By Michael Minnich
Tribune Sports Editor
A big county rivalry in Class A and three matchups between playoff hopefuls, two across classes? Sounds like Week 8 in the Eastern Panhandle.
Moorefield (6-1) at East Hardy (6-0), 7:30 p.m.
The highly anticipated Hardy County clash is the biggest obstacle remaining on both team’s schedule.
Moorefield, whose only loss was to Class AA undefeated Frankfort by just three points, made the long trip to Fayetteville last week and came home 48-12 victors.
East Hardy stayed perfect with an 8-0 win over Tucker County last week and has won 10 straight regular season games.
East Hardy won last year’s meeting, 39-20.
Martinsburg (6-1) at Hedgesville (4-2), 7 p.m.
Martinsburg continued its roll through instate competition with a 57-0 win over Spring Mills last week, one of the few games to actually be played on a rainy Friday night in the three eastern counties.
Eric Brown rushed for 155 yards for the Bulldogs, who scored on the opening kickoff.
Hedgesville’s four-game winning streak was snapped by Musselman, 42-34, in a game moved from Hedgesville’s grass to Spring Mills’ turf due to the rain.
Worse, star quarterback Troy Markley dislocated his elbow and likely will miss the rest of the season.
Markley had 338 passing yards and 85 rushing yards before going down.
The Eagles are currently tied with Hampshire, who they play next week, for the last playoff spot, while the Bulldogs are fourth and are the highest-ranked one-loss team.
Martinsburg dominated in a 62-0 win last year.
Musselman (4-2) at Morgantown (6-1), 7:30 p.m.
Musselman built a 34-14 lead early last week against Hedgesville behind three touchdowns from Trevon Wesco, who suffered a knee injury in the second quarter and may be done for the year.
In stepped Camden Shade, who closed the curtain with several strong rushes on Musselman’s final clock-killing drive and finished with 134 passing yards and 88 rushing yards.
A four-game winning streak has the Applemen in playoff position right now, but they’ll be hugely tested by Morgantown, who came from behind to hand Wheeling Park their first loss of the season, 41-38, last week.
The two schools did not meet last year.
Washington (3-3) at Frankfort (6-0), 7 p.m.
Frankfort is 6-0 for the second straight year after an impressive 21-6 win over Fairmont Senior on Homecoming night.
Brady Watson added to his Class AA lead with his 18thtouchdown, then Noah Bible found the end zone twice in the second half to cement the victory.
The team that ended Frankfort’s perfect run last year was Washington, who built an early lead and held off a Falcon comeback, 55-29.
Washington rolled Skyline (Va.), 63-0, in a game pushed back to Saturday by bad weather.
Colin Gustines rushed for 159 yards.
Jefferson (4-2) at Keyser (4-3), 7 p.m.
This is a game that two teams clinging to playoff spots vitally need: Jefferson is No. 15 in Class AAA, while Keyser is in the last slot in Class AA.
It’s a short week for the Cougars, who had to wait until Monday to defeat Millbrook (Va.) at home, 27-17.
A 37-yard touchdown pass from Andrew King to Jeff Grant sealed the game.
After putting together their best performance of the year against Hampshire two weeks ago, Keyser was dominated at Bridgeport last week, 41-0.
It was supposed to be Jefferson’s year to host the game, but scheduling conflicts moved the game to Keyser. Actually, the two teams have yet to play at Jefferson since the series resumed in 2011 – the game that year was moved to Washington due to rain.
KHS rode Danny Fife’s legs in the second half of a 20-6 win in last year’s meeting.
Spring Mills (0-6) at Hampshire (4-2), 7 p.m.
Hampshire is currently tied with Hedgesville for the 16th and final playoff spot and should have few problems this week.
The Trojans won a nail-biter against Buckhannon-Upshur last week, 13-12.
Clear Spring, Md. (1-5) at Berkeley Springs (0-6), 7:30 p.m.
The Indians return to action off of a bye week against a Clear Spring club who has only one win, although that was a 62-27 thumping of a Petersburg team that has already defeated Berkeley Springs this year.
BYE:
Petersburg (3-4) returns to action at home against Frankfort next week.