HUNTINGTON - The Parkersburg South Patriots are 5-0 for the first time since 2003, and they now face a tough road test at 7 p.m. on Friday night when they play the 3-1 Huntington Highlanders. Those Highlanders are just a one-point difference away (a 31-30 loss to George Washington in Week 2) from being undefeated, and their offense is the biggest part of that record. Going into this game, the Patriots are averaging an even 50 points per game, while Huntington has allowed over 30 per game. One score that could especially be an outlier is last week's 52-50 win HHS had over South Charleston. Both of those teams slugged it out to the tune of 40 combined points in the fourth quarter. This game could very well be a test of a South secondary that previously silenced John Marshall's air raid offense, and head coach Nathan Tanner wants to see maximum effort from his cornerbacks. "Well, we have two kids that are getting better every week," he said. "That's Cyrus Traugh and Nathan Bentz. We're lucky to have faced a couple teams that had an air raid attack. We had a lot of defensive reps versus the pass. Cyrus and Nathan are getting more and more confident every week, and it seems they've been making more and more plays every week." The Patriots have reason to believe they can keep up in a potentially high-scoring affair. Like clockwork, quarterback Brandon Penn leads the way for the offense. His numbers are catapulting him to the top of Class AAA in this young season. On the ground, he paces his team as much as he does through the air. Penn's 759 yards and ten touchdowns leads the way, as running back Devin Gaines comes in second with a consistent 575 yards and 8 scores. That rushing total for Gaines is good for 115 per contest. Through the air, Penn and his receivers can turn this game into a track meet. Three of PSHS's drives in last week's homecoming win over John Marshall were one-play touchdown drives. Penn's near-1000 yards and 13 touchdown passes wouldn't be possible without consistency from his favorite targets. Dylan Day has snagged 25 balls and 5 scores for an average of 95 per game. Three more receivers (Jake Hogsett, Levi Rice and Landon Francisco) all average over 10 yards a catch, as Huntington's secondary will be tested early and often. Huntington's weapons are not to be overlooked. Lots of options for the Highlanders has coach Tanner eager to see what his defense will bring to the table on Friday. Quarterback Tajhan Blackwell torched the South Charleston defense for two scores in the air and two on the ground, including the game-winning rushing touchdown with 8 seconds remaining in regulation. Running back Brocton Blair gives the Patriots' front line it's biggest test. On 22 carries, he ran for 140 yards in last week's win. That's where Jeff Tucker comes into play. His team-leading seven sacks is pacing a team only allowing 16.8 points per game. Coach Tanner also wants more of the same from him, as this litmus test of a game could have big implications for playoff seeding down the road. "I think he can present a lot of problems for anybody we face," Tanner said of his lineman. "Huntington's got a run game, but Jeffrey is really tough to block. Where they like to run the football, that's where he is on defense." On Friday night, all the talk will be over. These two teams trying to jockey for top-billing in Class AAA do battle with the kickoff coming at 7 p.m., and it's a matchup Patriot fans everywhere will be buzzing about.