NOBODY'S AVERAGE IN
Publication:
Published: 12/02/1986
Page: P5B
Headline: NOBODY'S AVERAGE IN COUNTY FOOTBALL
Byline: DON HAGER
There was nothing average about the 1986
Conference football season. Everyone was at the top or the bottom,
even those who finished near .500.
At the top were Class AAA state champion Stonewall Jackson
(11-1-1) and two other playoff qualifiers, DuPont (9-1-1) and
Albans
At the bottom were George Washington, Herbert Hoover and Nitro
at 3-7, and Dunbar and
The middle?
East Bank had a 5-5 record, but was poor early in the season
with an 0-4 start and then very strong down the
stretch with five
wins in the last six games.
Sissonville was 6-4, and very impressive in winnings its first
six games before being outscored 88-20 in its last four games, all
losses.
games, and then slumped with three defeats in its last four outings
Here's a quick team-by-team review:
coach at CHS with 54 victories. Ahead of him are coaches with 118,.
101 and 62 wins. There won't be a
for
Lions were their second highest total in Jefferson's eight seasons
the lowest total since the 1979 team scored 76.
1
2
two winning records in the last 15 years. Bring on consolidation.
DuPONT (9-1-1) _ The KVC co-champion, with Stonewall
Jackson,
had the league scoring champion in Tom Canterbury (102 points). The
Panthers' offensive output of 241 points is the most since 1978 and.
the 78 points allowed were the least since 1981. DuPont has had only
two losing records in the last 16 seasons.
EAST BANK (5-5) _ Quarterback Brian Higginbotham led KVC passers
with 68 points on 10 touchdown passes and eight extra points. The
Pioneers also had the highest-scoring underclassman, junior fullback
Kevin Crider who scored 66 points. The 184-point offense was East
Bank's best since 1977.
GEORGE WASHINGTON (3-7) _ The Patriots lacked a punch this
season, scoring 114 points, the least since the '74 club scored 82
HERBERT HOOVER (3-7) _ With 87 victories, Coach Joe Cowley is
14th in Kanawha County football coaching wins. This year's Huskies
managed only 99 points (fifth lowest at HH) while the defense
surrendered 232 (third highest at HH).
NITRO (3-7) _ The Wildcats' problems were on defense,
surrendering 216 points, the most since the '76 club gave up 218. An.
argument could be made that Nitro is overmatched in the KVC, having a
winning record against only East Bank (5-4) while losing to
(6-8), St. Albans (15-32-2),
(2-9).
ST. ALBANS (9-3) _ The Red Dragons averaged 20.1 points on
2
offense and surrendered 7.8 defensively, the top marks at
since 1979. Gary Bennett led
receiving with 44 points while quarterback Craig Smith
tied for first
place in touchdown passes with 10.
SISSONVILLE (6-4) _ The Indians flexed their muscles until
injuries slowed them. They whipped Class AAA playoff team Ripley
14-0 and Class AA playoff team Valley 19-7 while winning their first
six contests. Sissonville gave up 14 points a game, the Indians'.
best mark since 1975. Over the previous 10 seasons,
Sissonville gave
up an average of 22.6 points a game.
SOUTH CHARLESTON (2-8) _ The Black Eagles have losing records
against six of eight KVC opponents, going 7-27-1 vs. Charleston,
19-21-3 vs. DuPont, 12-27-2 vs. East Bank, 7-15 vs. GW, 19-35-2 vs
.St. Albans and 8-33 vs. Stonewall. They hold a 14-10 edge over
.3 points, the lowest figure since 1969.
STONEWALL JACKSON (11-1-1) _ KVC co-champion and Class AAA
champion in Coach Jerry Townson's second season. Townson's teams.
have a combined record of 20-3-1. Only the Generals'
state champs of
1974 won more games for SJ, going 12-0. SJ, which started playing
football in 1940, won its 300th game. The school's football teams
have a record of 302 wins, 164 losses and 17 ties.