SETH — A slow start against Pocahontas County at Zontini Field on Friday night didn't faze the Sherman football team.
The two squads were scoreless after one quarter, but coach Kevin Buzzard's club found their footing in the second on their homecoming night and never looked back in route to a dominant 45-0 win over the visiting Warriors.
Nitro’s Chris Radcliffe (6) runs with the ball while being tackled by Herbert Hoover’s Blake Fisher (1) during the game between Herbert Hoover and Nitro at Herbert Hoover High School in Elkview, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.
- LAURA BILSON | Gazette-Mail
Scott’s Cayden Sharps (11), Scott’s Tanner Simmons (0), and Scott’s Tucker Breedlove (14) wait for the ball to stop moving before picking it up during the game at Sissonville High School in Sissonville , Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.
- LAURA BILSON | Gazette-Mail
Sissonville senior Wes Lane runs with a Sissonville Majorette’s flag along the track during the game at Sissonville High School in Sissonville, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Lane ran back and forth several times, receiving cheers and applause from Sissonville fans.
- LAURA BILSON | Gazette-Mail
Huntington's Andreas Reece (2) takes the ball upfield as Spring Valley's Dominick Hanshaw (19) dives to tackle as Huntington High takes on Spring Valley during a high school football game on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in Huntington.
- RYAN FISCHER | HD Media
Huntington High School’s student section cheers during a high school football game against Spring Valley on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in Huntington. The game ended too late for this edition. Visit herald-dispatch.com for coverage of Spring Valley-Huntington, Hurricane-Parkersburg, Wayne-Mingo Central and Fairland-Rock Hill. The Cabell Midland-George Washington game was postponed due to a power outage.
- RYAN FISCHER | HD Media
Huntington's Travon Okonkwo (9), left, outpaces Spring Valley's Dae Dae Page (1) on a touchdown-scoring run as Huntington High takes on Spring Valley during a high school football game on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, in Huntington.
- RYAN FISCHER | HD Media
Wayne's Kaiden Hayton picks up yardage while being tracked down by a host of Mingo Central defenders including Aidan Burke (24), Davion Joplin (2), and Keziah Joplin during the Miners game at the Pioneers on Friday, Sept. 12 at Pioneer Field.Â
- JARRID McCORMICK | HD Media
Mingo Central's Jamere Knuckes heaves a pass while being hit by Wayne's Draven Egnor during the Miners game at the Pioneers on Friday, Sept. 12 at Pioneer Field. Also shown is Mingo's Griffin Beckett (71) blocking Wayne's Cobie Jackson (66).Â
- JARRID McCORMICK | HD Media
Sherman football's Dawson Green (40) tries to break a Pocahontas County tackle as the Warriors' Jonathan Whitworth (25) defends during the matchup between the Tide and Warriors on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, at Zontini Field in Seth.
- CAMERON MAYNARD | HD Media
"It's very important," Buzzard said. "We struggled last week offensively and defensively all the way around, and for the guys to keep their foot on the pedal, it was important for these guys."
The Tide's Dawson Green scored on a three-yard touchdown run with 7:28 until halftime, and Sherman led 6-0 after a blocked extra point.
Sherman (2-1) struck again with 2:21 left in the half as quarterback Eli Pauley connected with Trey Lester through the air for a 36-yard house call. The hosts upped their edge to 12-0 before a failed two-point conversion.
Pauley and Lester teamed up to find paydirt again with 31.1 seconds until the break as the former found the latter from 13 yards away. The Tide led 20-0 at the half after a successful two-point try from Levi Sprouse.
After the first stanza, Buzzard's club remained calm and confident that they would take command.Â
"He (Pauley) had that mental mistake, and he calmed down," Buzzard said. "Just little jitters. He's nervous. He gets like that sometimes. He calmed down. They were like 'we got this, we're alright', and we just started rolling."
Sprouse helped put the hosts up 26-0 with 8:03 remaining in the third period via a one-yard rush to the end zone, but the two-point try was unsuccessful.
Sherman got on the board again in the third stanza and built their edge to 32-0 thanks to a six-yard fumble return for a score by Parkar Platt despite an unsuccessful extra point by Elliott Hanna.
The Tide continued to roll in quarter number four as Sprouse took a 77-yard carry all the way to the house, and their lead swelled to 39-0 with 8:03 left in the contest after Hanna converted the PAT.
To top it all off, Sherman's Chace Jarvis scored on a 35-yard rush with 4:17 left, and it was 45-0 Tide following a failed extra point by Hanna.
Pauley completed 14 of 23 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns. Lester caught five passes for 131 yards and a score while Sherman's Chase Southern hauled in six passes for 97 yards.
Sprouse rushed seven times for 156 yards and a score while Jarvis (one carry, 35 yards) and Green (five, 26) each found the end zone with their legs once.Â
Lester intercepted a pass while, along with Platt's scoop-and-score, the Tide's Luke Swims recovered a fumble of his own.
Sherman improved to 2-1, and they will travel to River View on Sept. 19. Buzzard said his team must keep fighting.
"It's one game at a time," Buzzard said. "We'll get back after it Friday. We'll enjoy this one because these kids needed it after last week's loss. We'll get back to it and keep fighting.
"River View is going to be tough. They're a good ball team. They're big up front. They're well-coached, and it will be a good one."
Pocahontas County (0-3) signal caller Griffin Taylor was 3 of 7 through the air for 20 yards and was picked off once. Logan Keatley completed 1 of his 2 throws for three yards while Dominick Barnes also made good on one throw for three yards.
Taylor rushed two times for 45 yards while the Warriors' Haydon Moore turned seven carries into 41 yards and Jonathan Whitworth had eight carries for 39 yards.
Austin Price (12 yards), Morgan Beverage (seven), Anthony Bennett (three), Noah Foe (three) and Brom Koerber (1 yard) each had one reception for Pocahontas County.
Camden Gregory led the Warriors in tackles with five while Taylor and Bennett each made three stops. Price recovered a fumble.
Warrior head coach Doug Burns said his squad, which was down a senior starter on both the offensive and defensive line, is very young but that they're learning.Â
He knows they will keep working hard and get better.
"We knew from watching film they're explosive," Burns said. "They have some really good receivers and, of course, they had 40 (Green) back tonight, the big running back and 27 (Sprouse). They have a nice team. There's no doubt about it, and they have some very good athletes."
Score by quarters
PCHS (0-3): 0 0 0 0 — 0
SHS (2-1): 0 20 12 13 — 45
Scoring summary
Second quarter
SHS: Dawson Green three-yard rush (PAT blocked) 7:28
SHS: Eli Pauley 36-yard pass to Trey Lester (Two-point no good) 2:21
SHS: Pauley 13-yard pass to Lester (Two-point by Levi Sprouse) 31.1Â
Third quarterÂ
SHS: Sprouse one-yard run (Two-point no good) 8:03
SHS: Parkar Platt six-yard fumble return (Elliott Hanna PAT no good) 2:03
Fourth quarterÂ
SHS: Sprouse 77-yard run (PAT good by Hanna) 8:03
SHS: Chace Jarvis 35-yard run (PAT no good) 4:17Â
