Wheeling – Huntington employed a “bend-don’t-break” style of defense Saturday afternoon at Wheeling Island Stadium en route to a 28-3 win over Parkersburg South and with it the first Class AAA state championship in program history.
The No. 1-rated Patriots kept it a 7-3 game deep into the third but couldn’t overcome their mistakes. They were penalized 15 times for 135 yards and lost the turnover battle 4-1.
Wayne Harris opened the festivities early for the Highlanders with an interception of South QB Robert Shockey on the first drive though the ensuing Highlander possession ended inside the South five after a failed fourth-down conversion attempt.
South added its only points of the game with a field goal on the next drive but Huntington took the lead for good when QB Gavin Lochow connected with D’Edrick Graves on a seven-yard touchdown pass.
the score held until late in the third quarter when sophomore standout Zach Jackson housed a 77-yard run to make it a 14-3 game. Rushing scores of 6 and 12 yards by Graves cemented the game in the fourth for the Huntington which finishes its season with a 12-1 record.
Jackson led the Highlanders with 165 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, earning MVP honors, while Gavin Lochow threw for 72 yards and rushed for 107. Gage Wright led South with 122 yards rushing, 10 tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss, earning MVP honors for his team.
Robert Shockey, who collected over 2,500 yards passing and 1,000 rushing coming into he Super Six, was held in check by the Highlanders, fumbling three times and throwing an interception.
