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East Hardy looks to stay unbeaten

BAKER — Class A No. 1 ranked East Hardy has been cruising through the competition so far this season, but head coach Chad Williams isn’t taking any challengers lightly.

The Cougars (7-0) are set to travel to Berkeley Springs (2-5) tonight for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

“They’ve got a decent football team,” Williams said. “They’ve steadily improved over the past few years. The last time we went to Berkeley Springs, they beat us. That taste is definitely still in our mouths. I think we’ll be playing in the rain on a muddy field, where anything can happen. No doubt about it, it’s a scary game for us.”

So far this season, the Cougars have defeated Paige County, Virginia (42-6), Frankfort (47-25), Pocahontas County (37-3), Tygarts Valley (69-0), Pendleton County (40-16), Tucker County (50-7) and Moorefield (63-6).

Through seven weeks, the team has generated 348 points on offense and allowed opponents to score a total of 63 points combined on defense.

On the other side of the ball, Class AA Berkeley Springs opened the season with a loss to Keyser (49-0), then went on to beat Ritchie County (39-20) in their second contest. The Indians then went on a four-game skid, falling to Frankfort (35-21), Williamsport, Md. (44-0), North Marion (42-14) and Petersburg (42-41). BSHS bounced back last week with a 42-28 victory over Clear Spring, Md.

“They’re 2 and 5 and they had a shot at Petersburg,” Williams said. “They’ve scored 40-plus points in their past two games. So we’re not taking them lightly. They can definitely put points on the scoreboard.”

East Hardy relies on a spread-style offense, but Williams says the rainy weather could actually be an advantage for their passing game.

“It all depends on what the conditions are at the time,” Williams said. “Obviously, if it’s pouring down the rain, then it’s the Phillip Mullin show.

“If we’re playing in mud, but it’s not raining and we can get balls dry enough to throw, a muddy field is actually favorable to airing it out a little bit more because the receivers know where they’re going and the defensive backs don’t,” Williams said. “You end up with defensive backs falling down at times. It’s also a lot harder to get pressure on the quarterback in the mud.”

For EHHS, quarterback Corey McDonald will lead the charge on offense, while defensive end Ricky Robinson anchors the defense. Other key contributors include running back Phillip Mullin and wide receiver Brett Tharp.

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