Published: September 06, 2008 01:25 am         

Flying Eagles rush by Big Reds

Woodrow reclaims Greasy Neale Trophy by beating Parkersburg 31-20

Dominique Hairston’s best Patrick White impersonation made Parkersburg’s trip home a little lighter.

Hairston, subbing for injured starter Ryan Stafford, ran for all four Woodrow Wilson touchdowns to lead the Flying Eagles to a 31-20 win over Parkersburg Friday night at Van Meter Stadium.

Parkersburg, the two-time defending Class AAA state champion, arrived in Beckley with the Greasy Neale Trophy that goes to the winner of the game each year. But it was Woodrow coach John H. Lilly hoisting the trophy for the second time since 2005.

Hairston played a large part in the Eagles (2-0) reclaiming the prize. The 5-foot-9, 168-pound sophomore quarterback established himself early.

On first-and-5 from the Parkersburg 46 — the Big Reds were off sides on the first play — Hairston kept the ball and went through a gaping hole up the middle. He raced untouched until he had to sidestep Parkersburg defender Derek Wenzel at the five for a 54-yard touchdown and 7-0 lead 26 seconds into the game.

That was the beginning of a big game for Hairston. He ran for 178 yards and three more touchdowns of 1, 55 and 15 yards.

“He stepped up to the plate,” Lilly said. “Our starting quarterback (Ryan Stafford) was out with a broken hand, and any time somebody can come in and perform like that, we’re just awful proud of (Hairston).

“But I will say whenever a quarterback does that, there’s five guys that did a nice job for him (up front).”

Lilly was referring, of course, to the offensive line. The Eagles rushed for 303 yards as a team behind an offensive line that dominated from the outset.

“I would just like to thank my line,” Hairston said. “My line did everything tonight. They blocked well and executed every play.”

“It’s hard to tell. I’ll have to go back and look (on film), but it appeared there were some gaping holes out there, so I would assume they probably did a pretty good job,” Parkersburg coach Bernie Buttrey said. “There were some pretty big boys up front.”

Buttrey said the difference in playing style between Stafford and Hairston proved a problem.

“We realized that Stafford was out and that the free safety was going to play quarterback, and we were almost like, ‘Wow. That changes the whole thing,’” he said. “This cat can get away from you. Stafford can run over you, but I’m not sure he’s going to break a 50- or 60-yard run. So it probably added a little more stress to it. The only thing we could hope was that he couldn’t execute real well.”

Hairston’s running was only half the story. He also completed 8 of 11 passes for 93 yards. Two of the incomplete passes were drops.

Junior running back Vashawn Wood was Hairston’s top target, catching five passes for 62 yards. He also rushed seven times for 55 yards.

Hairston said he tries to emulate quarterbacks such as West Virginia’s White.

“When I watch (other quarterbacks), I try to play like them, but at the same time, I strive to be better than them,” he said. “That’s how I look at Pat White — as what I want to be like in life, not just a good player on the field.”

Parkersburg quarterback Derek Wenzel tried to keep the Big Reds in the game. He responded to Hairston’s opening TD with a 30-yard scoring run of his own two minutes later to tie the game.

After the Eagles went up by two scores, Stephen Roush made a diving catch in the end zone for a 23-yard TD to make it 21-14 at halftime.

Wenzel’s 3-yard pass to Ryan Black in the fourth pulled the Big Reds to 28-20.

Adam Cook added a 25-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for Woodrow.

Parkersburg is 0-2 for the first time since 1993, when it lost to Capital and Huntington East to start the year. The Big Reds visit South Charleston next Friday.

“I don’t know (how the team will respond). We have never been 0-2 (under Buttrey)” the coach said. “I guess we’ll just handle it like we do everything else. Monday we’re going to have to get to work and get better.”

Woodrow, meanwhile, travels to Cabell Midland, which beat Parkersburg in overtime last week.

“This will be another big one,” Lilly said. “That’s just the way it is in this conference (Mountain State Athletic Conference).”

Seven new members were inducted into the Woodrow Wilson football hall of fame at halftime.

Three players — Thomas Mitchell, Brad Acord and Darius Law — were members of a pair of Woodrow teams that lost just three games in 2000 and 2001.

Magic Staples and Dr. Charles Cappellari were also inducted as players.

Dr. Gary Poling and coach Butch Lambert were inducted as honorary members.

— E-mail: gfauber@register-herald.com



Woodrow Wilson 31, Parkersburg 20

P (0-2) 7 7 0 6 — 20

WW (2-0) 7 14 7 3 — 31

First Quarter

WW: Dominique Hairston 54 run (Adam Cook kick), 11:34.

P: Derek Wenzel 30 run (Jeff Lantz kick), 9:36.

Second Quarter

WW: Hairston 1 run (Cook kick), 11:56.

WW: Hairston 55 run (Cook kick), 9:52.

P: Stephen Roush 23 pass from Wenzel (Lantz kick), 7:09.

Third Quarter

WW: Hairston 15 run (Cook kick), 2:47.

Fourth Quarter

P: Ryan Black 3 pass from Wenzel (kick blocked), 11:27.

WW: Cook 25 FG, 5:39.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — P: Wenzel 18-119, Christopher Row 10-36, Christian Ong 5-21, Frank Settle 2-3, Roush 1-(-1). WW: Hairston 15-178, Wood 7-55, Rakeem Fowlkes 10-54, Lance Martin 2-9, Josh Williams 3-7.

PASSING — P: Wenzel 9-19-0-72-0. WW: Hairston 8-11-0-93-0.

RECEIVING — P: Roush 6-66, Ong 1-5, Black 1-3, Row 1-(-2). WW: Wood 5-62, David Allen 1-11, Fowlkes 1-10, Tyler Bowyer 1-10.

TURNOVERS — none.