Parkersburg High School Big Reds Football

2020 Bluefield Game

Defense Sparks Big Reds Over Top-Ranked Beavers, 29-8

Number one ranked Bluefield came to town with a 4-0 record and averaging nearly 41 points per game.

The Beavers left town with their first defeat and only one touchdown to show for their night’s effort – that coming on a 65-yard run when two defenders ran into each other which allowed the speedster to put his team’s only six-pointer on the scoreboard.

Coming away with the impressive 29-8 win was a Parkersburg Big Red team which showed a defensive prowess unseen in quite some time as they pressured Bluefield quarterback Carson Deeb all night. Deeb came into the game with over 1,000 yards passing and five touchdowns rushing but was held to just 91 yards passing and minus 33 yards on the ground. Overall PHS held the Beavers to just 179 yards in total offense while coming up with five sacks and six more tackles for loss.

Meanwhile the PHS offense got three touchdown passes and a touchdown run from Bryson Singer while rolling up 317 yards in total offense. The game could have been more lopsided but the Big Reds turned the ball over four times including three lost fumbles.

Singer completed eight of 16 passes for 106 yards while rushing for 136 yards on 23 carries despite being bothered by a nagging injury which did not appear to hamper his effectiveness.

The Big Reds went into the game hoping to play ball control and keep the ball out of the hands of the big play Beavers. It worked well as Justin Waybright added 53 yards on seven carries and Xadrian Snodgrass picked up 32 on nine attempts to help PHS grind out 211 yards and 17 first downs.

Defensive ends Waybright and Austin Fleming led the Big Red defensive charge in its pressure tactics while Jake Barnette anchored the line and Casey Mahoney controlled the center. Carter Mills and Singer keyed the outstanding secondary play that saw Bluefield complete just nine of 20 passes and most of those were of the short sideline variety.

The Big Reds got on the board first when Singer found Carter King with the first of his two touchdown receptions from 28 yards away with 2:08 on the clock in the first period. Singer scrambled and hit King in the back of the end zone to cap a 13-play, 80-yard drive that was sparked by Singer’s five rushes for 23 yards and an 11-yard pass to Julian Martin.

It did not take Bluefield long to retaliate as Hairston showed what the Beavers are feared for their speed when he went up the middle and outran the defense for 65 yards to paydirt. Two defenders had a shot at him just 10 yard downfield but ran into each other. On the two-point conversion attempt the pass was deflected but lineman Bryce Gamble caught the ball in the end zone to give the Beavers an 8-7 lead with 48 seconds left in the quarter.

PHS then showed its quick-strike ability as Singer started the ensuing possession with a 39 yard pass to Jordan Martin and two plays later hit King on a slant over the middle from 15 yards out to take the lead for good. The Big Reds went for two and Singer hit Jordan Martin to go up 15-8.

Bluefield threatened in the second period thanks to a fumble recovery on the PHS 18 yard line. On fourth down Mahoney led the charge to stop Deeb for no gain when the signal caller needed only a yard for a first down at the nine yard line.

The next Bluefield drive ended at the 30 on a fourth down sack by Waybright and Fleming with one second left in the first half.

The third quarter saw Bluefield threaten again after another fumble recovery, this one at the PHS 41. A facemask penalty moved the ball to the 20 and the Beavers advanced to the two only to have Singer tackle the Bluefield ball carrier for a five yard loss before a holding penalty moved the ball back and two Deeb passes fell incomplete.

PHS then put together another 80-yard drive highlighted by a 28 yard scamper by Singer, who carried six times on the drive before rolling left in an apparent run attempt only to throw the ball into the end zone to Aaron Kupfner who caught the ball on his knees to complete the seven yard scoring play. Casey Stanley’s kick made it 22-8 and gave PHS some breathing room.

Bluefield’s next possession was halted with 8:39 left to play in the game thanks to a sack by Chris Farson which forced a punt and gave the Big Reds the ball on the Bluefield 47. Six plays later Singer scored from the four with 5:23 remaining and Stanley’s kick made it 29-8 and end the excitement for the night.

#1 Bluefield vs #13 Parkersburg (Oct 16, 2020 at Parkersburg)
Score by Quarters        1       2       3       4       -        Total
Bluefield                       8       0       0       0       -        8
Parkersburg                15     0       0       14     -        29
Qtr Time Scoring play
1st 02:08 PHS - Carter King 28 yd pass from Bryson Singer (Casey Stanley kick), 13-80 4:16
01:50 BLUE - Amir Hairston 65 yd run (Bryce Gamble pass from Carson Deeb), 2-65 0:18
00:48 PHS - Carter King 15 yd pass from Bryson Singer (Jordan Martin pass from Bryson Singer), 3-56 1:00
4th 11:10 PHS - Aaron Kupfner 7 yd pass from Bryson Singer (Casey Stanley kick), 12-80 4:53
05:23 PHS - Bryson Singer 4 yd run (Casey Stanley kick), 6-47 3:16
...............................................................BLUE        PHS
FIRST DOWNS                                       10               17
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)                       33-88         41-211
PASSING YDS (NET)                            91               106
Passes Att-Comp-Int                                20-9-0        16-8-1
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS    53-179       57-317
Fumble Returns-Yards                             2--1            0-0
Punt Returns-Yards                                  0-0             0-0
Kickoff Returns-Yards                            4-69           2-0
Interception Returns-Yards                     1-0             0-0
Punts (Number-Avg)                               6-33.7        1-39.0
Fumbles-Lost                                            0-0             4-3
Penalties-Yards                                         10-67         2-20
Possession Time                                       23:06         23:50
Third-Down Conversions                       3 of 12       4 of 10
Fourth-Down Conversions                     0 of 3         1 of 2
Red-Zone Scores-Chances                      0-2             3-3
Sacks By: Number-Yards                        1-5             5-29
RUSHING: Bluefield-Amir Hairston 6-77; Jaeon Flack 6-19; Brandon Wiley 3-15; Jacob Martin 4-6; Ryker Brown 3-5; Shawn Mitchell 1-0; Juwaun Green 1-minus 1; Carson Deeb 9-minus 33. Parkersburg-Bryson Singer 23-136; Justin Waybright 7-53; Xadrian Snodgrass 9-32; Carter King 2-minus 10.
PASSING: Bluefield-Carson Deeb 8-19-0-79; Ryker Brown 1-1-0-12; Juwaun Green 0-0-0-0. Parkersburg-Bryson Singer 8-16-1-106.
RECEIVING: Bluefield-Brandon Wiley 3-64; Juwaun Green 3-14; Gaige Sisk 1-12; Ryker Brown 1-11; Jaeon Flack 1-minus 10. Parkersburg-Carter King 3-40; Julian Martin 2-15; Jordan Martin 1-39; Aaron Kupfner 1-7; Xadrian Snodgrass 1-5.
INTERCEPTIONS: Bluefield-Jaeon Flack 1-0. Parkersburg-None.
FUMBLES: Bluefield-None. Parkersburg-Bryson Singer 3-3; Xadrian Snodgrass 1-0.
Bluefield (4-1) vs. Parkersburg (4-2)
Date: Oct 16, 2020 • Site: Parkersburg • Stadium: Stadium Field
Attendance: 500
Kickoff time: 7:30 • End of Game: 10:01 • Total elapsed time: 2:31
SACKS (UA-A): Bluefield-Jacob Martin 1-0. Parkersburg-Justin Waybright 1-2; Austin Fleming 0-2; Chris Farson 1-0; Xadrian Snodgrass 0-1; Jake Barnette 0-1.
TACKLES (UA-A): Parkersburg-Jake Barnette 5-1; Casey Mahoney 5-0; Xadrian Snodgrass 3-2; Justin Waybright 3-2; Carter Mills 4-0; Bryson Singer 3-1; Austin Fleming 2-2; Chris Farson 3-0; Zach Howard 3-0; Michael Owen 2-1; Jeffrey Jones 2-0; Julian Martin 1-1; Keenan Curry 1-1; Charlie Bauman 1-0.