HIGHLIGHTS ABOVE
WHEELING, W.Va. – Martinsburg continued its dominance in Class AAA during the 2012 football season, capping off the year with its third straight title by beating previously undefeated Cabell Midland, 38-14. It’s been well-noted that the victory made Martinsburg the first Class AAA program to win three straight titles since Charleston did so from 1968-1970.
“Words can’t describe the way I feel right now,” said Martinsburg head coach Dave Walker. “I’m so proud of our guys, they’ve worked so hard. Everyone thought that we were done after last year and these guys just proved that if you work hard, great things will happen for you. I’m just so proud of them.”
Martinsburg quarterback Justin ‘Cookie’ Clinton finished with 93 rushing yards and a touchdown, along with 127 passing yards and two more scores – in all, completing a dominating performance by him specifically throughout the playoffs and down the stretch.
“I give credit to my front line,” Clinton said. “Without them, none of that would have been there – my passes, my runs and all of that, give credit to the front line.”
While Cabell Midland made plenty of headlines throughout the regular season, going undefeated, the Knights ultimately couldn’t keep up with the more experienced Bulldogs in the end.
2012 Class AAA Championship Stats
MARTINSBURG
Total offense: 416 yards
Rushing: 289 yards
Passing: 127 yards
Rushing leaders
Trey Boyd: 193 yards on 17 carries, 2 touchdowns
Cookie Clinton: 93 yards on 14 carries, 1 touchdown
Passing
Cookie Clinton: 127 yards on 8 of 14 passing, two touchdowns and an interception
Receiving leaders
Malique Watkins: 57 yards on three catches
Cedric Brown: 41 yards on three catches, two touchdowns
Chad Skye: 31 yards on one catch
Leading tackles
Dean DeSana: 7.5 tackles, including a sack
Kyle Britner: 5 tackles
Tyler Miller: 4 tackles, including a sack
Eugene German: 4 tackles
CABELL MIDLAND
Total offense: 247 yards
Rushing: 225 yards
Passing: 22 yards
Rushing leaders
David Gaydosz: 131 yards on 25 carries, 2 touchdowns
Lowell Farley: 120 yards on 17 carries
Receiving
Kasey Thomas: 22 yards on one catch
Leading tackles
Isaac Gibson, 7.5 tackles
David Gaydosz, 6 tackles
Robert Gallaher, 4.5 tackles
Nicholas Boone, 2.5 tackles
2012 Class AAA State Championship Scoring
1st Quarter
07:27 MARTINSBURG – Cedric Brown 7 yard pass from Cookie Clinton (Tyler DeHaven kick), 7-0 Martinsburg
03:31 MARTINSBURG – Cedric Brown 30 yard pass from Cookie Clinton (Tyler DeHaven kick), 14-0 Martinsburg
2nd Quarter
10:31 MARTINSBURG – Trey Boyd 83 yard run (Tyler DeHaven kick), 21-0 Martinsburg
09:08 CABELL MIDLAND – David Gaydosz 1 yard run (Chris Molina kick), 21-7 Martinsburg
06:54 MARTINSBURG – Trey Boyd 4 yard run (Tyler DeHaven kick), 28-7 Martinsburg
3rd Quarter
08:55 MARTINSBURG – Cookie Clinton 1 yard run (Tyler DeHaven kick), 35-7 Martinsburg
07:03 CABELL MIDLAND – David Gaydosz 1 yard run (Chris Molina kick), 35-14 Martinsburg
4th Quarter
04:41 MARTINSBURG – Tyler DeHaven 48 yard field goal, 38-14 Martinsburg
MARTINSBURG 2012 PLAYOFF SCORES
1st Round: Beat Woodrow Wilson, 39-0
Quarterfinals: Beat Musselman, 50-7
Semifinals: Beat George Washington, 63-14
CHAMPIONSHIP: Beat Cabell Midland, 38-14
Click below for a state championship postgame interview with Martinsburg head coach Dave Walker:
FULL ORIGINAL METRONEWS GAME RECAP FROM DECEMBER 1, 2012
Martinsburg became the first team in over 40 years to win three straight Class AAA titles as the Bulldogs dominated top ranked and previously unbeaten Cabell Midland, 38-14.
“Words can’t describe the way I feel right now,” said Martinsburg head coach Dave Walker. “I’m so proud of our guys, they’ve worked so hard. Everyone thought that we were done after last year and these guys just proved that if you work hard, great things will happen for you. I’m just so proud of them.”
Martinsburg’s Cedric Brown and Trey Boyd stole the show early on as the two combined for four first half touchdowns. Brown brought in touchdown passes of seven and 30 yards, while Boyd scored on an 83-yard run and another four-yard scamper. That 83-yard scamper was the longest run from scrimmage in Class AAA title game history.
“He finally got healthy and each week he has gotten a little better since he came back from his injury,” Walker said. “I’m very happy for him and he played great for us today.”
The previous record was set in the Morgantown – Nitro state championship game back in 1998 (80 yard run). Boyd finished the game with 193 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries.
Quarterback Justin ‘Cookie’ Clinton had another big game as well, collecting 93 rushing yards and a touchdown, along with 127 passing yards and two more scores – in all, completing a dominating performance by him specifically throughout the playoffs and down the stretch.
“I give credit to my front line,” Clinton said. “Without them, none of that would have been there – my passes, my runs and all of that, give credit to the front line.”
Cabell Midland, meanwhile, scored once in the first half – a one-yard run by David Gaydosz. He later added another one yard score in the second half. The Knights found some success out of the Wildcat formation and finished the contest with 131 yards from Gaydosz and another 120 yards on the ground from Lowell Farley.
“We did what we could and there’s nothing I think they should be ashamed of,” Farley said. “They had a great season with me and everybody worked hard, but just couldn’t finish.”
To be fair, very few teams have been able to finish against Martinsburg during their current run of three state Class AAA championships.
“This program and coaching staff and everybody that’s been a part – all we do is win,” Brown said. “It’s everything we’ve wanted and God is good. I give all the glory to Him and we’ve worked hard. Everybody deserves it.”
The last team to win three straight title games in Class AAA was Charleston High who did so under head coach Frank Vincent from 1968-1970. Tying that record was even more significant for Bulldogs head coach Dave Walker who was at Glenville State when Vincent was a coach there as well.
“Just to be mentioned in the same sentence is an honor for me, and this is for you Coach,” Walker said.
In all, Martinsburg outgained Cabell Midland 416 offensive yards to 247. The Bulldogs also overcame 10 penalties for 101 yards.