JM Faces Tough Test Against Top-Ranked Parkersburg South
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MOUNDSVILLE -- It may only be week 5 in West Virginia, but John Marshall coach Mark Cisar thinks Friday's game against undefeated Parkersburg South might as well be a playoff game.
"This is a week 5 playoff game," Cisar said. "We're 2-2 and it's a huge opportunity for us if we can step up and play the way that we're capable of playing."
Parkersburg South (4-0) has bulldozed through the first part of its schedule, including a stunning 78-14 beatdown of University. The Patriots are currently ranked as the top team in Class AAA in the WVSSAC Computer Rankings.
Despite that, Cisar said his team has no reason to be intimidated when the Monarchs (2-2) welcome them into Monarch Stadium Friday evening.
"They're good, they're putting up a lot of points and doing great things, but I don't think our guys are intimidated," Cisar said. "You can't be intimidated by that. We talk about what a great opportunity this is."
Instead, Cisar views this game as a great opportunity for John Marshall, currently ranked 18, to make some noise in the state rankings.
"What a great opportunity for us to be able to play a team like this," Cisar said. "They're number 1 in the state right now, so it's a great opportunity, a huge challenge and a great reward if we can upset them and come out on top."
The Monarchs have good reason to believe they can hang around with the Patriots, they did so just last year. In last year's matchup, the Patriots just squeaked by JM 28-25 in their home stadium.
"The big thing we did last year was force some turnovers," Cisar said. "I think they know that we can probably play with them. I think our guys know that we can play with them also."
John Marshall is also coming off of its best game of the season, sweeping aside Buckhannon-Upshur 31-7 at home last week.
The Monarchs scored on all five of their first half drives, led by 155 yards and three touchdowns on the ground by sophomore tailback Klypson Wallace.
"We've got to be able to move the ball," Cisar said. "We haven't put a whole lot of points on the board this year, but we have to control the ball a little bit, move the ball and give ourselves opportunities to put points on the board."
Defensively, JM has been tough all year. Other than the 49 points given up in a game against Bridgeport that got away from them, the Monarchs have only allowed four touchdowns in their other three games combined.
"We have to play extremely well defensively," Cisar said. "We're going to give up some plays. They're going to make some plays, that's what they do but we've got to take away the big plays, we're going to have to make them earn it."
South is led by quarterback Robert Shockey, who has thrown for 818 yards and run for 405. He's scored four touchdowns on the ground and 12 through the air against only two interceptions.
Gage Wright is the team's leading rusher with 444 yards and eight scores while Cyrus Traugh has caught 17 passes for 220 yards and six touchdowns.
"There's no such thing as the perfect game, we've just got to play well, extremely well," Cisar said.
Kickoff from Moundsville is scheduled for 7 p.m.