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Brooke Bruins drop season-opener to Huntington

HUNTINGTON — Huntington High used the running of Jadon Hayes, passing of Luke Zban and receiving of Lenny Jackson to open its football season Friday night with a 49-6 victory over Brooke at Bob Sang Field.

Hayes ran for touchdowns of 3 yards and 1 yard, sandwiched by Zban-to-Jackson TD passes of 5 and 26 yards, in the first half as the Highlanders took a 28-6 lead.

“Anytime you’re 1-0 it’s a good thing,” Huntington High coach Billy Seals said. “We had some first-game jitters, but we played well.”

Zban, a junior and first-year starter, led HHS to a score on the first drive of the game. Zban, son of former Marshall University quarterback Mark Zban, resembled his father on a 41-yard pass to Brett Christian to set up a 5-yard scoring toss to Jackson on a slant.

After the Bruins tied it on Aaron Hudson’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Chris Yachini to make it 6-6 after one quarter, Hayes scored on a 1-yard plunge to cap a 10-play, 65-yard drive to give HHS a 14-6 lead at 7:53 of the second quarter.

Hayes scored again from 3 yards 3:16 before halftime as the Highlanders overcame a second-and-26 situation thanks to Zban passes of 18 and 19 yards.

Zban hit Jackson with a 26-yard touchdown pass with 33 seconds left before halftime to make it 28-6. The young quarterback completed four passes for 75 yards on the five-play drive.

In the half, HHS outgained Brooke 237-137, including 152-128 in the air.

The second half began no better for Brooke. Hayes returned an interception 49 yards to the Bruins 9. On the next play, Chris Rogers scored to make it 35-6.

Zban and Jackson connected again for a 5-yard touchdown pass with 7:54 to play in the third quarter to make it 42-6.

The Highlanders made it 49-6 when Brandt Adkins threw 66 yards to Mikal Dawson for a touchdown with 2:40 left in the third quarter.

Zban finished with 141 yards passing and three touchdowns on 7-for-11 passing.

“Luke did a nice job,” Seals said. “He had some jitters, but he did a nice job commanding the offense and threw the ball where it needed to be thrown.”

Hayes ran nine times for 65 yards, all in the first half. Rogers added 64 yards on 10 attempts.

Dawson, a junior basketball standout, was stellar in his first high school football game. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound wide receiver caught three passes for 94 yards and showed outstanding speed on his touchdown reception.

“Mikal Dawson did a good job,” Sealssaid. “So did Jadon Hayes and Lenny Jackson and Brett Christian.”

Seals said he was pleased with his team, but that the Highlanders had plenty to improve on before next week’s 7 p.m. Friday game with Spring Valley, which walloped Cabell Midland in its opener.

“Spring Valley is as good as they’ve been since I’ve been here,” Seals said.

Huntington 49, Brooke 6

Brooke     6 0 0 0 — 6

Huntington     6 22 21 0 — 49

H — Jackson 5 pass from Zban (kick failed)

B — Yachini 7 pass from Hudson (kick failed)

H — Hayes 1 run (Hayes 1 run)

H — Hayes 3 run (Kessinger kick)

H — Jackson 26 pass from Zban (Kessinger kick)

H — Rogers 9 run (Kessinger kick)

H — Jackson 5 pass from Zban (Kessinger kick)

H — Dawson 66 pass from Adkins (Carpenter kick)

RUSHING — Brooke 28-40 (Leonard 8-26, Edgell 7-26, Hudson 7-(minus-34), Secrist 1-8, Farmer 5-15). Huntington 30-189 (Hayes 9-65, Zban 3-0, Rogers 10-64, Edwards 5-26, Adkins 1-6, Team 2-(minus-22)).

PASSING — Brooke 7-11-141 (all by Hudson). Huntington 9-13-161 (Zban 8-12-155; Adkins 1-1-66).

RECEIVING — Brooke 4-141 (Secrist 4-77, Leonard 2-57, Yachini 1-7). Huntington 9-161 (Christian 1-41, Jackson 4-70, Finnegan 1-18, Dawsin 3-94).

FIRST DOWNS: Brooke 11; Huntington 11.

PENALTIES-YARDS: Brooke 5-23; Huntington 9-86.

FUMBLES-LOST: Brooke 2-2; Huntington 0-0.

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