Mitchell B. Koerber
Student Sports Journalist
Pocahontas County High Warriors felt the pressure of the tough Sherman Tide during Saturday’s game.
The afternoon game was a show of great force, unbridled pride, devastating excitement and mountains of effort. Although the day was quite the spectacle, the Warriors came up on the losing end in an exhilarating 34 – 20 game.
The Warriors found themselves down 14 to 6 at halftime but clawed their way back into the game. After halftime sophomore, #9 Gavin Delair would connect with #3, sophomore Morgan Beverage two different times for touchdown passes. Then, following two good extra point field goals, from #2, sophomore Griffin Taylor, the Warriors tied the game at 20-20.
“I mean, I felt great on kicking the ball,” Taylor said. “I just needed more reps with the holder and to get the steps down a little better on the defensive side.
“I didn’t know exactly what I was doing [on defense] but I got the opportunity to play and get in there and make a few tackles. I just watched where the ball went and tried to tackle the ball carrier every chance I got. My favorite part was when I made the last field goal to tie the game and the crowd went wild.”
Wild was an understatement.
Sophomore Morgan Beverage was the star of the show. He and QB Delair rallied the team and set the stage for an epic comeback.
“I worked my butt off at practice and it paid big during the game,” Beverage exclaimed. “I want to keep making touchdowns and tackles.
“I was able to make the great plays by the team working together, blocking, and giving the QB time for the passes. We are getting better and need to keep working hard.”
“The guys didn’t give up,” Coach Doug Burns said after the game. “This team doesn’t quit! “They just don’t have it in them to quit.”
And quit – they didn’t.
Causing two sacks and three turnovers by Sherman, the Warriors had them on their heels. The stadium atmosphere was electric as the game went into the fourth quarter. Then, unfortunately, a sack and a fumble, returned for a Sherman TD, sealed the deal for the night.
Excitement is on the horizon for this team. The attitude, the fight and the grit speak volumes. This could not have been better stated than by a quote from young Taylor.
“Overall, the team is playing and getting along great together,” Taylor said. “We just have to work out little things, but we are all young, we are still learning, and we couldn’t ask for a better coaching staff to learn from.
They treat us all with respect and have a lot patience, and it just makes it like we are all a big family.”
The Warriors are at home again this week as the dreaded Greenbrier West Cavaliers come to town. It will truly be a David and Goliath matchup at Warrior field Friday, September 20.
Last year’s Greenbrier West team made it to the State Championship with a 13-1 record, but anything can happen under the Friday night lights.
Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
