Week One Game Balls: Teams of the Week (FREE)

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Each week, we'll be highlighting a team from each classification that got a big win, reached a milestone, or made history with their victory. Game balls are a special reward handed out after games to recognize outstanding play on the field, and we want to acknowledge teams each week that make a statement. Here are our team game balls for week one of the season!

Defeated AAA Spring Valley 27-7

There were a few contenders in Class AAAA for our Team Game Ball of the week, but George Washington takes home our first honor of the season. The Patriots avenged their loss to the Timberwolves from last season and had a statement victory over a very good program in week one. Holding a Wing-T offense to just 7 points with the personnel that Spring Valley was returning along the line of scrimmage proved that George Washington could match their physicality and stayed disciplined, reading their keys against a misdirection offense.

Freshman running back Jaden Black Jaden Black 5'9" | 190 lbs | RB/LB George Washington | 2029 WV made his name known at the high school level after breaking all of Ryan Switzer's records at John Adams Middle School, scoring all three touchdowns for the Patriots. 2028 K Teddy Smith Teddy Smith K George Washington | 2028 WV booted two field goals during the game, and the Patriots' defense held Spring Valley scoreless after their opening drive touchdown for a complete performance in week one.

Defeated Ripley 27-23 on last-second Hail Mary for first win in 1,043 days

South Charleston had not won a game since October 21st, 2022, against St. Albans, or 1,043 days to be exact, but that changed in about the most dramatic way possible on Friday night versus Ripley. The visiting Black Eagles fought hard during the contest, but hope looked grim in the waning seconds of the 4th quarter with one final play to go. 2028 QB Ceno Riley Ceno Riley 5'11" | 145 lbs | QB South Charleston | 2028 WV took the shotgun snap from the Ripley 37-yard line and heaved it into the endzone. The low percentage play looked dead in the water for a brief second before 2029 WR Amari Valentine Amari Valentine 5'11" | WR South Charleston | 2029 WV , making his first career high school appearance, snatched the ball off the defender's body for the go-ahead touchdown to seal the victory.

It was as if it were a gift from the football gods and secured the monumental victory for South Charleston in the first game of former head coach Donnie Mays' return to the program. They still have a long way to go before the Black Eagles are back to their former glory, but game one was a huge momentum-building start to that journey.

Defeated AAA Herbert Hoover 37-34

Possibly the best game of the week one slate in West Virginia was when Herbert Hoover made the trip down to Coal City to face the Independence Patriots. The home team got off to a blazing fast start and a 30-7 lead in the blink of an eye in a game that appeared to be over quickly. Herbert Hoover had other plans, though, and never stopped fighting as they clawed their way back to a 30-28 deficit at halftime.

The game appeared to be a reverse script of last season, when Independence surrendered a 16-point halftime lead to Herbert Hoover and suffered a heartbreaking loss for the Patriots in 2024. A year older in 2025, Independence found a way to close out the rematch with Herbert Hoover for a statement victory for Class AA in week one.

Defeated AAA Keyser 48-34

There were some highlight matchups in Class A for week one of the season, but a game that may have flown under the radar for many was Pendleton County facing AAA Keyser. Fireworks were aplenty in this one as the homestanding Wildcats took down a school three times their size with a 48-34 victory. 2028 ATH Colton Roberson Colton Roberson 6'1" | 185 lbs | LB/ATH Pendleton County | 2028 State WV , one of the premier players at the small school level in the state, willed his team to victory with 442 passing yards, 5 passing touchdowns, 109 rushing yards, and two more scores, while also totaling 12 tackles and a fumble recovery on defense.

Matchups of this enrollment disparity are rare in West Virginia, but Pendleton County proved that they'll be a serious contender in Class A this season and for years to come with a young but talented sophomore to build around.