Sports
Week 3 Power Rankings: West Virginia
By: Clay Benjamin
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The leaves are beginning to fall off the trees, the sun is going down sooner and the Friday night’s wind is growing the baby teeth to winter’s harsh bite. It’s football season and three weeks in, the power players in West Virginia are beginning to show themselves. Though it is a long season, it’s never too early to see what teams have a legitimate chance at a playoff run, or a team who needs to get their act together.
1) Point Pleasant Knights (3-0)
The Point Pleasant Knights are the newest team to our West Virginia coverage, and they start the season at the top of our West Virginia power rankings. The Knights are a team that is not to be taken lightly. Coming off of a 38-14 victory over Wayne, the Knights have now won 17-straight regular season games. The offensive duo of QB Aden Yates and RB Cody Mitchell are the workhorses behind this high-powered offense.
2) Williamstown Yellow Jackets (3-0)
A more familiar name in West Virginia, the Williamstown Yellow Jackets are fresh off a 41-32 victory over Marietta in ‘The Rumble on the River.’ The Yellow Jackets came into the season looking to replace quarterback Jake Tracewell, and they found their man in QB Dakota Watson. Through the first three games, Watson has put the team on his back. Watson went 6-for-8 passing for 100 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 196 yards and three touchdowns on the ground against the Tigers. If you want to stop the Yellow Jackets, you are going have to stop Dakota Watson.
3) Parkersburg South Patriots (2-1)
The Patriots are the team to watch this season in West Virginia Class AAA. Under second-year head coach Mike Eddy, a young offense is starting to click. The offense, led by Junior QB Garrett Gilkeson, is coming off a 35-26 victory over Morgantown. Gilkeson threw for 267 yards on 17-for-21 passing. The Patriots are a team that could fly under the radar through the rest of the season.
4) Parkersburg Big Reds (1-1)
After winning their 800th game in school history in Week 1, the Big Reds are looking to bounce back after receiving a beating at the hands of Cabell-Midland in Week 3. It doesn’t get any easier for the Big Reds, as Parkersburg travel to state title favorite Capital on Friday. After giving up 549 yards of total offense to the Cabell Midland Knights, the Big Reds must contain the Cougars, who are averaging 405.5 yards of total offense through the first two games.
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