MOOREFIELD, W.Va. — One of the most tradition-rich football programs in Class A is back on the rise after a couple of down seasons. Moorefield went 6-5 last fall, and the Yellow Jackets qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
“It was persistence out of our players,” Moorefield head coach Matt Altobello said. “With all the kids who were in the program, including the seniors, none of them had ever been to the playoffs. It was about coming in year one and building a foundation, moving forward that way and then honing in and having good leadership out of our senior class.”
A pack of senior all-state players have returned. Second-team pick Matthew Jenkins returns to the backfield.
“He is one of our strongest guys in the weight room. He is really dedicated to our program. A lot of our younger guys are able to look up to him. He is a great player.”
Atikilt Tamiru established himself as the top kicker in Class A. He booted a game-winning field goal as time expired against Pocahontas County. He will handle all three kicking disciplines this year.
“His form and technique have gotten ten times better by putting work in in the offseason. He would go out on his own, he had his own footballs and he would go to the park once the park opened up and were allowed to have people. He would be out there doing work.”
Fellow senior Vincent Cyrus is one of Moorefield’s top defensive players, and he will lock down the middle linebacker spot.
“We were leaving last night from practice, the lights were off and we have guys that stay an hour after practice. They come out and throw the football and run routes. He left and came back right before I was leaving and he said, ‘Coach, nobody was at my house so I came back to get some extra work’.”
Junior Branson See stepped into the starting quarterback spot in the middle of the 2019 season and that is where he will remain this fall.
“He is fighting for number one in his class as of right now. So he is an intelligent student. That helps him on the football field, especially at the quarterback position.”
From mid-2016 through 2018, Moorefield endured a stretch where they won just 2 of 26 games. Those struggles appear to be in the past as Matt Altobello enters his third year leading the program.
“We are in a new year and we have a new opportunity. So let’s focus in on every single day and every single rep that we get to be able to continue the building process for the next couple years.”