Something was different about opening night as fans packed into the Clarksburg stadium wearing green to watch what they expected to be a new and improved football team capable of winning their first game since 2004: fans actually expected a win. The air was different as a strange new attitude was felt at school on game day and in the stands before kickoff: optimism.

On the first play of the season, junior quarterback Danny Benjamin dropped back to pass and fired the ball towards the right sideline looking for his wide receiver. Instead, he threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. There was a collective sigh coming from the visitor’s side as fans felt their optimism quickly get washed out. What they were witnessing did not appear to be anything different, but instead more of the same: a loss.

But this was not like other nights. The Wildcats fought blow for blow with last year’s 2A division champions, playing stellar defense, an improvement from any game in 2007 where the closest the team came to a win was a 21-point defeat to Churchill. A low scoring defensive struggle saw WJ gain only 23 rushing yards on 24 carries, though big plays came from senior fullback/linebacker Paul Okeyo, running back/linebacker Aaron Smith and junior linemen Tristan Plunkett.

“The reason we lost to Clarksburg was the referees,” said Okeyo.

Okeyo was ejected in the fourth quarter after a personal foul, earning a one- game suspension.

Versatile sophomore Ryan Davis, who played running back, free safety and kick returner, led the way on special teams by gaining big chunks of yardage in the return game. Listed at 5-foot-8, Davis’ game is predicated on speed, often making Clarksburg tacklers miss. The fans saluted Davis multiple times with “Ryan Davis” and “He’s a sophomore” chants.

“It is great to know that the fans are behind us. They know that something great is happening,” said Benjamin. “The yelling, the chants have been great. The fans believe in us, they know just as much as us that we are going to win this year.”

Junior running back/safety Michael Pitsenberger concurs.

“I have no doubt in my mind that we have the greatest fans in the world,” he said.

The offense struggled to move the ball against Wootton as Benjamin threw a season- high four interceptions. He and senior wide receiver Omar Zerbo were seldom on the same page.

Against arch-rival Churchill, the team came out hot in the first quarter. They held a lead which at one point was as much as 12. The leading rusher on the team, Pitsenberger, was the star of the game, playing quarterback and showing off his explosiveness with a 60-yard touchdown dash. He had 120 yards rushing on the night. Complimenting Pitsenberger this season have been Davis and Smith.

“Aaron Smith has played amazing,” said Benjamin. “Me and Pits[enberger] have had a great connection since freshmen year, we are like brothers.”

The fans’ faith in the team was substantiated when all of the experts in the Gazette picked WJ to win in its Sept. 26 match up at Blake. Blake went into the game the underdog at 0-3, having not mustered a single point in their past 10 quarters. Only 27 Blake players dressed for the game. WJ struck first with a two-yard run by Okeyo, but the injury bug hit the team hard in the game. The team was devastated by injuries to senior fullback/linebacker John Ramsey, Okeyo, Davis, Pitsenberger and Zerbo.

“The injuries will heal,” said Okeyo. “I will expect everyone to be back.”

Benjamin attributed the loss to the injuries.

“We would have won if we had everybody healthy,” said Benjamin. Pits[enberger] went down first two minutes of the game. [John] Ramsey didn’t even play.”

Blake took a second half kick-off 74 yards for a touchdown to make it 19-6, the final score.

With the homecoming game against Richard Montgomery on Oct. 10, the Wildcats prepare for their opponents one week at a time in pursuit of that elusive first victory.

“We have lost 34 in a row,” said Okeyo. “The coaches stress that though we are improving, we’re not gonna get any respect until we win a game.”

A sense of urgency is starting to develop; no current player on the team has won a game on varsity in their career. Nobody wants to see the senior class graduate without witnessing their football team win a game. Some players do not expect that to happen.

“I guarantee we will win on Homecoming,” said senior Robbie Lowe