SCOTTS VS. HOSTETLERS FATHER-SON PAIRS TO CLASH WITH WVU FLAVOR PREP FOOTBALL
Publication: THE
Published: 11/22/2005
Page: 1B
Headline: SCOTTS VS. HOSTETLERS FATHER-SON PAIRS TO CLASH WITH WVU FLAVOR PREP
FOOTBALL
Byline: RICK RYAN
rickryan@wvgazette.com
At
Well, more than 20 years later, the two will again match wits, but the stakes
are a bit higher this time. Each coaches a defense trying to stop the other's
son and secure a spot in the state high school championship game.
It'll be a reunion and family affair all in one Friday night when University
and Nitro tangle at Laidley Field in the Class AAA
playoff semifinals. The survivor advances to the state finals Dec. 3 at
Wheeling Island Stadium.
Mike Scott serves as defensive coordinator at third-ranked Nitro (11-1), while
Jeff Hostetler is the quarterbacks-linebackers coach for No. 10 University
(9-3).
They must help devise a way to slow down each other's son - sophomore Michael
Scott quarterbacks the Wildcats, while senior Justin Hostetler is a third-year
starter under center for the Hawks.
"Basically, they're doing it all over again," said Nitro coach Scott Tinsley.
"That is interesting. And it's kind of funny that both of their kids play
quarterback, too. I don't know how that's going to work out."
Each team utilizes a workhorse tailback (Nitro's Josh Culbertson, University's
Cory Jackson), but each side will throw the ball a fair amount, too.
Michael Scott has completed 115-of-168 passes for 2,036 yards and 22 touchdowns
with just six interceptions, while Justin Hostetler is 118-of-208 for 1,778
yards and 13 TDs with 10 picks.
Mike Scott, who played at WVU from 1981-84, said he'll try to take this week's
game like any other and not try to over-analyze Justin Hostetler.
"I'll just approach this like it's just another team and just another quarterback,"
he said. "I think he's probably one of the better quarterbacks in the
state this year and one of the best we've faced after watching him [on game
tapes].
"I'm sure he'll be well-coached because of his dad and he'll know what to
do with the ball and when to do it. I think we've got our hands full."
Mike Scott doesn't necessarily see anything that reminds him of Jeff Hostetler
when watching tapes of Justin. After a solid stint at WVU that included a
memorable upset at
"Nothing's struck me like that," Mike Scott said of possible
similarities. "Nothing at all. I played with
[Jeff] for two years and knew him well, I guess as well as any other teammate.
"The
Mike Scott and Jeff Hostetler have crossed paths and chatted some over the
years.
"He's a good guy," Scott said. "I've seen him a couple other
times. We played University down here in 2002 and he wasn't on their coaching
staff at the time, but he was on the sideline with them. I saw him then and
talked with him. I saw him when they had a reunion [of the WVU team that beat
Scott's playing days with the Mountaineers were actually about as successful as
Hostetler's.
"Everybody's familiar with Jeff because of his NFL experience and the
Super Bowl and all that," Tinsley said, "but Mike was a
three-year starter and had a great career up there."
And for one more night, at least, they'll be scheming against each other on
Friday.
"I'm sure we'll have a little laugh and a joke about it during the pregame," Mike Scott said, "but here it is. I
think he'll think it's a good thing and I think it's a good thing. Heck, it's
just two kids going at it and playing a game. I think it'll be fun for both of
them."
To contact assistant sports editor Rick Ryan, use e-mail or call 348-5175.