CLAY COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — The Clay County High School football team is coming off an 8-2 season in Class AA in 2023, and still it wasn’t good enough to secure the Panthers a playoff spot.

Some key players have graduated, but the next man in line is in 2024.

“This team is honestly one of the best workers I’ve ever seen,” quarterback Noah Collins said. “This team is out there every day working hard and trying to perfect our craft. We just try to be the best players we can be every day in practice.”

Some valuable players may be gone, but the 2024 team has two of its best players from last year back in the team. Collins has scored 43 touchdowns this season and Ayden Brown has scored another eight touchdowns.

“The quarterback, an all-time passer. Ayden Brown, who had the second most touches of the ball last year. We have him back,” said head coach Jason Nichols.

Brown said this style of attack helps him excel.

“I love our offense,” he said. “It’s like playing 7 on 7, and I love that.”

Collins and Brown aren’t the only returnees for Clay County, but the head coach said they will lead the way this season.

“We have a couple of linemen back, a couple of other talented guys back – Jacoby Nichols, Jamie Gross, you know, we have a couple of guys back – but Noah and Ayden will probably lead the way most of the time this year,” Nichols said.

The duo’s talents will be of great importance to the Panthers, but the two are aware that they must also play the role of coach on the field to be successful.

“I think we have three seniors total. That’s crazy,” Collins said. “We’re really going to have to step up and be leaders for those guys.”

In order for Noah, Ayden and the rest of the offense to show superiority again, the Panthers must win the battle on the front line.

“We have a really young offensive line, but I really believe they’re going to develop and do great this season,” Collins said. “They may be smaller than some lines, but they have grit and determination. They’re going to be great.”

Although turnout in 2024 was great, Nichols said there are a lot of new faces, which could lead to some teething pains.

“Right now, it’s about youth and overcoming that and being able to, you know, you have 19 freshmen and 16 sophomores on a 48-man roster – there’s a certain inexperience there that needs to be matured quickly,” Nichols said.

Clay County is a smaller school, and that means a lot of players have to compete on both sides of the football. Collins and Brown were the leaders of the offense last year, but they’re also the team’s best returning tacklers.

“On defense, we’ve been playing the same schemes for a while now,” the head coach said. “We have a handful of guys back. Seth Robinson, a defensive end, was a freshman with us who came out big last year. So we expect big things from him in his second season.”

Clay County opens the season with a game against Midland Trail.