By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
East Hardy quarterback Trevor Roof framed a single game program record six touchdown passes to build a 55-26 homecoming victory over the Warriors in Baker.
“It’s great and it is always nice to put on a good show and execute whenever you have alumni back watching the game with eyes on you. We responded well to that two weeks in a row with the Hardy Bowl last week and Homecoming being this week. I thought there might be a little bit of a letdown after last week and we preached that every game is as important as the last one. I was really pleased with how they responded and enjoyed all the activities without distraction. After the homecoming win, they get to go to the homecoming dance with their date and that is the fun part,” East Hardy coach Devon Orndorff remarked.
“Trevor had tied the school record for touchdown passes in a game against Southern. Illinois knew tonight he had four tonight and wanted to get him tied, but with them scoring we decided it wasn’t bad for him to go for the record. Trevor has the passing record for touchdowns in a game now at six. It is pretty impressive. They weren’t begging for the ball, but worked together to succeed and it is just a great team effort.”
“Playoff ratings are reflecting our strength of schedule and obviously we are taking care of our part with the wins to follow. I couldn’t be more proud of how they executed after an 0-3 start and have stepped up to the challenge. We are setting ourselves up for a good playoff run.
The Cougars started the game on their own 19-yard line and Garrett Van Meter took the snap and bolted 23 yards for a first down.
The first touchdown pass attempt was negated on a holding call, but a brilliant play from Levi Price.
Two more carries by Van Meter moved the chains in Pocahontas County territory at the 46-yard line.
Price caught a fourth down conversion pass entangled with Warriors defender Hayden Moore and was wrestled out of bounds at the six, but an offensive pass interference call was assessed.
East Hardy got a few yards on the next pay resulting in a turnover on downs/
After an onside kick, Pocahontas County’s Moore grabbed a first down at the East Hardy 41-yard line.
Defensive stops by Van Meter, Micah Ludwig and Dayton Dove led to a turnover on downs.
Van Meter rumbled through the defense for 19 yards to the Warriors 38-yard line.
Van Meter converted a fourth down with a carry of seven yards to the 22-yard line.
Roof rushed for three yards into the red zone, then located Bauserman for a 19-yard touchdown strike and Price added the kick for a 7-nil edge at 4:04.
East Hardy’s defense paced by Nick Roomsburg, Dove and Van Meter slowed down the Warriors allowing just one first down before forcing a punt
Price made a huge punt return, but it was shortened on a penalty placing the ball at the Warriors 41.
Bauserman made a 40-yard catch to close the first quarter as Pocahontas County’s Jonathan Whitworth made a touchdown saving tackle.
The Cougars took just six seconds to find the end zone on a one yard touchdown run by Van Meter and Price’s kick made it 14-0.
Pocahontas County converted at third down on an elusive play by Griffin Taylor for nine yards to the East Hardy 41.
The Warriors couldn’t move the chains as Roomsburg made a tackle for loss to force a punt.
Roof collected a first down at the 33-yard line for the OUfgars.
Two plays later, Roof connected with Price for a 67-yard touchdown pass with 8:36 remaining in the first half and Price added the kick for a 21-0 advantage.
The Warriors failed to get past midfield and a bad snap on the punt created a fumble and possession for East Hardy on the Pocahontas County 28-yard line with under five minutes to go.
Roof was chased across the field and slid on a six yard gain.
Van Meter powered through the defense entering the red zone on a 12 yard run reaching the 10-yard line and a face mask penalty helped.
Roof found Bauserman for a 10-yard touchdown reception and Price notched the kick for a 28-nil lead with 3:41 left in the half.
Pocahontas County reached the 40-yard line on a 20-yard catch by Morgan Beverage.
The next pass attempt was intercepted by Roof with a huge return to put the Cougars on the Warriors 41.
Dove made a catch and dashed down the sideline and was pushed out of bounds at the two yard line by Anthony Bennett.
Van Meter recorded the two yard touchdown run and Price’s kick put East Hardy up 35-0 with 2:49 remaining before intermission.
The Cougars defense forced a punt with 45 seconds remaining and Price returned the ball to the Warriors 44.
Bauserman caught a 30-yard pass into the red zone with 25 seconds left.
Two plays later, Roof fired to Dove for a 14-yard touchdown pass and Price added the kick for a 42-0 lead with 13 seconds before halftime.
Haley Twigg was crowned the 2025 East Hardy High School Homecoming Queen during the halftime festivities and the king was to be named during the dance.
Pocahontas County opened the second half with an 80-yard touchdown run by Taylor, 42-6.
The Cougars got down near the 30 yard line, then fumbled the ball and the Warriors were able to score a touchdown on the ensuing series to cut the deficit to 42-14 at 6:20.
A little over three minutes later, East Hardy responded as Bauserman made a 21-yard touchdown catch at 2:56 and the kick went awry, 48-14.
Pocahontas County’s Haydon Moore dodged tackles on a 24-yard run reaching the Cougars 44.
Moore hurdled a defender before being slammed down by Ludwig in the red zone after a 32-yard play to end the third quarter at the 12.
The Warriors converted a fourth down into a seven yard touchdown by Jonathan Whitworh at 9:51 for a 48-20 score.
Bauserman made a 12 yard catch with a spin move to collect a first down at the 35.
East Hardy’s Nehemiah Gordon was off to the races getting inside the red zone on a 48 yard run to the 17.
Two plays later, Roof launched the ball to Ludwig, who made a leaping sideline touchdown catch getting his toes down safely and Price added the kick to extend the lead to 55-20.
“Micah hasn’t been able to cross that plane until tonight and we have been drawing up plays for him. Trevor was able to thread that needle and it was so rewarding,” Coach Orndorff noted.
A potential fumble collected by East Hardy’s Hunter Nelson was negated at the 38.
Moore converted a fourth down for the Warriors in East Hardy territory, then collected another first down at the 27-yard line with a stop by Mason Wilkins with under a minute to go and counting.
Beverage caught a deep pass and was hauled down by Ludwig just shy of the goal line with one second left.
Moore dashed around the corner and into the end zone as time expired for the Warriors and East Hardy celebrated the 55-26 record setting homecoming victory.
Class A No. 8 East Hardy (5-3) hosts Class A No. 7 Cameron on Halloween as the Cougars look to spook the Dragons [WVSSAC Week 8 Playoff Ratings].
