Photo by Kim North Linsly’s Malaki Washington (28) leaps over a Huntington defender during Saturday afternoon against Huntington at Fawcett Field inside Lockhart Alumni Stadium. The Cadets closed out their season with a 28-14 loss to the Highlanders. He ran 20 times for 122 yards and a touchdown.

WHEELING – Missed opportunities early came back to haunt Linsly Saturday afternoon on the natural grass surface at Fawcett Field inside Lockhart Alumni Stadium.

The Cadets (3-7) had the ball on the Huntington side of the 50 on each of their first two possessions, but came away empty-handed. They also recovered an onside kick to begin the third quarter, but once again, no points.

Tied at 7 at the half, the Highlanders wore down the Cadets in the third and fourth quarters for a 28-14 verdict.

“We turned them over enough in the first half to keep it really, really close,” Linsly head coach B.J. Depew said, “but a lot of the credit for us not being able to score early goes to Huntington. They are a very good football team. When we didn’t capitalize on our opportunities, they had a lot to say about it.”

Huntington (8-2), with Clemson University recruit Tayveon Wilson directing the offense, broke a scoreless deadlock when the 6-3, 220-pound Wilson, who is being recruited as a tight end by the Tigers, scampered around left end from 15 yards out. Placekicker Huck Captain booted the first of his four PATs on the day.

Linsly, which played a meat-grinder of a schedule this season, drew even just before the half as Malaki Washington dove in from a yard out. Joaquin Zarur’s placement made it 7-7 at the break.

Brock Humphtey recovered the onside kick to begin the third quarter and Linsly moved the ball to the Huntington 29 before a motion penalty stalled the drive.

Following a short punt by the Cadets, the Highlanders marched 37 yards on four plays as Bryce Winkfield went in standings from a yard out. Captain made it 14-7 and the visitors never looked back.

Williams found Donte Newsome on the quick hitter to the far sideline and the fleet-footed Newsome eluded the first tackler and tip-toed down the sideline to complete a 33-yard pitch-and-catch. Captain bumped the count to 21-7 in the waning moments of the third quarter.

After a Linsly fake punt near midfield came up short, Huntington marched 60 yards on 11 plays as Williams once again displayed his athletic ability with a 23-yard jaunt around left end.

Linsly kept battling and scored on a 2-yard pass from Braden Wade to Lucca Troullos. Zarur’s point-after made it 28-14.

“I was proud of the way we found some running room. As you saw, at the end of the game, our kids were worn out and couldn’t push anymore, but they kept battling,” Depew said. “Huntington’s size took a toll on us.”

Washington, a hard-running senior, finished with 122 yards on 20 carries. Linsly had 140 as a team. Wade completed 17 of 31 passes for 125 yards and the aforementioned touchdown. Troullos caught seven passes for 38 yards, while Chris Upton had five receptions for 56.

Huntington piled up a little more than 300 yards of total offense, including 219 and three touchdowns on 31 carries. MayShaun Okonkwo led the way with 11 attempts for 92 stripes. Williams had 71 and two scores on 11 while passing for 108 on 10 of 16 and a TD. Newsome caught six passes for 66 yards.

While Huntington moves on to Class AAAA in the Mountain State next week, Linsly packed up the gear until next season.

“I’m so proud of them,” Depew said of his speech to the 10-member senior class. “Here we were at 3-6 when a lot of teams would be shying away from a challenge, but in week 10 we found maybe the biggest challenge that we could find in Huntington. Those kids just poured their hearts into it for 48 minutes. I’m proud of them”