Charleston Daily Mail

Nitro offense really shines

Derek Taylor
Daily Mail Sportswriter


Tuesday October 09, 2007

There are 72 new high-powered lights that shine down on Nitro's Underwood Field.

The Wildcats would have no problem fueling them for the rest of the season if someone could have bottled the energy that triggered a 30-point second quarter on Friday in the team's shockingly easy 58-14 win against arch-rival St. Albans.

Quarterback Michael Scott completed 10-of-12 passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns in what turned out to be 12 minutes of hell for St. Albans Coach Derek Christian and the Red Dragons.

West Virginia University representatives checking out the game to get a closer look at Nitro receivers Marcos Valentine and Brett McClanahan were given a show, primarily in the fateful second.

McClanahan was used mostly as Nitro's outlet and possession receiver, giving Valentine the spotlight.

The senior and 2006 All-State selection had three catches in the quarter for 150 yards and two touchdowns. The first was an 82-yard scoring strike that signaled the first of a series of knockout blows that didn't stop until the half mercifully came to an end.

"We knew if we could get up on them it'd be hard for them to come back," said Tinsley, whose team is 4-2 and will re-enter the top 16 in the SSAC playoff ratings when they are released.

"They like to grind it out and run the ball, and we knew if we could get ahead of them a little bit it would be real difficult."

Just two plays before Valentine's first highlight-reel catch, St. Albans star tailback Marcus Fox left the game with a knee injury suffered on a failed attempt on fourth and goal. While the Dragons and fans were still bewildered and reeling from the sudden loss, Nitro stuck out its collective claws.

Making it difficult for St. Albans was one thing. Tinsley and Co. were about to stamp a bright black exclamation point on a huge win.

The Wildcats led, 20-7, when Fox left the game. That lead ballooned to 44-7 in the next 7:48.

Valentine's subsequent catches in the first half increased in both effect and degree of difficulty. The second touchdown pass came from 29 yards, when the 6-foot-4 wideout won a jump ball over SA cornerback Quincy Bruton. With less than a minute in the half, Valentine again skied for a pass, tipping it upward to himself in mid-air before coming down with the ball on the St. Albans 4.

Valentine finished with 10 catches for 261 yards and four touchdowns. Scott threw for 382 yards and five total scores while completing 22 of 30 passes.

Merely rehashing the numbers still belies the lightning rod of intensity the Wildcats' moved with during the quarter. Valentine's final catch was set up the recovery of an onside kick after going up 36-7.

It seemed nothing could go wrong for Tinsley's team in its long-awaited home debut.

"All night," Valentine screamed while returning to the sideline after his first touchdown catch in the first quarter.

The Wildcats didn't need all night. They made sure it was over by halftime.