PARKERSBURG - Through four weeks, the Parkersburg South Patriots have impressed on the gridiron with another hungry opponent waiting for a chance to blemish the Patriots' perfect record. They're also looking to spoil South's homecoming, in what would be a setback for those upstart Patriots. That opponent is the John Marshall Monarchs, and their 1-3 record is something South head coach Nathan Tanner doesn't want his team to look past. The Monarchs have a stout offensive line and defensive line, and with the battle being won in the trenches, Tanner wants his team to be ready for anything JM throws at them. "You know, John Marshall has some big, strong kids upfront. They may make it harder (on offense) than it has been," he said. "They're very strong and very aggressive. There's (Colby Cubic), he plays on the defensive line, and he's a buzzsaw. They've got some other big kids with (Hunter Johnson and Jesse Riding). They play really hard as well." While the pass rush may be of concern, the Patriots have weapons to neutralize that threat. Quarterback Brandon Penn is back in the spotlight for this week's matchup, and Tanner says he wants more of the same from the senior signal caller. He leads his team in rushing where he finds success on the ground every time he steps on the field. Specifically, he averages a team-high 142.2 yards per game on the ground and is tied with running back Brandon Gaines for rushing touchdowns (7). His 10-1 touchdown to interception ratio is also a big part of the team's success. A playmaker who doesn't turn the ball over is exactly what this offense needed, and a spread-out receiving game is also to thank for that. Dylan Day comes into Week 5 averaging 17.5 yards per catch on 22 catches in 2019. His four scores lead the receiving corps, as he has big-play ability waiting to happen in each game he plays. For coach Tanner, the straightforward nature of how his team moves the ball makes his job a bit easier. For opposing defenses, that gives them a headache trying to figure out how to stop Penn and Co. "I think from the standpoint of the kids buying into the gameplan, it makes it easier," Tanner said of his offense that averages 48.5 points a contest. "I don't want to say it's going to be easy. It's definitely not going to be easy, but as far as implementing the gameplan with the success we've had, yes. That's for sure." That 48.5 points per game through the first four games is the most points averaged by a Parkersburg South team in school history, and it gives the defense more opportunities to shine, as well. Led by the likes of Penn, John Kinnaird, Jeff Tucker (who leads the team with seven sacks), and the newly-dominant Braxton Amos, this defense is only allowing 17.5 points per game. On special teams, the Patriots have blocked six kicks on the year. All phases of the game are working for South, and a strong performance against the Monarchs puts them on a collision course with its first 5-0 start since the state championship year of 2003