Parkersburg High School Big Reds Football

Oct. 29, 2021 George Washington Game

Big Reds Drop 28-24 Decision To GW

The Parkersburg Big Reds came so close to pulling off a comeback victory over George Washington but in the end wound up dropping a 28-24 heart-breaker at Stadium Field.

Out-playing the visiting Patriots at almost every turn, the Big Reds could not come up with the big play at crucial times and saw their playoff hopes disappear just a yard short of the end zone in the final seconds of the contest.

Trailing 28-17 with less than seven minutes to play PHS had the ball but threw an interception near midfield. However they quickly got the ball back on a Zach Howard fumble recovery at the PHS 47. Two plays later David Parsons threw a 54 yard bomb to Bryson Singer, who out-leaped a defender at the five yard line and shook off a tackler to score and close the gap to 28-14 with 4:56 left in the game.

The Big Reds forced a punt and got the ball back on their own 28 with 2:57 left in the game and proceeded to run off 11 plays and take the ball to the GW two yard line. Two completions of 13 yards each to Carter King and a 14 yard run by Xadrian Snodgrass were the big plays and Singer's 10 yard carry put the ball just two yards away from the go-ahead score with just 51 seconds remaining.

A run up the middle by Snodgrass put the ball on the one but Singer was tripped up for a two yard loss and then stopped for another yard loss back to the four with 18 seconds remaining. On fourth down Parsons' pass attempt to Stanley at the goal line fell incomplete and GW merely had to kneel down to secure the victory.

The Big Reds had twice as many first downs in the game, 26-13, and ran an incredible 85 plays to just 49 for GW. Total offense saw PHS with a 414-256 advantage but two turnovers were costly with one being returned for a touchdown.

Singer scored two touchdowns in the game, catching four passes for 90 yards, and also ran for 74 yards. Snodgrass ran for 73 yards and caught five passes for 37 while King caught seven passes for 66 yards.

Parsons, only a sophomore, threw for 240 yards to go over 1,000 yards for the season as he completed 19 of 38 passes and three touchdowns.

The Big Reds started the game by driving from their own 28 to the GW 28 before settling for a 44-yard field goal by Stanley.

GW answered with a 75-yard drive all on the ground until Brady Adams' fourth down pass to Cameron Reed covered the final 18 yards. The Patriots then got a charity touchdown when Singer was hit while trying to pass and the ball went right into the waiting hands of Layth Ghannam, who took it into the end zone from 18 yards away.

The visitors held PHS on a fourth down play and got the ball back on their 43 on the next to last play of the first quarter and quickly got on the board again thanks to a 43 yard touchdown toss from Adams to Keegan Sack to run the score to 21-3.

The Big Reds closed the gap to 21-10 on a nine-play, 61-yard drive that climaxed with Singer making a 19-yard leaping, in-stride catch in the back of the end zone with 7:23 on the second quarter clock.

An 81-yard, 15-play drive in the third quarter by PHS cut the lead to four points, 21-17, as King made an over-the-shoulder catch in the back of the end zone with 5:12 on the clock.

It appeared as if PHS had taken the lead on the second play of the fourth quarter as Parsons hit Singer in the right corner of the end zone but the official ruled Singer was out of bounds when he caught the ball. Two more incomplete passes forced PHS to give the ball up at the 29.

GW then rambled off a 70 yard drive in eight plays with Matthews running five times for 48 of the yards including the final seven with 6:51 left in the game to make the score 28-17.