By Dave Morrison

FAIRLEA  -­- Somebody forgot the get the memo to Tyhree Pratt. Freshmen are supposed to be seen, not heard.

Pratt was seen and heard Friday night in Capital's season-opening 42-21 win over Greenbrier East.

Pratt completed 10 of 16 passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown in his high school debut for the Cougars. It also ruined the debut of Greenbrier East coach Ray Lee, returning to the sidelines for the first time in 17 years.

"He's unique," Capital coach Jon Carpenter said of Pratt. "These guys believe in him and that is unique. I expected him to play well. But to say I expected this? No."

Not that it was easy. At least for the first half.

Capital led 21-14 at the half, thanks to an 18-yard touchdown run by James Richmond, who finished the night with 148 yards and two touchdowns.

"We just needed to get in the locker room and get regrouped," Carpenter said. "Too many penalties in the first half [Capital was flagged 11 times in opening half]."

Richmond added a 61-yard touchdown run on the second play of the second half to provide a little space. From there Pratt, who is just 14, did the rest. He hit Davon Tyson on a 41-yard touchdown strike and added a 13-yard touchdown toss to Alik Harris with 9:22 remaining in the game to seal the Cougars' opening-night win.

"I knew I could do it," said Pratt, who spread the wealth to seven different Capital receivers. "My teammates built my head up. They told me since the beginning of practice that I could get the job done and I just listened to them."

Greenbrier East wasted little time getting the Lee Era started on a high note, when quarterback Isaiah Kinder (5 of 16 for 146 yards and two touchowns) found Cole McClain streaking down the right sideline for a 73-yard touchdown.

But the Cougars answered just 2:43 later, with Pratt sneaking over from 3 yards out to tie the score.

Less than five minutes later, he found Tyson (two catches, 51 yards, two TDs) from 10 yards out to give the Cougars their first lead of the night.

Tre Moore tied the game for East with a 3-yard run on fourth-and-goal, but Richmond's 18-yard touchdown run 29 seconds into the second quarter provided Capital with the lead at the break.

"It's always nice to get the first one," Carpenter said. "I thought we did some things well and we still have some things to work on."

The Cougars had 269 yards on the ground and another 219 through the air. Additionally, the Cougars sacked Kinder six times in the game, two of those by Richmond.

East was led by McClain's 64 yards on the ground and 87 yards on two catches. Moore added 58 yards.

The start of the game was delayed about an hour by lightning.

Capital is at St. Albans next week while Greenbrier East hosts rival Woodrow Wilson.