Published: September 06, 2008 02:14 am            

Bombs away

West’s Moore throws for 430 yards, five scores in rout of Huskies

RACHEL — Given the number of reps Logan Moore and his West Fairmont receivers put in during summer workouts, the junior quarterback didn’t expect many, if any, hiccups once the season began.

“We worked all offseason at it,” Moore said of the team’s spread passing game, which features several running backs and a receiving corps that goes seven deep. “We should be looking like this.”

Expecting consistency is one thing. Expecting another passing performance like Friday’s at Husky Field may be pushing it.

But for one night — and one near-flawless first half — the West Fairmont offense did seemingly everything right. The result was dominating 41-6 victory over rival North Marion, and an aerial assault for the ages from Moore.

The final numbers, done in fewer than three quarters, say it all.

• For the game, Moore completed 20 of 28 passes for 430 yards and five scores.

• In the first half, he threw for 359 yards — and all of his touchdowns. He connected on 9 of 10 passes and two scores to close the half.

“He did a nice job,” West coach J.L. Abbott said.

While the veteran Polar Bears’ coach opted for brevity, Moore went the long route. He had eight completions of 20 yards or more and four exceeding 40, including touchdowns to Kyle Raikes (38 yards), Ryan Tennant (24) and Aaron Fetty (67).

West (2-0, 1-0 NCAC) ended four straight first-half drives with touchdown passes. On the first, Moore hit Marcus Jacquez from 13 yards out with 8:48 left in the opening quarter. He later hit Tennant on a deflected pass to make it 27-0 at the end of the period.

In the second quarter, Fetty, with a sharp cut to his left, turned a simple 10-yard out into a 67-yard touchdown. Moore found Tennant on a one-yard score with 39 second left in the half for a 41-0 lead.

“When they’re faster and you get behind them, they’re going to beat you. It’s that simple,” North coach Gerry White said. “We have to keep a cushion and keep them in front of us, and when they start closing, we have to turn our hips and run. We’re waiting too long. But still, they beat us by flat-out being faster.”

But as White noted, it helped that Moore — who has 611 passing yards and seven scores in two games — was delivering the throws.

“He’s a good quarterback and probably as good a guy throwing the ball that I’ve seen in a long time,” White said. “He can throw the deep ball with accuracy. That’s a rarity for a high school kid.”

Fetty was the top receiver with six catches for 188 yards. Tennant also went over the 100-yard mark, hauling in six for 114. Raikes added three for 58.

“They all can do something when they catch it,” Moore said. “It’s fun throwing the ball to them and watching them run.”

Friday’s win, however, came with a price.

West running back Desmond Evans suffered a leg injury near the 10-minute mark of the first quarter. The Marion County Rescue Squad ambulance was out on the field within two minutes, and the game was delayed about 10 minutes as Evans was immobilized and placed in the vehicle.

Neither Abbott nor both school’s respective trainers could provide details as of press time.

“He’s a great player and great young man,” Abbott said of Evans, who ran for 27 yards and a five-yard touchdown for the game’s first score. “I don’t know how I’m not crying right now.”

North (0-2, 0-1), conversely, wasn’t able to muster much offensively. It finished with 150 yards (84 rushing, 66 passing) and scored its lone touchdown on a 10-yard pass from Cody Morgan to tight end Jacob Streyle in the third quarter.

Anthony DeMary rushed 14 times for 65 yards to lead the Huskies.

E-mail Nick Cammuso at ncammuso@timeswv.com.

        

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