James Scott took a moment to look across the room where North-South football media day was taking place Tuesday at West Virginia State University.
He picked out three guys — No. 3 Hudson Clement, No. 60 Jack Zittle and No. 64 Christian Slack — in blue jerseys of the North Bears.
“We get to play against the Martinsburg guys again,†said Scott, a defensive tackle from Huntington High playing for the South Cardinals. “That’ll be a good rematch.â€
Martinsburg defeated Huntington 62-21 in December in the Class AAA state championship game in Wheeling. Those three Bulldogs will battle Scott and fellow Highlander offensive lineman Brody Sipple at noon Saturday at South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä High School in the West Virginia High School Football Coaches Association North-South Classic.
A week of fun intertwined with practice is finished. The pool parties, park visits and hanging out and enjoying one another will be set aside for about three hours.
“Game time, it’s time to go,†Scott said. “I’ll turn on the switch and get it done.â€
Sipple agreed.
“Once it starts, it’s time to lock in,†Sipple said. “No more laughing. Just lock in and get it done.â€
Scott, 6-foot, 275 pounds, and Sipple, 6-2, 280, aren’t playing their final game together.
Both have signed with West Virginia State. Each said the other is a major reason he will play college football.
“It’s kind of like iron sharpens iron,†Scott said. “In high school practice, we went against each other a lot. This might be one of the last times we practice against each other. Who knows what they’ll do at State.â€
Sipple thanked Scott for making him a better player.
“He’s always helped me get better in practice and pushed me every day,†Sipple said of Scott.
Both praised South assistants Billy Seals, Huntington’s head coach, and Ray Brooks, the Highlanders’ defensive coordinator.
“It is special playing for them,†Scott said. “Coach Seals and Coach Brooks are two of the best coaches, if not the best coaches, in the state at what they do. They’ve made us pretty good football players.â€
The game features some of the better players in the state. Four NCAA Division I signees — Spring Valley’s Corbin Page (West Virginia), Poca’s Toby Payne (Marshall), Fairmont’s Eric Smith (Miami-Ohio) and Martinsburg’s Braxton Todd (Bowling Green) — declined to play in the contest.
The game is far from devoid of talent, however, with Harvard signee Ty Bartrum of Spring Valley, WVU commit Clement, Marshall preferred walk-on Dylan Glascock of Mingo Central, Columbia recruit Ayden Baker of Wheeling Central and several others who are headed to play in college.
Glasscock said he’s enjoyed the week’s friendships, but game time is for competing.
“I expect the South to win,†he said. “I feel like we have a good group of guys and we can do good.â€
“The great thing about all the guys in this room is they want to play football,†said South head coach Brad Dingess of Spring Valley. “They could be working jobs or going to the beach or have any number of other number of excuses not to be here. When you get a bunch of guys who love the game and play it the right way, it makes for a great experience.â€
North coach Brian Thomas of Musselman said he’s impressed with the talent on both teams.
“I’ve been amazed with Hudson Clement’s leadership,†Thomas said. “He’s not the only one. Auden Baker is going to play D1. He’s the most polite young man. I’m blown away by the talent, but more so by the people that they are.â€
