HUNTINGTON — Jefferson High School, seeded 10th in the 16-team playoffs, jumped out to a four-touchdown lead over Spring Valley High School (the No. 7 seed) and rode its early-game dominance to a 34-14 win over the Timberwolves in the opening round of the Class AAA football playoffs on Saturday afternoon.

The Cougars improved their record to 8-3 overall and Spring Valley completed its season with an 8-3 record.

Wet conditions and mud in some spots on the field failed to hamper the Cougars, who will now travel the long distance back to the state’s southwest corner to face the second-seeded Huntington Highlanders in the playoff’s second round. Huntington High School downed Woodrow Wilson High School of Beckley, 62-16, in its first playoff game.

It was a 28-0 game, before Spring Valley could score.

Jefferson had sloshed through the wetness for four TDS, as Keyshawn Robinson went 85 yards with a screen pass, quarterback Dylan Harich scored on a 39-yard run, Tay’Shaun Roper took a 36-yard scoring pass from Harich and Isaiah Fritts also scored on a 30-yard pass play.

Spring Valley’s first points left Jefferson with a 28-7 lead at the half.

A Chase Hagaman fumble recovery and Spencer Powell’s interception preceded Roper’s and Fritts’ scores.

The final Jefferson TD that restored a three-touchdown lead came when Harich ran in from three yards out.

Robinson’s interception came just before Harich ran in for Jefferson’s last points.

Even in the wet conditions, Harich completed 13-of-19 passes for 259 yards and three TDs. Evan Tewell ran 13 times for 73 yards, while Fritts had five receptions for 80 yards and Robinson had four catches for 93 yards.

Spring Valley scored its second touchdown after a bad snap to Jefferson’s punter backed the Cougars up early in the third quarter.

It’s nearly six hours to another playoff game for the traveling Cougars. But they just drove the same distance before toppling Spring Valley.

Tomorrow’s game time is 1:30 p.m. Another Jefferson win would put the Cougars in the semifinals, where they would play on the road a third straight time.

Other first-round winners were Parkersburg South, Martinsburg, Hurricane, George Washington, Bridgeport and Musselman.

Jefferson was the only lower seeded team to survive the first-round games.

And the Cougars seemed to thrive in the slippery conditions, as they moved past the Timberwolves.