Oct. 11 George Washington game
Big 4th Quarter Plays Lift GW Ove PHS, 30-23
Game Statistics / Game Photos
CHARLESTON – A 100-yard interception return by Solomon Ferrell for one fourth quarter touchdowns and an 80 yard run from scrimmage that set up a short touchdown run by quarterback Cy Persinger proved the difference at George Washington defeated Parkersburg 30-23 here Friday night.
The Big Reds once again dominated time of possession and the statistics but could only punch in three touchdown runs by Jakel Shelton as they dropped to 2-4 on the season while GW improved to 6-1.
PHS held a 31.56 to 17.04 advantage in time of possession and ran 66 offensive plays to just 35 for GW while holding a
341-280 margin in total yards.
And going into the fourth quarter the visitors from Parkersburg were ahead 16-14 on the scoreboard after Shelton’s 12 yard TD run with 12 seconds left in the third period. Shelton’s scoring run over the left side caped a 13-play, 58-yard drive in which the big play was a 21 yard pass from Cooper Cancade to Braxton Kupfner on a fourth down play. That was one of four fourth down conversions by the Big Reds in the go-ahead drive that made it 16-14 heading into the fourth quarter.
After a short punt put PHS on offense at the GW 37, the visitors drove to a first and goal at the eight but on third down Cancade’s pass was picked off in the end zone and the GW defender took it 100 yards for the touchdown.
The Big Reds immediately tried to answer, driving to the GW 16 but a fourth down pass fell incomplete.After a timeout GE standout Sai’Vion Brown went 80 yards up the middle to the PHS two yard line and Persinger then scored on a sneak to give the home team a 30-16 lead.
PHS answered with an eight-play, 60 yard drive with Shelton scoring from the on with 57 seconds left to make it 30-23 after Quinton Wright’s extra point kick.
It then appeared as if PHS had recovered Wright’s onside kickoff attempt but officials ruled the ball had hit a PHS player on the leg and GW was able to run out the clock.
The Big Reds scored on their first possession of the game, going 52 yards in eight plays with Shelton scoring from the one after a 29 yard run two plays earlier.
GW pulled within a point on an 18 yard run by Brown with an extra point miss but Wright kicked a 20 yard field goal in the second quarter to make it 10-6. The home team took a 14-10 halftime lead on an 18 yard pass to Hunter Giacomo with 2:59 left before the half.
A 26-yard run by Shelton put PHS in position to score again just before the half but a bad snap ended that threat on the GW 14.
The fourth quarter heroics by GW ruined a fine game by Shelton, who had 103 yard rushing on 23 carries and caught three passes for 32 yards as Cancade completed 15 of 26 aerial attempts for 273 yards but suffered two interceptions. Zane Lewis caught four passes for 52 yards.
Brown led the winners with 143 yards on eight attempts, most of it on the long run in the fourth quarter.
