Three weeks ago the Fairmont Senior Polar Bears were staring smack down the barrel of desperation. At 5-2 but with remaining games against three playoff caliber opponents in the form of Wheeling Park, Bridgeport and East Fairmont, many felt a late season collapse by West side wasn’t merely possible, it was almost anticipated. Those doubters, however, didn’t account for two things…1) The level of resolve driving coach JL Abbott’s squad, and 2) The fact that Jerry Kelly, perhaps the most feared ball carrier in the region, was finally healthy.Two weeks and a pair of monumental wins later, many of those skeptics have now been converted and are on board as FSHS has reeled off six straight wins and become one of the hottest teams in the state heading into their annual season-ending showdown with the equally sizzling East Fairmont Bees this Friday night.
In helping guide the Polar Bears to a pivotal victory over the previously No. 3 ranked Indians last week, the FSHS junior racked up 160 yards on only 14 carries, including an explosive 70-yard touchdown gallop through the rain that came on West side’s first possession of the game.
On the season the Polar Bear standout has churned out 555 yards and 5 touchdowns on only 78 attempts for an eye-popping 7.1 yard average per carry. Since his return to the FSHS starting line-up in a 35-14 win over Elkins on October 13th, Kelly has averaged 162 rushing yards per outing over a three game stretch. The versatile Kelly has tacked on another 94 yards receiving and 2 TDs as a safety valve for QB Kyle Allard in the Fairmont Senior passing game.
Fairmont Senior passing game.over the Bridgeport Indians, Jerry Kelly is THEGAMEBREAKER.NET’s Player of the Week for week ten.
