By Michael Minnich
Mineral Daily News Tribune
Fairmont Senior (4-1) at Frankfort (5-0), 7 p.m.
The Falcons are one of just two undefeated teams in Class AA, and they’ll get a chance to prove their worth on Homecoming night against a Fairmont Senior team that suffered its first loss against Bridgeport last week, 37-14.
Brady Watson had 17 touchdowns for FHS in just five contests, including five in the first half last week in a 50-14 tattooing of a depleted Mountain Ridge (Md.) team.
Fairmont Senior used its passing game to score both of its touchdowns last week, with Austin Norman connecting with Neil Scherich and Nick Davisson.
Last year, Frankfort won on the road, 40-20, a loss that helped cost a 5-5 Fairmont Senior club a playoff berth.
Frankfort forced five turnovers and took a 27-0 lead before falling back to the pack.
Keyser (3-2) at Bridgeport (5-1), 7:30 p.m.
It’s a game that Bridgeport has circled on its calendar since KHS manhandled them twice last year: 25-0 in the regular season and 42-14 in the state semifinals.
Both games were at Tornado Alley: Keyser returns the trip this year coming off of their best performance of the season, a 49-20 victory at Class AAA playoff hopeful Hampshire despite missing five starters.
Cody Eversole rushed for four touchdowns and threw for another out of the quarterback position.
Bridgeport’s only loss was by three points against Wheeling Park, a club that easily handled Keyser in Week 1 by a 45-22 score.
Anthony Bonamico rushed for 278 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s win for the Tribe over Fairmont Senior.
Spring Mills (0-5) at Martinsburg (5-1), 7 p.m.
With quarterback Malique Watkins, still the subject of eligibility questions, in the lineup, Martinsburg rolled past Washington, 34-0, last week.
Watkins had 107 yards, but it was Eric Brown (150 yards, three touchdowns) and Deamonte Lindsey (80 yards, two touchdowns) doing the scoring.
Spring Mills was idle last week and have allowed 48 or more points in all five losses.
Musselman (3-2) at Hedgesville (4-1), 7 p.m.
Early struggles have gone by the wayside for these two teams: Musselman opened 0-2, Hedgesville lost its opener, and neither have fallen since.
Hedgesville won a home shootout against Preston, 46-40, last week behind four passing and two rushing touchdowns from Troy Markley, and have scored more than 45 points in their last three games.
Musselman took care of John Marshall at home, 34-7, and won last year’s game against Hedgesville, 54-0.
Tucker County (4-2) at East Hardy (5-0), 7:30 p.m.
The Cougars narrowly missed out on being ranked this week, sitting one point behind Clay Battelle.
This will be their toughest test of the season so far: a 21-6 victory by the Mountain Lions last year was the only blemish on a 9-1 season for East Hardy.
Offense has been the challenge for Tucker this year: throw out a 49-0 win over Tygarts Valley, and they haven’t broken 21 points once. On the flip side, the defense has pitched two shutouts and allowed only a single touchdown on two more occasions.
East Hardy, on the other hand, has scored 36 or more points in four of their five wins.
Moorefield (5-1) at Fayetteville (2-4), 7:30 p.m.
The Jackets had no problems with winless Berkeley Springs, winning 53-7 last week.
One of this week’s biggest obstacles may be the trip: 200 miles, one way, few of those on highways.
Fayetteville has lost three straight, but have been competitive, losing by 12, 10, and five points in those games.
The two schools did not meet last year.
Millbrook, Va. (2-4) at Jefferson (3-2), 7 p.m.
Jefferson had a week to lick their wounds after a 43-3 loss to Sherando (Va.), their second straight defeat after a 3-0 start.
Millbrook, who snapped a four-game losing streak last week with a 10-6 victory over Skyline (Va.), rolled last year, 55-6.
Skyline, Va. (3-3) at Washington (2-3), 7 p.m.
A 2-0 start has turned into a 2-3 record for the Patriots, who were blanked at Martinsburg, 34-0, last week and really struggled to get anything going.
Skyline, who have lost two straight, won last year’s game, 63-21.
Hampshire (3-2) at Buckhannon-Upshur (2-4), 7:30 p.m.
If you buy the argument that you have to beat playoff teams to be a playoff team, take a look at these two teams’ results.
Hampshire has beat three teams on the outside: Preston, Elkins, and Mountain Ridge (Md.), and lost to the two contenders: Jefferson and Keyser.
Same for Buckhannon-Upshur: wins over Elkins and North Marion, defeats against Bridgeport, University, Oak Hill, and Lewis County.
The Trojans’ offense hasn’t been the problem: Shane Ennis passed for a pair of touchdowns last week against Keyser. But stops were few and far between.
To make the playoffs, this is one that the Trojans need.
Hampshire won last year’s game, 40-7.
Southern Garrett, Md. (2-3) at Petersburg (2-4), 7 p.m.
The Vikings came up just short at Philip Barbour last week, 28-21, and have alternated wins and losses for the last four weeks.
The Rams have found their footing lately, defeating Berkeley Springs, 48-0, and Tucker County, 28-20, after an 0-3 start.
Southern won last year’s game, 41-6, a loss that started Petersburg’s five-game skid to end the year.
BYE:
Berkeley Springs (0-6) found the end zone for the second time this season last week. They face Clear Spring (Md.) next week.