Mountaineer Recruit Wins Hunt Award

Parkersburg High junior lineman Josh Jenkins was named the 2006 Hunt Award winner. The Hunt Award is given out annually to the top high school lineman in the state of West Virginia. This is also the second year in a row that Jenkins was named all-state. Although a junior, Jenkins has already committed to play for the Mountaineers beginning in 2008. He lead the Big Reds to a 14-0 state championship this season.

And now he has become the seventh player in PHS history to win the prestigious Hunt Award, presented annually to the state's top lineman by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association. Runner-up was Chad Snodgrass of Nitro High School (also a WVU commit).

"The tradition here is incredible,'' he said of the school that just won its 10th state football title. "This community has provided us with the best facilities in the state. They expect us to win and we don't want to let them down.'' Jenkins hasn't let PHS down. Not one day.

Normally West Virginia doesn't produce a lot of D-1 talent. But Jenkins could be blowing the lid off that trend in the near future.

Jenkins has been invited to participate in the U.S. Army National Combine in San Antonio in January 2007. Only the top four players in the United States at each position are invited to attend. Jenkins is ranked No. 3 at offensive tackle.

And he's just a junior. It's never too good an idea to place too much praise in someone so young. There's a long time between now and when he runs out on to Mountaineer Field for the first time. But Josh seems to have the stay hungry, stay humble attitude that West Virginia is looking for. He gets up early to run a mile and a half every morning before school, and he put in a ton of work before this season started. It would seem he has the drive and desire to be the best. Congratulations Josh!