HIGHLIGHTS ABOVE
WHEELING, W.Va. — The 2012 Class AA state football championship game was a battle of veteran, defending state champion Wayne against an up-and-coming Keyser club, making its first state title appearance 1969.
The outcome was a one-sided affair as Wayne shutdown the Golden Tornado, 35-0, holding Keyser to just 92 offensive yards. Combined, the two teams totaled just 70 yards through the air as Wayne did almost all of its damage on the ground, putting up 389 rushing yards.
“This is what you work for,” said Wayne head coach Tom Harmon. “It’s not why you have a big crowd around, it’s not why you have all the admirers – it’s when nobody’s around and you’re still willing to work, that’s the kind of kids we have.”
Both Mason Hodge and Brandon Spurlock were back on the field offensively for Wayne in the contest after missing the semifinals with injuries.
“There was no way I was going to miss my last game,” Spurlock said. “I didn’t play my last game on our home field, but this is better. This is way better. I just wanted to be a part of it and I was. I’m very thankful for that. I’m very thankful for the whole team.”
Wayne enters the 2013 season with a 23 game winning streak, going back to a September 30, 2011 loss to Pt. Pleasant.
2012 Class AA Championship Stats
WAYNE
Total offense: 432 yards
Rushing: 389 yards
Passing: 43 yards
Rushing leaders
Brandon Spurlock: 144 yards on 13 carries, 3 touchdowns
Grant Ferguson: 61 yards on 9 carries
James Egnor: 59 yards on 8 carries
Nathan Spurlock: 57 yards on 9 carries
Mason Hodge: 55 yards on 6 carries
Zach Damron: 13 yards on 3 carries
Receiving leaders
Zack Cassidy: 20 yards on 2 catches, 1 touchdown
Mason Hodge: 23 yards on 1 catch, 1 touchdown
KEYSER
Total offense: 92 yards
Rushing: 65 yards
Passing: 27 yards
Rushing leaders
Blake Ravenscroft: 55 yards on 18 carries
Danny Fife: 13 yards on 7 carries
Passing
Cody Eversole: 27 yards on 4 of 9 passing
Receiving
Dakota Proud: 13 yards on 1 catch
James Flint: 12 yards on 1 catch
2012 Class AA State Championship Scoring
1st Quarter
07:56 WAYNE – Mason Hodge 23 yard pass from Grant Ferguson (Andrew Stamper kick), 7-0 Wayne
2nd Quarter
11:54 WAYNE – Brandon Spurlock 4 yard run (Andrew Stamper kick), 14-0 Wayne
04:24 WAYNE – Zack Cassidy 9 yard pass from Grant Ferguson (Andrew Stamper kick), 21-0 Wayne
3rd Quarter
08:53 WAYNE – Brandon Spurlock 4 yard run (Andrew Stamper kick), 28-0 Wayne
4th Quarter
10:42 WAYNE – Brandon Spurlock 13 yard run (Andrew Stamper kick), 35-0 Wayne
WAYNE 2012 PLAYOFF SCORES
1st Round: Beat Clay County, 63-24
Quarterfinals: Beat Nicholas County, 47-0
Semifinals: Beat Robert C. Byrd, 18-0
CHAMPIONSHIP: Beat Keyser, 35-0
Below: Postgame interview with Wayne head coach Tom Harmon
Below: Postgame interview with Wayne running back Brandon Spurlock
Below: Postgame interview with Keyser head coach Sean Biser
FULL ORIGINAL METRONEWS GAME RECAP FROM NOVEMBER 30, 2012
Wayne (14-0) won its second straight Class AA state championship on Friday night from Wheeling Island Stadium as the Pioneers took down No. 2 Keyser, 35-0. The win caps off an undefeated season for the Pioneers who proved they were simply on a different level than the rest of the AA field.
“This is what you work for,” said Wayne head coach Tom Harmon. “It’s not why you have a big crowd around, it’s not why you have all the admirers – it’s when nobody’s around and you’re still willing to work, that’s the kind of kids we have.”
Wayne set the tone early and shutdown what had been a prolific Golden Tornado offense, holding Keyser to just 31 offensive yards in the first half on 22 plays. Keyser finished the contest with 92 yards. The Pioneers, meanwhile, put up 432 yards in the game – 304 of those in the first half.
Both Mason Hodge and Brandon Spurlock were back on the field offensively for Wayne after missing the semifinals with injuries.
“There was no way I was going to miss my last game,” Spurlock said. “I didn’t play my last game on our home field, but this is better. This is way better. I just wanted to be a part of it and I was. I’m very thankful for that. I’m very thankful for the whole team.”
Hodge scored the first points of the game for Wayne, as he caught a 23-yard pass from quarterback Grant Ferguson with 7:56 left in the first quarter to put the Pioneers up 7-0.
Spurlock got on the board with a four-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter to give the Pioneers a 14-0 lead. Ferguson later connected with Zack Cassidy on a nine yard touchdown pass to increase the lead out to three scores, 21-0 going into the half.
“That was great,” Spurlock said of the quick start. “I thought it was going to be a little bit closer, honestly. But, I’m glad it wasn’t.”
It was more of the same in the second half, as Spurlock added two more touchdown runs. He finished the contest with 144 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries.
“He’s good and they’re good. They’re definitely good and we’ve known that,” said Keyser head coach Sean Biser. “This is four years in a row that we’ve played them and they’re a good solid football team.”
Keyser finishes the year with a 12-2 record after getting back to the state title game for the first time since 1969.
“We set the school record for wins and I told the kids they have nothing to hang their heads about,” Biser said. “Obviously we would have liked to have played a little better than we did and made a better game of it, but they have a good football team. We’re young, so hopefully we’ll make another run next year.”