HUNTINGTON — Huntington High's football team is 6-1, allowing only 9.3 points per game and is a one-point loss to Class AAA top-rated Cabell Midland away from being undefeated.

Yet no one in the state would know it, according to head coach Billy Seals.

Seals made it a point to alert his football team during Wednesday's practice upon the arrival of local media entities for coverage.

The media presence brought about a Seals-led standing ovation in jest.

Seals said he has used the lack of coverage of his team as a motivational tool for the players. He also said the bottom line is media coverage does not help win games.

"We've went to work and tried to continue to get better each week and control what we control," Seals said. "We can't control how much press we get, how many articles are written, how many stories are done. All we can control is how we practice in the week and play on Friday nights."

So far, the play of the Highlanders has been solid.

The team started with five of its first seven games on the road, but emerged victorious in all five -- the first time in the history of Huntington High School the football program has done so.

The Highlanders have averaged more than 300 yards rushing per contest while also limiting the opposition to less than 10 points per game.

When people do talk about Huntington High, it is normally about the athleticism of the skill positions.

This year's team, however, has been led by the guys in the trenches -- those on the offensive and defensive lines who push piles and make things easier for the backs.

"I don't care who you have in the backfield or in the linebacker and secondary, if you don't have those guys up front, it's going to be a long season for you," Seals said.

Senior two-way standout Toney Kitts -- a player who Seals said was the most technically sound lineman that he has coached in 13 years -- joked that he is actually used to the lack of respect because linemen are normally under-appreciated.

"I'm definitely used to it," Kitts said. "The line is something not talked about on the news, but that just comes with it. Every lineman knows that."

Kitts' tone turned more serious quickly, though.

"We think about it a lot -- how no one is really talking about us, but that's how it is," Kitts said. "I'm not fretting about it. We're just trying to earn our respect."

In all, the climb for the Highlanders under Seals has been rapid.

During his first season (2009), the team went 0-10 and there were several problems, ranging from schematic differences between coaches to off-field attitude issues.

It didn't look like the turnaround would be so abrupt at that point.

The Highlanders lost their first four games of the 2010 season before breaking through against Riverside for an overtime win in Seals' 15th game as coach. That started a string of four wins in the final six games for a 4-6 finish and the Highlanders haven't looked back since.

The momentum carried over to the 2011 season when the Highlanders made the playoffs and went 8-4.

Senior offensive lineman Aerison Parrish said much of the credit goes to Seals and offensive coordinator Brandon Cassell, who are just as passionate about winning and achieving a tradition for Huntington High as the players.

"We've really come a long way and it's because of them," Parrish said. "Sometimes, Coach Cassell will have a coronary because we're not doing things right or we miss a snap count. He (Seals) will throw his clipboard or his hat down and fire us up a bit. They do it because they know how good we can be and they expect greatness out of us."

Heading into this season, Seals didn't want his team to be complacent with finally turning the corner last year and advancing to the Class AAA quarterfinals.

So far, he has seen his team strive for more, and it shows that the Highlanders are quickly turning into the program he envisioned.

"They're not satisfied with making it to the second round," Seals said. "Our goal from day one in the offseason was to be a top four seed. Whether we reach that goal is totally up to us."

With all the road games behind them, the Highlanders start a three-game home stretch to end the season -- one in which they can solidify that top four seed by winning out.

Huntington High is at home to play Greenbrier East (Friday), Riverside (Oct. 26) and Capital (Nov. 2).

All of the focus is on winning out and achieving goals.

And, according to Seals, if the Highlanders accomplish that, there will be no choice but for everyone to start talking about Huntington High as a legitimate state championship contender.