Logan quarterback Jaxon Cogar runs for positive yardage in the first half of Logan's 31-7 win over Wayne. Cogar passed for a career-high 293 yards and four touchdowns in the Wildcats victory Friday night at Willis-Nisbet Stadium. (Boothe Davis/Captured by the Moment Photography)
Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
LOGAN Jaxon Cogar threw for 293 yards and four touchdowns as Logan defeated Wayne 31-7 Friday night at Willis-Nisbet Stadium.
Cogar finished 15-for-20 with an interception and threw touchdown passes of 24, 56 and 6 yards in the first half and threw for a 23-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter for the Wildcats, who improved to 3-0 for the second consecutive season.
Cogar’s previous career high was 202 passing yards against Mount View in 2020 and his four touchdowns were also a career high, eclipsing the mark of two he had set in five games including tossing two in last week’s win over Sissonville.
Aiden Slack caught eight passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns, while Drew Berry hauled in two receptions for 86 yards and one score.
Cogar, who rushed for a team-high 33 yards on 11 carries, threw three first half touchdowns as Logan built a 21-7 halftime lead despite running just 14 plays and possessing the ball for 4:52 of the first half.
Wayne took a 7-0 lead on its first possession as Jaxson Damron’s 6-yard touchdown run with 4:34 remaining in the opening quarter. Damron’s run capped off a 16-play 80-yard opening drive that chewed up 7:26 of the first quarter clock.
Logan responded with a five-play 63-yard drive that was aided by three Wayne penalties to tie the contest, 7-7, with 1:52 remaining in the opening quarter when Cogar found Slack for a 24-yard score.
The score remained tied after one quarter as Wayne ran out the remaining 1:52 of the first quarter clock before having to punt the football away on its next possession with 9:26 remaining in the first half.
Logan needed just one play and 0:10 to take the lead for good as Cogar hooked up with Slack for a 56-yard touchdown to give the Wildcats a 14-7 lead with 9:16 remaining before halftime.
Wayne marched 69 yards in 16 plays and chewed up 6:52 of the remaining 9:16 on its next possession, however, the Pioneers turned the ball over on downs at the Logan 19 with 2:24 to play in the first half.
Facing a 3rd-and-17 from its own 12, Cogar found Drew Berry for a 63-yard gain to keep the drive alive. Four plays later, Cogar hit Julius Clancy on a quick slant for a 6-yard touchdown pass to give Logan a 21-7 lead.
Logan added to its lead when Slack kicked a 35-yard field goal with 6:06 remaining in the third quarter to give the Wildcats a 24-7 lead.
Cogar threw his fourth touchdown of the evening, hooking up with Berry for a 23-yard touchdown with 2:00 remaining in the third quarter.
Damron ran for 134 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries for Wayne. Quarterback Grady Spradlin attempted just six passes, completing three of them for 9 yards.
Clancy caught three passes for 49 yards and one touchdown and Williamson, who had nine catches in a win over Sissonville last Friday, hauled in two receptions for 33 yards.
Wayne falls to 1-2 and will host Winfield Friday night.
Logan, who is expected to be in the top eight when the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission releases its initial Class AA playoff ratings Tuesday afternoon, will host Poca Friday night at Willis-Nisbet Stadium.
The Dots, a Class AA semifinalist last season, come into the contest with an 0-3 record.
Logan will look for its first 4-0 start since the 1990 season.
Logan 31, Wayne 7
WAYNE 7 0 0 0- 7
LOGAN 7 14 10 0- 31
FIRST QUARTER
W- Damron 6 run (Estep kick), 4:34
L- Slack 24 pass from Cogar (Slack kick), 1:52
SECOND QUARTER
L- Slack 56 pass from Cogar (Slack kick), 9:16
L- Clancy 6 pass from Cogar (Slack kick), 0:24
THIRD QUARTER
L- Slack 35 field goal, 5:54
L- Berry 23 pass from Cogar (Slack kick), 2:00
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING— Wayne: Damron 22-134, Mathis 9-32, Gilliam 9-22, Spradlin 7-23, Murdock 7-19. Logan: Cogar 11-34, Justice 3-(minus 1), Workman 1-7, Baisden 1-6, Mullins 1-1, Ranson 1-0.
PASSING— Wayne: Spradlin 3-6-0 9. Logan: Cogar 15-20-1 293.
RECEIVING— Wayne: Damron 2-7, Adkins 1-2. Logan: Slack 8-125, Clancy 3-49, Berry 2-86, Williamson 2-33.