For Big Reds, winning isn't as easy as they make it look
Friday, December 1, 2006
By DAVE POE- The Parkersburg News & The Parkersburg Sentinel

PARKERSBURG —Want to know why Parkersburg High School is on the verge of its state football title?

You can glean the answer at 6:30 any Wednesday morning. While other PHS students are still asleep, every member of the Big Red football program already has arrived at the Big Red football complex for an intense session of weightlifting.

It’s become part of the routine for this 13-0 team that refuses to be outworked.

That once again will be the case this week when the No. 1 Big Reds meet No. 2 Martinsburg (12-1) for the Class AAA state championship at noon Saturday at Wheeling Island Stadium.

“We come to play every week,’’ said head coach Bernie Buttrey, who is in fifth season at the PHS helm and is about to experience his first state championship game. “We don’t do anything special and we won’t do anything special this week. We’re very businesslike in our approach and you can’t work any harder than we do.’’

Nor can anyone play any harder than Parkersburg, which packs a physical wallop few teams can withstand. The Big Reds play relentless football for 48 minutes, regardless of the score.

Last week’s score — a 42-14 blasting of two-time defending state champion Morgantown —set shockwaves around the state, not to mentions chills through anyone who actually attended the game.

Every time Parkersburg High School has had a big football game this season, the Big Reds have responded with one of their best efforts.

PHS convincingly won the annual city rivalry game which it had lost three of the previous four seasons, battering Parkersburg South, 42-3.

When the Big Reds had an opportunity to complete an undefeated regular season and clinch the Mountain State Athletic Conference title, they mangled St. Albans, 31-0.

Then came Morgantown and what many viewed as the biggest Class AAA showdown of the year. Some showdown. The Big Reds scored the first six times they had the ball.

They ran at will. They passed at will. And they played their normal rock-solid The bigger the game, the bigger PHS plays. And if that follows suit on Saturday, the Big Reds will have saved their best for last.

Parkersburg’s finest performance came against Morgantown. After the Mohigans jumped out to a 7-0 lead, PHS scored on its first six possessions and held the Mohigans to one long TD pass.

Big Red fullback Charlie Taylor had the most amazing play of the season, turning a third down and 22 screen pass into a 42-yard TD by busting numerous tackles and refusing to go down. His backfield mate, Matt Lindamood, broke a 65-yard run for Parkersburg’s second TD and the 42-14 rout was on.

Parkersburg beat the two-time defending state champions like no one had beaten them in years. It was an impressive performance and sets up a rematch of the 2001 state championship game between PHS and Martinsburg.

Both teams will be trying to make school history. Parkersburg can win its state title, while Martinsburg still is looking for its championship.