Capital Cougars Score Quick, Often To Hand Big Reds 56-20 Setback

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CHARLESTON - Kashuan Haley showed why he is considered one of the best - if not the best - running back in the state of West Virginia by scoring four touchdowns (three of them in the first quarter alone) and rushing for a whopping 261 yards on just 16 carries here Friday night.

And the Capital Cougars showed why they are considered by many to be the best team in the state as they scored quickly, and often, to post a 56-20 victory over the Parkersburg Big Reds. The win was the third impressive victory in a row for the unbeaten Cougars while dropping PHS to 1-2 going into next Friday's game at ancient rival Marietta, Ohio.

The Cougars amassed 520 yards in 62 offensive plays as they raced to 295 yards on just 38 rushing attempts and quarterback Tyrhee Pratt, considered a Division I NCAA prospect, threw for an additional 225 yards by completing 15 of 23 passes with just one interception (his first of the year). Pratt, who also rushed for 36 yards on just eight attempts and scored once himself, found Tyrell Davis five times for 57 yards and a touchdown and hit Silas Nazario six times for 62 yards. Nazario ran for two short touchdowns.

For the Big Reds, Josh Trembly completed just five of 15 passes for 145 yards but two of them went for touchdowns as Chase Shank caught one for 21 yards and Austin Life latched onto a 50 yard scoring toss. Corey Burdette led the team with 65 yards rushing on 19 attempts and scored once on a one yard run.

Haley got the track meet off to a fast start as he raced 70 yards to the end zone on just the second play of the game and after the Cougars held PHS on downs at the Big Reds' 41, it took him just three plays to reach the end zone again - this time from the 24.

Forcing PHS to punt after three plays, Capital got the ball back again with 5:50 left in the first quarter and took all of 38 seconds to score on four plays with Haley going in from the three this time. The extra point kick, one of eight straight for Tyler Shaffer, made it 21-0.

An interception by junior transfer Terrance Tate stopped Capital on its next possession and set up Parkersburg's first score. The one yard run by Burdette came on the second play of the second quarter and capped an eight play, 44 yard drive.

A 36 yard run by Haley on the first play of a nine-play, 77 yard drive saw the Cougars push the halftime advantage to 28-7 on a two yard run by Nazario.

But PHS got on the board with 1:34 remaining before halftime to close the deficit to 28-13 when Trembly hit Dan Fox with a 32 yard pass completion and then found Shank for the final 21 yards of the six play, 50 yard drive.

Both teams punted on their first possessions of the second half but a fumbled snap set up Capital's fifth touchdown to make it 35-13.

The Big Reds then moved the ball from their 21 to the Capital 42 with Burdette doing most of the work on the ground only to see the drive end on a fourth down incompletion.

Capital then iced the game when Haley, from punt formation, ran 57 yards for another touchdown with 1:11 left in the third period.

With 5:39 left in the game Capital scored on a scramble by Pratt from 35 yards away and then got the ball right back when the kickoff return was fumbled on the PHS 25. Three plays later the Cougars had another score.

The game's final points came on Trembly's bomb to Life, who got behind the secondary to catch the ball around the10 yard line, who scampered in untouched to the end zone.

Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Total
Big Reds.............. 0 13 0 7 - 20
Cougars.............. 21 7 14 14 - 56
Qtr Time Scoring play
1st 11:11 CAPITAL - Kashaun Haley 70 yd run (William Rice kick), 2-70 0:49
07:43 CAPITAL - Kashaun Haley 24 yd run (Tyler Shaffer kick), 3-42 0:31
05:12 CAPITAL - Kashaun Haley 3 yd run (Tyler Shaffer kick), 4-43 0:21
2nd 11:06 PHS - Corey Burdette 1 yd run (Josh Roney kick), 8-44 4:28
08:41 CAPITAL - Silas Nazario 2 yd run (Tyler Shaffer kick), 9-77 2:15
01:34 PHS - Chase Shank 21 yd pass from Josh Trembly (Josh Roney kick blockd), 6-47 2:26
3rd 05:55 CAPITAL - Silas Nazario 2 yd run (Tyler Shaffer kick), 6-45 1:54
01:11 CAPITAL - Kashaun Haley 57 yd run (Tyler Shaffer kick), 4-58 0:51
4th 05:39 CAPITAL - Tyrhee Pratt 35 yd run (Tyler Shaffer kick), 3-40 1:25
04:45 CAPITAL - Tyrell Davis 1 yd run (Tyler Shaffer kick), 3-25 0:40
01:41 PHS - Austin Life 50 yd pass from Josh Trembly (Josh Roney kick), 6-80 2:51