Parkersburg South’s Collin Hayes (9) gets tackled on a carry during a game against University earlier this season at Erickson All-Sports Facility. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

PARKERSBURG — Collin Hayes has seen both sides of the coin.

As Rivalry Week concludes with Friday’s football game between Parkersburg South and Parkersburg at Erickson All-Sports Facility, playing two years for Parkersburg High School feeder school at Hamilton Middle School is in the past.

Hayes, who played with future South players at the pee wee level, bleeds Patriot blue through and through. Against the Big Reds, he will line up in a familiar position at quarterback – a role he has flourished in the past several weeks.

“The PHS game, I look forward to this every year because I want to beat the Big Reds and I want everyone to see it,” said Hayes, who rushed for 110 yards and three touchdowns while throwing for another 176 yards and one TD during last week’s road win against Woodrow Wilson.

“As far as keeping emotions in check, last week I got my head shoved into the ground – I am not going to cower to anyone,” Hayes said. “We just can’t be trash talking. We need to get back to the huddle and get ready for the next play. That is the best way to do it, especially in this game.”

South coach Nate Tanner can’t stress enough to his players that the team which keeps emotions in check and plays clean football will have the most success. Players like wide receiver Taj Joyce and lineman Eli Wheeler heed that advice.

“It’s pretty hard to keep your emotions in check – for me it’s a normal game,” Joyce said. “Last year, there were more emotions. Since it’s my second year I think I can control it a little more.

“The key is who wants it more, whoever plays harder and whoever keeps their emotions together.”

Joyce and fellow wide receivers Devon Forshey and Brandon Kelley have provided Hayes with plenty of weapons in the passing game. Joyce leads the team with 253 yards receiving on 13 receptions. Three catches have resulted in touchdowns.

“This season is going better than expected – I didn’t think I would have three touchdowns already,” Joyce said. “In practice, we have coaches who say work on the go balls. Collin just throws them up and the receivers make the connection better.”

Wheeler is in his second season starting at center. The senior also rotates in at defensive end. Patriot players would admit the loss in Week 1 to Wheeling Park was an anomaly. Wins over University and Woodrow Wilson in consecutive weeks is more who they are.

“That first week we didn’t really come off on the right foot,” Wheeler said. “But we have definitely come together as a team the last couple of weeks, and it’s showing in our last two games.

“This week against Parkersburg, it’s just another game. That’s how we are practicing this week, we are not getting too emotional. It’s just that there will be a whole lot more people and there is a whole lot at stake. We are keeping controlled and level-headed.”

Hayes’ first experience in the rivalry game occurred last season as a sophomore when he rotated with Gage Wright and Turner Garretson at linebacker. This year marks his first time playing quarterback against the Big Reds.

“Playing at Erickson, I definitely think there will be a difference,” Hayes said. “It’s a grass surface, for one. There are going to be 10,000 people here and the game will be televised. I love being on TV. It’s great.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com