The Inter-Mountain file photos
Tucker County quarterback Samuel Marks prepares to throw a pass against Tygarts Valley. The junior has nine touchdown passes this season.

Jared Reall (30) leads the Mountain Lions in tackles and is averaging 160 yards rushing per contest. He also has found the end zone 21 times.

PARSONS — The Tucker County football team is off to a roaring start once against this season.

The Mountain Lions went 12-1 in 2023, falling to Williamstown in the Class A state semifinals.

Despite losing a pair of all-state first-team selections, coach A.J. Rapp’s team is off to a 5-0 start.

While the offense is putting up 48 points per game, the defense has yielded just 13 points, with three shutouts.

Senior Jared Reall is averaging 160 yards per game on the ground, and leads the team in tackles with 10.8 per contest He has found the end zone 21 times, and also snared a pair of interceptions on defense.

Classmates Marky Phillips and Garrett Wilfong are next in tackles with 8.4 and 4.6 per game, respectively.

Wilfong not only leads Tucker County in receiving yards but has collected four interceptions on the other side of the ball.

Juniors Samuel Marks and Reid Kisamore are also weapons on offense.

Marks has thrown for nine scores, while Kisamore is second in receiving yards.

The Mountain Lions have now won 15 straight regular-season games and were seventh in last week’s playoff ratings.

They face a stern test this Friday with a game at No. 9 Pendleton County.

The Wildcats are 3-1 on the season, including a win at last year’s state runner-up Greenbrier West.