayed his penchant for the big play. Agee intercepted Patriot quarterback Thad Brown’s pass and returned it 82 yards for a touchdown on the last play of the first half. Agee also notched 8 tackles in the win. Fellow junior Brandon Poticher tallied 8 tackles as well as a sack and two tackles for loss in the Cavaliers’ win.
Ironically enough, the last time Greenbrier West scored on the game’s first play from scrimmage, they also scored via an 80+-yard pick six on the last play of the first half. Holliday scored on a 66-yard reception last September at Pocahontas County and Kadin Parker ended the half with an 86-yard interception return for a score in West’s 54-0 shutout victory.
Hayden Ridgeway set a Greenbrier West single-game record when he went 9-9 on extra point attempts. Ridgeway was tied with several other former Cavaliers with 7 made attempts in a game, a feat he had achieved at least three times on his own. Ridgeway is on an All-State pace this season, hitting 49-53 PATs.
The Greenbrier West defense was equally as impressive, holding Midland Trail to 44 yards passing while frustrating Brown and his receivers. The Patriots had 11 plays end in a loss of yardage exclusive of Agee’s pick six.
Greenbrier West improved to 9-0 with the win and played at Moorefield this past Friday night. Midland Trail fell to 4-5, but their playoff hopes remained intact with the WVSSAC’s new bonus point structure that awards teams points even in a loss.
Ridgeway won the McDonald’s of Rainelle Rock 95 Player of the Game award.
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