#1 Huntington Uses Big Plays to Beat PHS
Game Statistics
A fumble recovery in the end zone and an 85 yard punt return broke open a close game in the second quarter and powered number one ranked defending state champion Huntington to a 49-21 win over 12th ranked Parkersburg Friday night at Stadium Field.
The big plays enabled the Highlanders to win their school record 20th straight game and raise their season’s record to 7-0 while dropping the Big Reds to 4-3 with their third straight loss heading into next week’s game against visiting Capital.
Although failing on the scoreboard, PHS managed to win the statistic battle in first downs (18-14), rushing yardage (134-93) and time of possession (28:40-18:57) against the quick-striking visitors. Huntington got three touchdown passes from Avonte Crawford as he completed 12 of 16 passes for 227 yards. Overall the Highlanders held a 315-250 advantage in total yards.
After a 1-for-6 start, Big Red quarterback David Parsons finished 12 of 23 for 116 yards with Andrew Stalnaker caching four for 63 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground Jakel Shelton ran for 54 yards on 13 attempts while Jason Williams had a touchdown among his 12 carries for 47 yards. PHS played without leading receiver Anthony Ice who was injured two weeks ago.
A 26 yard punt return by Zah Jackson, who returned three punts for 122 yards including the big TD run, set up Huntington’s initial touchdown, a one yard run by Jackson. The visitors only had to go 37 yards on its first scoring drive.
Huntington made it 14-0 late in the first quarter on a 46 yard pass to Michael Johnson but PHS answered with a 73-yard, 12-play drive that ended on a seven yard TD pass to Stalnaker with 6:37 left in the second quarter.
PHS got pinned deep in its own territory on the 22 yard line after a Highlander punt. On the first play following the kick Parsons was flagged for his second intentional grounding penalty and the Big Reds were back on their own eight yard line. A false start penalty followed that and things got even worse when the Big Reds fumbled into their own end zone and Huntington recovered to make it 21-7.
The Big Reds moved into Huntington territory on its next possession to the 43 but a holding penalty killed that drive and forced a PHS punt that Jackson picked up on his 15, reversed field and raced 85 yards for a touchdown that made it 28-7.
At the half PHS held a 105-92 edge in total yards and a 10-3 margin in first downs while running twice as many plays (34-16) but still trailed by three touchdowns on the scoreboard.
Huntington came out throwing in the third quarter, hitting passes for 17, 20 and 30 yards to set up Crawford’s one yard run untouched around right end to run the score to 35-7.
PHS responded with a 40 yard TD toss to Stalnaker just 1:40 later to make it 35-14 but Huntington got another big pass play of 45 yards to Jamari Tubbs to set up a short pass from Tyrone McNeely which made it 42-14 with 5:02 left in the third quarter.
A 35 yard completion to McNeely set up Huntington’s seventh touchdown and made the fourth quarter a running clock situation.
PHS got its final touchdown after a 44 yard kickoff return by Williams, who also got the touchdown from two yards out with a second effort run over the left side with 22.1 seconds left in the game.
#1 Huntington vs #12 Parkersburg (Oct 13, 2023 at Parkersburg)
Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 -Total
Huntington 14 14 21 0 - 49
Parkersburg 0 7 7 7 - 21
Qtr Time Scoring play
1st 05:46 HUNT - Zah Jackson 1 yd run (Jonathan Aya-Ay kick), 7-37 4:08
01:04 HUNT - Michael Johnson 46 yd pass from Avonte Crawford (Jonathan Aya-Ay kick), 3-55 1:28
2nd 06:37 PHS - Andrew Stalnaker 7 yd pass from David Parsons (Casey Stanley kick), 12-72 6:21
04:51 HUNT - Cameron Veazey 0 yd fumble recovery (Jonathan Aya-Ay kick)
00:34 HUNT - Zah Jackson 85 yd punt return (Jonathan Aya-Ay kick)
3rd 10:34 HUNT - Avonte Crawford 1 yd run (Jonathan Aya-Ay kick), 5-80 1:26
08:48 PHS - Andrew Stalnaker 40 yd pass from David Parsons (Casey Stanley kick), 4-56 1:40
05:02 HUNT - Tyrone McNeely 7 yd pass from Avonte Crawford (Jonathan Aya-Ay kick), 7-80 3:46
00:10 HUNT - Jamari Tubbs 2 yd pass from Avonte Crawford (Jonathan Aya-Ay kick), 6-51 2:27
4th 00:23 PHS - Jason Williams 2 yd run (Casey Stanley kick), 5-40 2:50
..............................................................HUNT PHS
FIRST DOWNS 14 18
RUSHES-YARDS (NET) 20-93 34-134
PASSING YDS (NET) 222 116
Passes Att-Comp-Int 18-13-0 23-12-0
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS 38-315 57-250
Fumble Returns-Yards 0-0 0-0
Punt Returns-Yards 3-122 2-44
Kickoff Returns-Yards 1-8 6-85
Interception Returns-Yards 0-0 0-0
Punts (Number-Avg) 3-39.0 5-33.6
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 4-2
Penalties-Yards 10-106 10-109
Possession Time 18:57 28:40
Third-Down Conversions 1 of 5 5 of 11
Fourth-Down Conversions 1 of 1 1 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances 4-4 2-2
Sacks By: Number-Yards 1-19 1-5
RUSHING: Huntington-Zah Jackson 8-47; DEdrick Graves 7-44; Avonte Crawford 4-7; TEAM 1-minus 5.
Parkersburg-Jakel Shelton 13-54; Jason Williams 12-47; Andrew Stalnaker 1-26; David Parsons 7-8; TEAM 1-minus 1.
PASSING: Huntington-Avonte Crawford 12-16-0-227; Jaxon Hatfield 1-2-0-minus 5. Parkersburg-David Parsons 12-23-0-116.
RECEIVING: Huntington-Tyrone McNeely 6-81; Tayveon Wilson 3-49; Jamari Tubbs 2-47; Michael Johnson 1-46; Zah Jackson 1-minus 1. Parkersburg-Andrew Stalnaker 4-63; Jason Williams 3-24; Matthew
Stalnaker 3-17; Casey Stanley 1-16; Jakel Shelton 1-minus 4.
FUMBLES: Huntington-Avonte Crawford 1-0. Parkersburg-David Parsons 2-2; Jason Williams 1-0; Sylas Cheuvront 1-0.
Huntington (7-0) vs. Parkersburg (4-3)
Date: Oct 13, 2023 • Site: Parkersburg • Stadium: Stadium Field
Attendance: 1000
Kickoff time: 7:30 • End of Game: 9:57 • Total elapsed time: 2:27
SACKS (UA-A): Huntington-Max Bohren 1-0. Parkersburg-Adam Elder 0-1; Jason Williams 0-1.
TACKLES (UA-A): Unofficial Parkersburg-Matthew Stalnaker 5-1; Jakel Shelton 3-2; Andrew Stalnaker 1-4; Jason Williams 1-3; Zane Lewis 3-0; Adam Elder 0-3; Tytan Parsons 1-1; Chris Cox 1-1; Eli Bauman 1-1; Jake Bauman 1-0; Austin Jones 1-0; Allen Bradlee 1-0; Casey Stanley 1-0.
