CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Huntington Highlanders will drive up I-64 Friday evening to “The Hill” to take on the George Washington Patriots.
Tonight’s matchup will be the 14th all-time meeting between these two programs, and it is the second straight season that both teams enter this game undefeated.
George Washington will enter tonight’s game after winning five straight home games. The last time the Patriots lost at Steve Edwards Sr. Field was against the Highlanders last year, 30-14.
“Every time we play them, it is a great football game,” said Huntington head football coach Billy Seals. “They have a great program, and Steve Edwards does a tremendous job with those guys. We have had some great teams go against them these last few years. We know that we have to play well in a tough environment. I know their fans will be excited about the game, and I hope our kids are ready to play and compete against a high-quality program like George Washington.”
The Highlanders will have their hands full this evening with G.W.’s Abe Fenwick and Keegan Sack. Fenwick has connected Sacks 18 times for 246 yards and five touchdowns. Seals was a guest on the Thursday edition of the Kanawha Valley Sports Report.
“The best thing you can do is to keep those guys off the field, keep them on the sidelines, and let them drink Gatorade,” Seals noted. “You never stop an offense like that. You hope to slow them down. I think it is important to put them in second and third-down situations that take them away from what they want to do.”
Huntington enters tonight’s contest with a 1-1 record after playing the first two weeks and then not playing since September 2nd. The Highlanders dropped their first game of the season against in-county rival, Spring Valley, 29-28.
Seals’ ball club returned the following week and answered profoundly, upending South Charleston, 54-7.
“We didn’t play well in our first game, but give Spring Valley credit,” Seals noted. “I think the biggest improvement your football team makes is from the first and second weeks. I think our [defensive] backers did not play well against Spring Valley, then played much better the following week. It is a progression for us. Any time you lose 11 seniors, 10 of which are playing college football, with all that productivity, there will be growing pains.”
The Highlanders’ offense returns valuable weapons, including quarterback Gavin Lochow and Zah Zah Jackson. Huntington is averaging 41-point through its first two games, and Seals saw his offense being a strength before the 2022 season kicked off.
“We are more explosive offensively than we have usually been,” Seals stated. “Last year, we averaged about 38-points per game. I feel like we have more weapons this year on offense across the board. I think we are a fun football team.”
However, Seals needs to see more improvement and growth in his defense.
“I think our inside tackles have played relatively well,” Seals said. “Our in-play could be better, but I was more concerned about our linebacker play going into the year. We lost three good linebackers last year. That group is getting better each day. I see the progression, and they are starting to see things at the linebacker position that allows the game to slow down. We also thought our secondary would be the strength of our team.”
Lochow returns for his final season as the signal caller for Seals. The six-foot quarterback is coming off an impressive junior campaign after becoming the first Highlander to pass and run for over 1,000 yards earning him the J.R. House Award.
“I think he has improved his knowledge of the game,” Seals noted. “His mechanics have also improved. Following our two-hour-long practice, he and the receivers were still working when the practice was over. I think there is great communication between him and the receiving cores. He is a great leader for our program. He works hard every single day. I think his ability to throw the football has improved tremendously.”