CHARMCO – Every so often in high school football, you get one of those matchups that fans clamor to watch and wonder why they don’t happen more often. This Friday night in Charmco, fans will get one of those rare opportunities when Greenbrier West hosts Man high school in a matchup of traditional, powerhouse programs for the first time in 35 years.
The accolades for these two schools are long and lengthy. Greenbrier West, now in its 57th season, has amassed 403 wins, 3 state runner-up finishes, a Hunt Award winner, 175 All-State selections, and 27 playoff appearances. Man High School is playing its 102nd season. The Hillbillies have collected 526 wins, 4 state runner-up finishes, and 22 playoff appearances.
The two combatants’ histories are intertwined even though there have been only three previous contests. In the first meeting between the schools, Man’s first-ever playoff win came over Greenbrier West in the 1977 Class AA semi-finals at Huntington’s Fairfield Stadium. The Cavaliers claimed a 2-0 halftime lead when an errant snap went through the endzone. West maintained that lead into the fourth quarter when, suddenly, Harold Wicks scooped up a bad pitch from George English and raced 32 yards for a touchdown, giving the Cavaliers an 8-0 lead with only 3:08 remaining. The Hillbillies didn’t lay down, though, and Dickie Rollins capped an 11-play, 76-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown run with only 21 seconds remaining in the game. Eric King knotted the score at 8-8 with his conversion run. The game went to overtime where King again scored, this time on a 2-yard run but the conversion was no good. The Cavaliers would drive to the Man 1-yard line but the ‘Billies would stop Johnnie Walker shy of the endzone for a 14-8 win. Controversial calls aided in Man’s victory, and the game ended up being the last contest for West head coach Toby Harris until his return to the sidelines in 2005.
The second meeting of the schools came the very next season in the newly expanded, 8-team Class AA playoffs. First-year head coach Howard Hylton led his Cavaliers on the road to Man to face the Hillbillies for a playoff rematch. Timmy Boothe got West in the scoring column first with a 1-yard touchdown run giving the Cavaliers a 6-0 advantage at the end of the first quarter. The Hillbillies battled back to take a 14-6 lead in the second quarter on a Wendell Washington 26-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Greene and a Greene 46-yard run. Greenbrier West got to within two before the half when Marvin Bonner connected with Ricky Estep for a 13-yard touchdown pass. Fred Howze stretched Man’s lead in the third quarter with a 15-yard scoring run and the Hillbillies carried a 20-12 advantage going into the fourth. A creative Cavalier squad utilized the hook-and-lateral, Bonner to Estep to Boothe, for a 28-yard gain on West’s game-tying drive. The drive was capped off by a four-yard Boothe run, and a Bonner to Estep pass tied the game at 20-20. For a second year in a row, Man would break the hearts of Cavalier fans everywhere in the final minute when Ralph Bowen punctuated a 10-play drive with a five-yard touchdown run with only 43 seconds left in the game. Man won 28-20 to advance to the semi-finals.
The third meeting between the schools came in week three of the 1989 season in Charmco. The Cavaliers got off to a great start when Mike McQuain connected with Ray Taylor for a 17-yard touchdown pass. Eugene Wickline kicked the PAT for a 7-0 lead. From that point on, the game belonged to the Hillbillies. All-State captain quarterback Leroy Sharp ran for 132 yards on 14 carries and three touchdowns. Sharp also added four PATs in the winning effort. A fellow all-stater, Bobby Moore added 119 yards on 9 carries, scored two rushing touchdowns and ran the second half kickoff back for a 90-yard score in a 40-7 romp. Enough on history.
Greenbrier West enters Friday’s homecoming matchup with a 3-1 record and a #12 rating in the WVSSAC’s second set of playoff ratings. The Cavaliers average 28.3 points per game in their three games played (a fourth game was a forfeit decision). West has retained their stingy reputation on defense, shutting out both Summers County and Pocahontas County in their two on-field wins. That gives West an average of nine points allowed in three games played. The Cavaliers are allowing an average of four yards per carry and haven’t allowed a rushing touchdown. All four touchdown passes allowed came in the week-one loss to Pendleton County.
Man travels to Charmco with a 2-2 record and a #14 rating in Class A. The Hillbillies opened the season 2-0 with wins over rival Logan and Mt. View. The ‘Billies have dropped back-to-back contests to Westside and Mingo Central. Man averages 19 points per game on offense with a season high of 35 scored in the win over the Golden Knights. Man is allowing 18 points per game defensively, giving up 35 and 30, respectively, in their two losses.
The Cavaliers, big winners on the scoreboard last Friday, weren’t as fortunate off the field. Senior running back Isaac Agee suffered a knee injury on the Cavaliers’ second offensive possession and did not return. Agee’s injury will force him to miss the remainder of the season, a huge blow to the team due to his versatility and speed. In Agee’s absence, fellow senior Brandon Poticher will slide into the tailback slot. Poticher has exceptional speed and is a shifty runner. Poticher tallied his first career 100-yard rushing night in the Cavaliers’ 37-0 win in Dunmore. Agee’s presence will also be missed defensively, but Poticher and fellow linebacker C.W. Sturgell can help steady the defense.
More of the offensive load will also fall on first-year senior quarterback Evan Vandall. Vandall is off to a stellar start in 2024, going 15-31 for 261 yards and three touchdowns through the air while adding 231 yards on the ground and four touchdowns. Vandall has spread the football around in the passing game. Kamden Sams is the team’s leading receiver with 5 catches for 92 yards, Ben Butler has three catches for 30 yards, and three others have two catches each. The Cavaliers are still without junior wide receiver Colton Dunbar, but his return will definitely bolster the passing game in the weeks to come.
As always, the team success will go as the line play goes. Peyton Ford, Randy Keener, and Jon Painter are the senior leaders of the group. Juniors Logan Berry and Trey Franklin are playing some of their best football of the season. Colton Caruthers continues to see extensive playing time and will add depth to the unit.
On the defensive side, Joevun Robinson has been solid at end. Bradley Hodge sees a lot of action on the back end, and Ben Butler has done a sound job at corner. Asher Barclay continues to roam the secondary and is getting much more comfortable in coverage.
Despite a 2-2 record, Man has a well-rounded team that makes plays in all three aspects of the game, offense, defense, and special teams. The Hillbillies forced eight turnovers in their week one, 13-7 win over rival Logan in the Lion’s Bowl. Freshman defensive back John Osborne tallied a six-yard pick-six in the victory. In the Hillbillies’ week two, shutout win over Mt. View, junior speedster Trey Ward ran the opening kickoff back 80 yards for a score. Ward also has a 76-yard punt return to his credit in Man’s loss to Westside. Senior running back Dusten Baisden churned out three touchdown runs against Mt. View and two more in the loss to Westside. Junior signal caller Devon Sanders connected with Ward on touchdown passes of 56 yards vs. Logan and 38 yards in a loss to Mingo Central.
Man gave up 24 unanswered points in the final thirteen minutes of play last Friday to Mingo Central. The Miners ground game controlled the Hillbillies in the second half and Mingo’s defense dominated Man’s run game, limiting the “Billies to –34 yards on 13 attempts.
Homecoming activities will begin at 6:30 P.M. Kickoff is at 7 P.M. Radio coverage begins at 6:30 on Rock 95. The game will be live streamed by the Greenbrier Valley Channel via pay-per-view. Viewers need to login to www.meridix.com and do a channel search for Greenbrier West High School.
