Parkersburg’s Tytan Parsons (11) hauls in a 21-yard pass during the Big Reds’ 37-12 loss to Huntington Friday at Stadium Field. (Photo by Brian Cox Photography)

PARKERSBURG — Despite being down starting right tackle Wyatt Adkins and tailback Zah Jackson here Friday night at Stadium Field, quad-A No. 4 Huntington took care of business by turning back No. 16 Parkersburg, 37-12, in a Mountain State Athletic Conference clash.

The 3-6 Big Reds of head coach Matt Kimes, who welcome in Musselman at 7 p.m. next week for senior night, ended up just short in the total yards battle, 315-262.

“The game was closer than the score I think,” said Kimes, who watched freshman Javel Chandler snare the first of three Avonte Crawford interceptions on the Highlanders’ opening series of the game. “That was the best defensive game we’ve played all season. I thought we limited their big plays for the most part.

“We made them drive it. We created some turnovers. We just didn’t play a clean game in the other two phases, special teams and offensively. We struggled to run the football like we had been doing consistently all year. The reason is probably a lot to do with them being pretty good, but some things we have to clean up, too.”

Huntington, which watched Keegan Sack open the scoring with an 18-yard TD run at 3:27 of the first en route to going for game-highs of 18 carries and 160 yards, rushed 34 times for 186 yards and limited the Big Reds to 72 stripes on 27 attempts.

Parkersburg’s Brady Thorn (40) celebrates with teammates Cooper Cancade (3) and DJ Chambless (60) after his second-quarter touchdown in Friday’s 37-12 loss to Huntington at Stadium Field. (Photo by Brian Cox Photography)

Sack’s six-pointer came on the first play from scrimmage after Quinton Wright’s punt went off the side of his foot and the visitors started in the red zone.

“It was a tough, physical game, a lot of credit to coach Kimes. Man, he does a great job and I thought their kids played really well tonight, and I thought their kids competed,” said Highlander head man Billy Seals, whose squad will try to finish at 9-1 when Linsly invades next week. “I didn’t think we played great tonight. Some of that had to do with Parkersburg and some of that had to do with us not playing well. We’ve turned the ball over six times in the last two weeks. That’s not winning football. We got to do a better job at taking care of the football.

“I thought 12 (Big Red Jakel Shelton) ran the ball really well tonight. I thought it was a good job by coach Kimes with a little bit of insert with the quarterback (Cooper Cancade), who is a lot bigger than I thought he was. They did some good things. Defensively, you know, you’re going to win a lot of games if you hold football teams to 12 points. We didn’t play great, but you know no one is going to complain about being 1-0 at the end of the week. We got to go back to work on Monday, get better and get ready for Linsly.”

On the ensuing drive after Sack’s first touchdown, PHS went for it on fourth-and-2 at its own 35, but Ethan Jones was held to a 1-yard loss.

PHS tight end Braxton Kupfner, who had four grabs for 29 yards, sacked Crawford for a 13-yard loss on the next series, which helped the hosts hold HHS to a 41-yard Jordan Price field goal.

Shelton, who rushed 15 times for 40 yards and finished with game-highs of five receptions for 92 yards, had a 50-yard catch-and-run from Cancade to get the ball near the red zone. PHS had to settle for a 37-yard Wright field goal attempt, but it went wide left.

Two plays later Sack broke loose for a 74-yard scoring gallop and it was 17-0 with 6:33 left in the half.

The Big Reds proceeded to drive 70 yards to finally get on the board when Cancade found Brady Thorn for a 6-yard touchdown pass. However, the extra point was blocked by Sack.

HHS managed to get into field goal range after Crawford completed four straight passes, which included a 17-yarder to Tayveon Wilson and a 16-yarder to Tavian Chandler. Despite having two attempts at field goal, both went wide right on Price.

PHS went three-and-out to start the second half and Sack took it 50 yards to the house, but it was called back due to a penalty. Nonetheless, a 40-yard completion to Wilson got the ball into the red zone and Crawford hit Deuce Olden for a 12-yard TD strike to push the advantage to 24-6 at the 7:28 mark.

Coach Kimes’ program found themselves trailing 31-6 just 2:27 later when Wright’s punt was blocked by Sack, who then watched it bounce a couple of times as he raced to track it down at the 2 before waltzing into the end zone.

Following a Cyrus Backus interception, the Big Reds added their other six-pointer when Cancade hit Shelton on a wheel route for a 22-yard TD. On the previous play, Brady Thorn hauled in a 35-yard reception.

PHS linebacker Zane Lewis also intercepted Crawford, who finished 10 of 23 for 129 yards, but the hosts couldn’t find the red zone again. Wilson’s 7-yard TD scamper at 3:24 of the fourth capped the scoring. He finished with 68 receiving yards on four catches and 20 yards rushing on three attempts.

“Tayveon is going on a visit to Penn State tomorrow. Fabulous player, just getting back healthy,” said coach Seals. “Zah is a little banged up so we kind of limit his play a little bit just because we’ll have him for the playoffs. I thought they played really well up front tonight. We had to do some movement tonight.

“Our starting right tackle Wyatt Adkins has been sick so he wasn’t here. We shuffled our entire offensive line this week. They played well and Keegan always complements them and I felt like up front we kind of controlled the line of scrimmage, and Keegan ran hard.”

Cancade, who hit 15 of 29 for 190 yards, added 27 yards rushing on eight carries, while Shelton finished with 40 on 15 attempts. Thorn had two catches for 41 yards and Tytan Parsons hauled in a 21-yarder.

“Like I told the kids, I’m proud of their effort and I thought that was the best game we’ve played all season even though we didn’t win,” said coach Kimes.

“This is going to be their last home game and let’s prepare and do everything we can this week to make sure our last game here at Stadium Field is a win.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com