HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL KICKOFF 2019: Here we go, folks!

’Jackets open slate with Wheeling Central tonight

WILLIAMSTOWN -- Terry Smith has been around football long enough to be a realist.

The veteran grid boss of the Williamstown Yellowjackets wholeheartedly understands the task at hand come 7 p.m. today at Wheeling University.

In what will be a rematch of last year's Class A state title game, two-time defending state champion Wheeling Central and head coach Mike Young will welcome the Yellowjackets in the season opener for both programs.

While many across the Mountain State already have crowned the Maroon Knights a virtual lock to three-peat, Smith just likes to take things day by day.

Rewind to the start of the 2018 campaign, the Maroon Knights pitched a 33-0 shutout of host Williamstown, which went on to finish the regular season at 8-2.

Thanks to victories in the postseason against Summers County, Mount View and Midland Trail, the 'Jackets reached the state title game before falling to Central, 44-15.

"McGhee is tremendous and Murray, of course, won the Huff Award the last couple of years. These guys are really good players," Smith said of Central signal-caller Curtis McGhee III and linebacker Adam Murray.

"We've played them before. Hopefully, we're not so worried we can't play. We want to keep a hold of the ball, run the ball and hopefully we can throw the ball a little bit and hopefully they'll help us out."

Although Central lost some talent from a year ago, so too did the Yellowjackets.

That's one of the reasons this year's camp has been so important for the future success of WHS.

"We have seven guys returning who started and basically, of course, single-A football it's pretty much the same seven on each side of the ball," Smith continued.

"We should be above average. Now how good everything ends up we'll see. The guys are working really hard and I couldn't ask for more. We just got to see what happens."

One thing which should happen tonight is WHS junior Brayden Modesitt getting his first start at quarterback.

"He's kind of doing a little bit better going along here," coach Smith said of his signal-caller. "I don't really think it's a done deal.

"For at least this week, Brayden is going to start. It was a pretty tight competition with Trevor Oates. Brayden just has a little bit more experience."

Two guys with plenty of experience for WHS are two-way linemen Brady Ankrom and Leewood Molessa, who shared the Yellowjackets' Ironman Award this summer.

Leading the charge defensively for coach Smith's squad is senior linebacker Eric Brown, who was named first team all-state last year.

"We think Eric is going to be pretty good and Ankrom is the other inside linebacker and we think they are going to do pretty well," added the coach.

"They've got experience under their belt. It doesn't matter when you open up against Wheeling Central. I don't think it matters how much experience you got."

Along with breaking in a new quarterback, the WHS backfield also has a lack of experience, but does return senior fullback Ty Moore. Junior Jarrett Frazier should be heavily involved.

Coach Smith said the likely starters on the line tonight will be center Nick Bower, left guard Caden Tallman -- also the team's punter -- and Molessa at left tackle. Josh Ingram should be at right tackle, Ankrom at right guard and Nick Bondi is the tight end.

"We scrimmaged Caldwell and Elkins," Smith added. "Leewood got banged up a little bit, but I think he's going to be all right. He's in pretty good shape. I think right now and the last week or so it's pretty obvious that the defense is ahead of our offense.

"I just think defensively we seem like we are picking everything up and offensively we are behind, which I think is normal. I don't think it's a big deal. It usually happens."

With the season just now getting underway, coach Smith knows an upset victory tonight would be quite the way to start the campaign, but there's plenty of football left no matter what transpires. That includes next Friday's home opener versus Magnolia at 7 p.m.

"I think we'll have to play our best game," Smith said while noting Central will have to help the 'Jackets out "whether it's a fumble or an interception" in order to pull off the stunner.

"The thing is, if you win or lose, you still got to play the rest of the season. Obviously, we haven't beat them very many times. Win or lose, you got nine more regular season games."

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com