Fairmont Senior (4-0) at Bridgeport (4-1)
Bridgeport has scored 107 points in the last two weeks with a new-look, pistol formation. The Indians rushed for over 10 yards per carry in stacking up nearly 600 yards of total offense last week against East Fairmont.
“I would guess we’ve been in that formation about 95% of the time over the past couple of weeks,” said Bridgeport coach Josh Nicewarner of the new pistol formation. “We’ve shown improvement week in and week out.”
Nicewarner says his team has overcome some injuries on defense as that unit continues to play well.
“We lost a two-way starter in (senior) Stephen Gage to a knee injury a few weeks ago,” Nicewarner said. “But some others, like (junior) Zach Bombardiere, have been able to overcome preseason injuries and return to help us.
“We’ve been trying to maximize the number of athletes we’ve got on the field,” Nicewarner said. “We’ll need them all this week.”
Fairmont Senior opened the season with a win win over Robert C Byrd. Since then, the Polar Bears have rolled up 165 points in wins over North Marion, Preston and Elkins.
Last week, Fairmont jumped up on Elkins just :32 in as Austin Norman hit Neil Scherich with 47-yard strike. Scherich would later get a second touchdown. Norman threw for two scores.
Bridgeport has won six in a row in the series. The last win for Fairmont Senior came back in 2006 as the Polar Bears won 28-14.
Dubois Area High, Pa. (3-2) at Morgantown (4-1)
The Mohigans couldn’t overcome a pair of turnovers, including one that was returned for a touchdown, in a 28-21 loss at Martinsburg.
“Our fundamentals broke down,” admitted Morgantown coach John Bowers. “You can’t have that happen and beat a good team, especially a dominant one like Martinsburg.”
Dubois junior quarterback Gabe French has 12 touchdowns on the season and is averaging over 200 yards through the air. Junior running Bryson Paulinelline has 950 all purpose yards on the season.
University (4-1) at Greenbrier East (3-2)
The Hawks played their best and cleanest game last week beating Parkersburg South 56-14. The Hawks had zero turnovers as they piled up 363 rushing yards.
“We are developing some great balance,” UHS coach John Kelley said. “We don’t have one or two guys opponents can key on.”
The Hawks had 10 players carry the ball last week. Senior Jack Armstrong was the only player to score more than one touchdown in the game. Armstrong had his third special teams score of the season on a 78-yard punt return.
“We got back to coming off the ball hard,” said coach John Kelley on last week’s win. “We got back to tackling better. We were fundamentally sound.
University will make its longest road trip of the regular season this week as the Hawks travel 180 miles to Lewisburg.
“They are a bit of an enigma,” Kelley said of the Spartans . “They are really looking forward to us coming down there. The thing that scares me a bit is that I don’t know much about the competition they have played. They have shown some very good offensive potential and they are very big up front on offense.”
Greenbrier East has scored at least 47 points in each of its three wins and even had 35 in a loss to Woodrow Wilson.
It will be University’s first ever trip to Greenbrier East. UHS will play Logan next week. Kelley revealed this week that Musselman will be added to the schedule next year as the Hawks were seeking replacements for Buckhannon-Upshur and Lewis County, who both come off the schedule after this year.
Lewis County (3-1) at Buckhannon-Upshur (2-3)
Lewis County has won three in a row since a season opening loss to University. The Minutemen will play the first of three in a row on the road.
Buckhannon had a two game winning streak snapped at the hands of unbeaten Oak Hill last week. The three teams who have beaten the Buccaneers are a combined 12-1 on the season.
Preston (2-3) at Hedgesville (3-1)
The Knights have turned their season around with back to back wins over Elkins and North Marion. Preston has scored 88 points in those two games. Josiah Nuse returned the opening kickoff 90-yards for a touchdown in last week’s win over North Marion. The Knights defense forced punts on the Huskies first four possessions as Preston built a 29-0 lead.
Hedgesville took a three game winning streak into a bye week last week. The Eagles have opened up the offense with 156 points in those three games.
Grafton (0-5) at Lincoln (4-1)
Lincoln scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to beat South Harrison last week. The game turned on Ty Seibel’s 93-yard catch and run that put the Cougars in the lead for good in the fourth.
Grafton scored 20 second half points in a loss to Robert C. Byrd last week. Quarterback Cole Collins threw for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
Petersburg (2-3) at Philip Barbour (3-2)
Philip Barbour played a great defensive game but was denied a chance to play overtime against Tucker County last week when the Mountain Lions blocked a field goal on the final play of the game. The block preserved a 10-7 victory. Philip Barbour held Tucker County to just six first downs. But two costly turnovers helped bog down the Colts offense.
The Colts will now put on a playoff push as they have three consecutive home games against teams with losing records.
Robert C. Byrd (3-2) at Nicholas County (3-2)
Both of these teams still harbor playoff hopes as the second half of the season gets underway. RCB has won two in a row in the series. The last win for the Grizzlies was a 46-6 decision back in 2010. Last year, the Eagles won at home 31-7.
Other games this week:
East Fairmont (1-3) at North Marion (0-5)
Clay-Battelle (4-0) at Valley (2-2)
Notre Dame (4-0) at Danville, Ohio (4-1)
Calhoun Co. (0-5) at South Harrison (1-3)