Cailey Moore
Staff Writer
The Pocahontas County High School Warriors triumphed over the Tucker County Mountain Lions Friday night, 52-16. Scoring five touchdowns in the first half, the Warriors continued their scoring streak – garnering another three touchdowns in the second half of the game – to secure their first win of the season.
Set up by junior RB Morgan Mason’s 20-yard run, junior QB Wyatt Workman scored the first touchdown of the night on a quarterback keeper up the middle on an 11-yard run and secured an early 7-0 lead for the Warriors.
The Mountain Lions’ defense sacked the Warrior QB for a safety, and with less than two minutes left in the first quarter, Tucker County made its first appearance on the board with two points.
Following a Warriors’ TD that left the score 14-2, Tucker County responded with a high snap only to be intercepted by Warrior senior WR/CB J.D. Hensler at the 10-yard line. Hensler then made a drive into the Warriors’ end zone for another touchdown, bringing the score to 21-2.
Workman opened the next scoring opportunity for PCHS by lofting the ball to Hensler, who made a dash for the house in a 50-yard pass and catch TD. The Warriors led 28-2.
Hensler recovered the ball following a Mountain Lion fumble and snapped it to teammate senior SB/OLB Cade Walker. With 5.3 seconds left in the first half, the Warriors led 31-2.
Nine minutes into the third quarter, Workman handed the ball to Mason only to be tackled by Mountain Lions’ junior FB/DL Dylan Husk. Undeterred, Mason rushed home on a snap, down the middle from the 3-yard line – bringing the score to 38-2.
Tucker County would not allow itself to go down without a fight. Despite opposition from the Warriors, Mountain Lions senior QB Daniel Kisamore threw a deep 50-yard pass play – which was hauled in by fellow teammate junior WR/DB Jameson Hardy, who dashed all the way to the 35-yard line.
From one-yard out, Kisamore scampered into the end zone, raising the score 38-8. An attempted two-point conversion by Tucker County was shut down when the pass to Mountain Lions freshman WR Ben Callaway was intercepted.
With less than two minutes left in the third quarter, the PCHS Warriors snapped the ball to Workman for a pass. Warriors junior RB/FS Logan Davis caught the ball in-stride from the flat and dashed 54 yards for a TD – 45-8.
The fourth quarter saw the Mountain Lions throw a TD pass and successfully complete a two-point conversion, bringing the score to 45-16.
With 2:45 left in the game, the Warriors regained possession of the ball and went on to score the final TD of the game.
The PCHS Warriors will host the Moorefield Yellowjackets Friday, September 4.
Last season, Moorefield finished 9-3 and advanced to the state semifinals, where they fell 36-0 to the St. Marys Blue Devils. The Yellowjackets defeated the Frankfort Falcons 41-31 last week.
Kickoff begins at 7:30 p.m.