The Paden City Wildcats started the 2024 football campaign traveling to Zanesville, Ohio to take on a new opponent this year, FoxFire High School, on Saturday, August 31 and came home with a convincing 38-24 victory. The Wildcats were impressive in the opening game win rushing for 165 yards and throwing for 78 yards. Leading the ground attack was Brayden Neff rushing for 101 yards, one touchdown and two two point conversions. Neff also scored on a 29 yard pass from quarterback Kayden Myers. Neff was outstanding on both sides of the ball intercepting two passes on defense and returning one for a touchdown. Also carrying the ball for the Cats was Sophomore Isaiah Campbell who rushed for 64 yards on 12 carries. Myers on the night completed seven passes for 78 yards. Main targets were Freshmen Luke Anderson with two receptions for 40 yards, Brayden Neff with three catches for 29 yards and Isaiah Campbell with two catches for nine yards. The Wildcats will hit the road again on Friday September 6 traveling to Tolsia looking for win number two.

Paden City falls to Tolsia

Paden City made the four hour trip to Tolsia on Friday with hopes of moving to 2-0 on the early season, however the homestanding Rebels proved to be too much for the Wildcats and sent them home on the short end of a 25-0 ballgame that ended before the clock ran out in the first period.

Tolsia scored their fourth touchdown of the shortened game to take a 25 point lead, but that was all the scoring they would get. Following the touchdown Paden City’s senior lineman Isaiah Brady suffered an injury and was removed from the field by ambulance and taken to the hospital. Coaches from both teams and the game officials then met and following a brief discussion decided it would be best to stop the contest and declare it an official win for the home team. Reports showed that following the injury to Brady the Cat’s who started the game with just 14 players didn’t have enough to finish the contest.

The Wildcats had problems on offense the whole quarter and was limited to minus yardage on the ground, while also committing two turnovers in their five possessions. Paden City senior Quarterback Kayden Myers completed 5-14passes for 45 yards and one interception.

Brady Mollette had a pair of touchdown runs for the Rebels (1-1), while Robert Evans and Luke Williamson added scoring runs in the winning effort.

Paden City fell to 1-1 on the season with a home contest on Friday night against powerful Greenbriar West slated for a 7 pm start.