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Game of the Week Preview: Point Pleasant Ready For First Big Test Against Undefeated Ravenswood [VIDEO]
By: Michael Drapcho
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Winning consistently isn’t always easy, yet the 2014 version of the Point Pleasant Big Blacks have made it look that way through the first seven weeks of the season.
Point Pleasant’s closest game this season was a 38-14 victory over the reigning AA State Champion, Wayne. Other than that game, no team has managed to even score double-digit points against the Big Blacks’ defense.
When a team has as much success as Point Pleasant has had this season, the team must fight complacency. It’s easy for a team to sit back and relax after it has steamrolled every team on its schedule so far, so essentially the team must fight itself.
Friday night, Point Pleasant won’t be playing itself. However, it will be playing a team in the Ravenswood Red Devils that has some strong similarities. In fact, at a glance these teams are almost identical on paper.
Both teams enter the game sporting undefeated records with Point Pleasant coming in at 7-0 and Ravenswood coming in at 6-0. Both teams average about 50 points a game, as Ravenswood averages 48.3 points per game and Point Pleasant averages over 52 points per game.
The main statistical difference between these teams comes on the defensive side of the ball. Ravenswood allows an average of 16.7 points per game, which is very good if not for the Big Blacks’ showing this season.
Point Pleasant has one of the stingiest defenses in all of West Virginia, giving up only about 4.6 points per game. The Big Black defense, which is led by its stout front seven, has pitched three shutouts this season and only allowed just 32 points in the seven games this season, which is the fewest points allowed by any team in West Virginia.
Point Pleasant’s defense will be tested Friday when it lines up across from the Ravenswood offense, though. The Red Devils are the only team on Point Pleasant’s schedule that has been as impressive as the Big Blacks.
Ravenswood’s Rhys Jelich is undoubtedly the most dangerous offensive player that the Big Blacks have faced this season. Just like Point Pleasant’s own Cody Mitchell, Ravenswood’s best weapon is a multidimensional player.
The senior quarterback is coming off three straight five-touchdown games. In his last game, a 50-6 dismantling of Braxton County, Jelich ran for three touchdowns, threw for one and returned one as well.
While stopping Jelich and the Ravenswood offense is the toughest test Point Pleasant has faced this season, Point Pleasant also presents Ravenswood with its toughest test as well. The Red Devils haven’t faced a team as loaded offensively as the Big Blacks.
The pair of unbeaten will square off at 7:30 p.m. at Flinn Field in Ravenswood Friday.
'Gridiron Glory' airs every Friday night at 11:30 p.m. on WOUB. You can follow the show on Twitter @gridironglory, like the Gridiron Glory page on Facebook, and follow along on Instagram @woubsports. You can also join the conversation throughout the season by using the hashtag #GridGlory!