By DEREK TAYLOR

CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL

 

CHARLESTON – In 2009 and 2010, South Charleston quarterback Tyler Harris set a statistical standard for Black Eagles quarterbacks that appeared unlikely to be soon surpassed.

 

That lasted all of four seasons. Midway through the 2012 season a freshman, Kentre Grier, took over starting duties for South Charleston and almost immediately began work on his own legend at the school by leading a come-from-behind victory over rival Capital.

 

Two years later, Grier – a junior – surpassed Harris as the school’s career leader in passing yardage and touchdowns. Grier’s eye-popping statistics in 2014, which led South Charleston (11-3) to a Class AAA runner-up finish and its first trip to the Super Six since winning the second of back-to-back state titles in 2009, made him the runaway choice for the inaugural J.R. House Award, given to the state’s top high school quarterback by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

 

“I think what the sportswriters are doing with these is awesome,”  South Charleston coach Donnie Mays said of the award, which is the fifth in a series of six new, position-specific awards recognizing the top players in the state. The final new award, recognizing the state’s top defensive back in 2014, will be announced Saturday.

 

“It shows that people are paying attention not to just the three older awards – the Huff, Hunt and the Kennedy – but that they realize that there are a lot of kids who had really great years, and if they don’t win one of those three, they still can be recognized for the season they had and the work they put in,” Mays said. “For Kentre to win this in its first year, I think, is an honor.”

 

Grier has already been named the Gatorade Player of the Year for West Virginia and was the Player of the Year in the Mountain State Athletic Conference as well. He completed 221 of 316 passes in 2014 for 3,555 yards, 47 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

 

Grier also became the first quarterback in state history to throw for 3,000 yards and run for 1,000 while leading the Black Eagles with 1,042 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 170 carries.

 

“One of the things that stands out to me about his season is even when he didn’t have his best games he did what he needed to do for us to win,” Mays said. “There’s obviously situations, for instance, when a team’s defensive front is so good they’re going to have him running for his life but he showed numerous times this season that he was able to find a way to make the team successful.”

 

Unlike many prep quarterbacks, Grier relied on more than one or two key receivers in guiding the SC passing attack. The Black Eagles had seven different receivers – led by All-State selection Fred Crozier – who gained at least 300 yards receiving. Of those, four players – Crozier, Ray Raimo, B.J. Moore and C.J. Perkins – picked up at least 500 yards.

 

“He did a lot of work on his reads in the off-season and it showed,” 

 

Mays said. “We use our running backs as receivers, and often they’re the fifth option. Well, our running backs both were among our leading receivers, and I think it shows how much he’s progressed in going through his progressions. He’s becoming a better quarterback.”

 

In less than three full seasons as South Charleston’s starter, Grier has thrown for 7,551 yards, 93 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. He’s completed 66 percent of his passes in his career.

 

House, who led Nitro to the 1998 Class AAA state championship, won the Kennedy Award in 1996 and 1998, and set numerous national high school passing records during his time with the Wildcats, including a national record of 14,457 career passing yards that currently ranks fourth all-time. His 60 touchdown passes in 1998 still stands as the state single-season record. Also a baseball standout, House reached the Major Leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros. He currently is the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ short-season Class A affiliate, the Hillsboro Hops.

 

Other players considered for the award included Westside’s Justin Cogar and Frankfort’s Gage Shaffer. Grier will be honored with the award at the annual Victory Awards Dinner in spring.