By Gary Fauber
Nicholas County has and, at the same time, has not been here before.
History will be made Saturday when the Class AAA No. 8 Grizzlies (9-1) host ninth-rated Ripley at 7:30 p.m. It will be the first home playoff game in Nicholas’ history.
But there is a similarity between this upcoming game and the first of what is now the Grizzlies’ third consecutive state playoff appearance. In 2007, Nicholas went into its first-round matchup without its starting quarterback — at that time, Pat O’Dell —because of injury he suffered the eighth game of the season.
Two years later, the Grizzlies are in the same situation.
Starter Zack Mayes was injured during a 63-31 shellacking of North Marion Oct. 23. Mayes was having a spectacular season before the injury, completing 61 of 117 passes for 940 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also had 558 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing.
But in his place has stepped senior Jordan Ramsey, and the Grizzlies have not missed a beat.
In a game and a half as the starting quarterback, Ramsey has completed 5 of 11 passes for 169 yards and two long touchdowns. He has not thrown an interception.
Ramsey hooked up with J.P. McClung for a 70-yard TD against North Marion. Last week, in a 42-6 win over Preston, Ramsey went 42 yards to Jordan Hogan.
Ramsey has also gotten it done with his feet, combining for 113 yards and four touchdowns rushing.
Coach Gene Morris said Ramsey is doing a fine job behind center.
“(The offense) has not changed very much,” Morris said. “We’re still running it the same as we have. We play to his strengths and make sure we have a game plan that makes us successful.”
Morris added that the chance to host a playoff game is a chance to display one of the finest football complexes in the state.
“We’re excited to have a playoff game here,” Morris said. “It’s nice that we have a nice place to play. We feel we have a top-notch facility here in Summersville.”
