Narrows (2-3) at Parry McCluer (5-1) WHEN: 7 p.m. on Friday WHERE: Bobby Williams Field in Buena Vista. Tickets are $7.
LAST YEAR: Narrows scored on four big plays and piled up 335 yards of total offense to top the Blues, 28-7, last season in Pearisburg. Cooper Helvey led the Green Wave with 172 yards rushing on just 18 carries, while Tucker Bryan was responsible for a pair of touchdowns, one rushing and one passing. The Blues didn’t do much to help themselves, even though they dominated time of possession in the second half. PM committed four turnovers in the contest, and scored just once, despite five drives that consisted of eight plays or more.
SCOUTING THE GREEN WAVE: Only one player, Elijah Knoetze, returns from last season’s statistical leaders for Narrows, and he has been key in the two wins this season. Against Giles, he rushed for two touchdowns, as did Parker Bryan, who will see most of the action at quarterback. Jack Buckland rushed for 130 yards in that win. Last week, Narrows, under the direction of new head coach Dakoda Schrader, who took over the reins from Kelly Lowe, held a 7-6 lead over James Monroe, W.Va., at halftime before falling 35-14. The Green Wave will run out of multiple sets and pose threats in both the running and passing games.
SCOUTING THE BLUES: In improving to 5-1, their best start since 2016, the Blues displayed the recipe for a victory over Narrows with their 43-21 win at Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy last Friday night. PM dominated time of possession, holding the ball for more than 37 minutes in the game, including the first two drives that consumed more than seven minutes each. The running game once again featured a heavy dose of Brody Coleman a nd P arker S nider, w ith e ach scoring two touchdowns apiece. Coleman finished with 142 yards on 18 carries and has 654 yards for the season, averaging more than six yards per carry. Snider is right behind him with 502 yards and, like Coleman, eight TDs for the year.
THE NEWS-GAZETTE’S PICK: Parry McCluer had its best success against Narrows a year ago when the Blues kept the ball on the ground and ran it right at the defense. Expect more of that this Friday night when the two teams meet in the Pioneer District opener for each squad. The Blues must control the clock and keep the ball away from the explosive Green Wave offense if they are going to snap their fivegame losing streak to Narrows. If it can do that, PM will earn the 21-13 win, its first over Narrows since 2021.
