Matewan RB McCoy breaks another record

DELBARTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Matewan's Paul McCoy rushed for an apparent national-record 658 yards and scored 10 touchdowns in a 64-0 win over rival Burch.

The 5-foot-9, 170-pound senior's performance Friday came one day after the Secondary School Activities Commission ordered Matewan to forfeit its first two wins of the season on an eligibility issue.

The National Federation of State High School Associations lists the previous national record of 619 yards held by Ronney Jenkins of Oxnard, Calif., in 1995. McCoy's yardage will have to be verified before it becomes official.

McCoy broke his own state record of 537 yards set last month against Shelby Valley, Ky.

Matewan coach Yogi Kinder was told on the sidelines that McCoy was approaching the national record. The coach, who had planned to play McCoy only three quarters, changed his mind and kept his player in the game.

He defended his decision Saturday.

"Why should there be any guilty feelings?" Kinder said. "Our school's smaller than they are. Why should I punish my kids for having a pretty good team? We were going to score 60 points if Paul doesn't even get on the bus."

McCoy's effort came one day after Matewan appealed an SSAC ruling that had taken away three of the team's four previous wins. On Thursday, the SSAC reduced the number of forfeited games to two and restored linebacker Garrett Epling's eligibility.

Matewan (3-2) plans to further appeal because the forfeits could jeopardize its playoff chances.

McCoy made his own statement about the controversy.

McCoy, who had 29 carries, ran for 477 yards alone on his touchdown runs, which covered 69, 1, 53, 56, 52, 20, 31, 84, 87 and 25 yards. He had a 77-yard TD run called back by penalty.

His 10 touchdowns would tie him with two others for the second-most ever nationally. The record is 12 set by Ken Pearson of Hugo, Colo., in 1930.

McCoy has 1,820 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns this season. He's averaging 364 yards per game, which is on pace to break the state 10-game record of 2,744 yards set last year by Nitro's Josh Culbertson.

Kinder, who also teaches driver's education at Burch, said he'll have no problem going back to work.

"I show up every Monday after we beat them," he said.

That's a lot of running

where's he going to college?

why is the coach leaving him in that long in games? running it up a bit much

kid by my way had (either last year or year before) had 700 yds and 7 td in a state semifinal game

Big deal. I routinely have games much better than this when I play 15 minute quarters on Madden.

high school football is a joke.

they must have missed a lot of extra points

his coach deserves to have his ass kicked.

I haven't heard anything about this kid in terms of recruiting so either he's playing against some really shitty competition or this is a blip on the radar.

Perfect fit for NIU.

my gosh he must be tired after all that running.

Being a WV resident I can tell you that I've NEVER heard of either of those schools. I can list at least 20 schools off the top of my head that contend for the state title every year and that school isn't one of them.

I'm not sure this kid will actually get recruited. When I saw the highlights it looked like pee wee football.