Charleston Daily Mail, Friday November 23, 2007

Nitro QB All-Kanawha Valley Player of Year

Scott threw for 4,126 yards and 49 TDs

by Derek Taylor, Daily Mail sportswriter

Though hard to imagine, it used to be quite the big deal when a quarterback threw for more than 4,000 yards in the National Football League.

While still a mark rarely achieved by few other than the league's upper tier of passers, it happens in more seasons than not in the modern version of the pro game.

The high school level, on the other hand, seldom witnesses a quarterback who not only throws that frequently, but also efficiently and for as many yards. For those reasons more than several others, Nitro senior Michael Scott has been named the Kanawha Valley High School football Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Scott completed 218 of 342 passes in 12 games for the Wildcats, picking up 4,126 yards for his team. He threw 49 touchdown passes and was intercepted just 12 times.

The Wildcats finished 7-5 after falling to arch-rival St. Albans in the Class AAA quarterfinals, 52-49, last Saturday. Scott's career totals are staggering, as he finished his career by completing 633 of 1,034 passes for 10,762 yards, 108 touchdowns and 42 interceptions.

That's nearly 6.12 miles.

Scott is joined on the award list by Kanawha Valley Coach of the Year Steve Edwards Jr. of George Washington and Rookie of the Year Marcus Guy of St. Albans.

The Red Dragons' sophomore tailback has rushed for 1,138 yards and 10 touchdowns, most of which came after the Red Dragons lost junior standout Marcus Fox for the year with a knee injury on Oct. 5.

Edwards led the Patriots to a 9-1 regular-season record and No. 1 seeding in the Class AAA playoffs after GW went 5-5 in 2006. It was the first time the school earned the top seed in the state's postseason tournament since winning the state title in 1982. The Patriots fell to East Fairmont in the quarterfinals and finished the season with a 10-2 record.

Scott's favorite target, senior receiver Marcos Valentine, earned All-Kanawha Valley status after being named a first-team All-Stater in 2006. Valentine followed his performance as a junior by catching a state-record 28 touchdown passes. He finished with 92 receptions for 1,912 yards, both good enough to lead the state.

Repeat selections on offense were South Charleston senior Deion Spurlock, St. Albans senior lineman David Williams and Herbert Hoover lineman Evan James, also a senior. George Washington senior Beau Wilson moved from an All-Kanawha Valley nod at linebacker a year ago to a spot at receiver.

South Charleston junior linebacker Aaron Slusher was the lone returning member of the All-Kanawha Valley defense. However, Poca senior Josh Jenkins was switched from his 2006 spot at receiver to defensive back.

The season featured few 1,000-yard running backs in the area. Two players that did eclipse the rushing standard for success each made the team -- Sissonville senior Nathan Brill and Poca sophomore Caleb Arthur.

Brill rushed for 1,382 yards and 11 touchdowns during the second-straight playoff season for the Indians. Arthur followed up his Rookie of the Year performance from 2006 by picking up 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns in a largely disappointing year for the Dots.

Joining Williams and James on the offensive line are Sissonville senior Eric Myers, Capital junior Josh Kay and Riverside senior Julius Holbrook.

Spurlock was named as a utility player after surpassing the 1,000-yard mark in both passing and rushing. The do-it-all South Charleston star was 95 of 168 through the air for 1,468 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also gaining 1,529 yards and scoring 14 touchdowns on the ground.

Also named as utility players were Capital senior Tyrone Goard and Hurricane junior Terrell Martin.

Martin gained 610 yards rushing and scored six touchdowns for the Redskins, though he proved to be just as much of a threat catching the ball. The junior had 25 receptions for 476 yards and six more scores out of the backfield.

Goard was Capital's go-to player when it needed a big play all season. The senior scored five touchdowns of 50 yards or more while catching 41 total passes for 707 yards and seven touchdowns. He was a constant threat on kickoff and punt returns as well, returning two kicks for scores.

Winfield senior kicker Zack Markham led the area in field goals, including several from beyond the 40-yard mark, thus earning him a spot on the team.

George Washington junior defensive tackle Rodney Hudson heads the defensive line and is joined by seniors Josh Bruce of St. Albans, Adam Walls of Riverside and Dominique Green of Capital.

The area had a wealth of strong linebackers in 2007. Of them, senior Chris Holsopple of Hurricane, Capital senior David Pack, GW senior Ben Huffman and South Charleston junior Aaron Slusher earned All-Kanawha Valley status.

The defensive backfield is comprised of Jenkins, GW senior Zack Rosencrance, Riverside senior Chuckie Erby and St. Albans senior Gabe King.

Buffalo senior Nick Harris and George Washington junior Mike Tucker made the team as defensive utility players, while St. Albans junior punter Tyler Hizer rounded out the defense.