Eastern Panhandle Report: Week 8

By Michael Minnich

Mineral Daily News Tribune

The playoff picture continues to take shape as a No. 1 team defends its turf and a pair of battles involving 5-win teams highlight week eight.

 

Petersburg (0-6) at Frankfort (6-0), 7 p.m.

Frankfort held on to the top spot in Class AA in the SSAC rankings by .71 points over Bridgeport during their bye week and should have no issues this week with winless Petersburg, who have scored the least points in Class AA this year, 39.

The Vikings lost at Berkeley Springs, 40-8, last week.

Frankfort, slotted fifth now by the MetroNews voters, won last year’s meeting, 52-20.

 

Keyser (5-2) at Jefferson (5-1), 7 p.m.

Through quirks of scheduling, these two teams have met every year since 2011—but this will be the first time AT Jefferson, as the meeting in 2011 was moved to Washington High due to inclement weather.

It should be worth the wait on this Homecoming night: Jefferson is hot on the heels of the school’s first playoff berth since 2005, with only a loss to Sherando, Va., as a black mark,while Keyser’s losses have come to a pair of defending state champions in Fort Hill, Md., and Bridgeport.

In Class AA, No. 3 Bridgeport (6-1) beat No. 6 Keyser (5-2) 31-6 as the Indians scored on their first possession and never trailed in week seven.

Keyser was held to negative rushing yardage by the Indians, who dampened an otherwise memorable night at Tornado Alley, extending a 7-0 halftime lead to a 31-6 win on the occasion of KHS’s celebration of 100 years of football.

KHS’s lone TD came on a 35-yard pass from Ryan Streets to Vinnie Cuthbertson. Jefferson got back in the win column last week at Millbrook, Va., by a 26-17 score.

Will Ransom intercepted two passes in the fourth quarter and three for the game to preserve the victory.

Keyser is ninth and 10thin the MetroNews and SSAC rankings, respectively, while Jefferson sits seventh in Class AAA in the SSAC rankings and eighth in the MetroNews power rankings.

Keyser won an absolute shootout last year, 47-41, despite 501 passing yards from Jefferson’s Andrew King.

 

Hedgesville (0-6) at Martinsburg (6-1), 7 p.m.

Martinsburg dominated Spring Mills last week, 68-7, led by Trey Boyd’s four touchdowns, to move to No. 3 in the WVSSAC rankings and second in the MetroNews power rankings.

Martinsburg (6-1) defeated Spring Mills (3-3) 68-7 in week seven of the high school football season.

Hedgesville, meanwhile, lost their 11th straight game, 75-14 at Musselman.

Jonathon Emerick led the Eagles with 133 receiving yards. Martinsburg won last year’s game, 76-0.

 

East Hardy (5-2) at Moorefield (5-1), 7:30 p.m.

The battle for Hardy County has taken on additional significance in recent years, and 2014 will be no exception.

Moorefield has followed the same pattern as last year so far: lose to Frankfort, beat everyone else. Wil Schoonover rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-16 win over Fayetteville last week.

East Hardy won at Tucker County, 28-14.

Moorefield is fifth in the MetroNews rankings and seventh in the SSAC rankings in Class A, while East Hardy is on the right side of the playoff bubble in 15th.

Moorefield won last year’s contest, 16-6.

 

Morgantown (3-4) at Musselman (4-3), 7 p.m.

This is practically a playoff elimination game for these two schools: Musselman is ranked 17th this week, while Morgantown is 20th.

Deonte Glover scored five touchdowns in the Applemen’s 75-14 win over Hedgesville last week, their second straight victory.

Morgantown has lost three straight close battles to really good football teams: 30-26 to Martinsburg, 28-9 to Wayne, and 24-23 last week at Wheeling Park.

Morgantown won last year’s encounter, 44-20.

 

Hampshire (2-4) at Spring Mills (3-3), 7 p.m.

This is another must-win: Spring Mills is 21st in AAA, while Hampshire has very slim hopes at No. 25.

The Cardinals will have to shake off a 68-7 home loss to Martinsburg, while Hampshire, too, lost by a lot on their home field, 30-7 to Buckhannon-Upshur.

Hampshire won last year, 49-7.

 

Berkeley Springs (2-5) at Clear Spring, Md. (2-4), 7 p.m.

The Indians impressed last week, thumping Petersburg, 40-8, on 156 yards and two passing touchdowns from Levi Haines.

Clear Spring has dropped two straight, falling to Smithsburg, 26-20, last week. Clear Spring won last year’s game, 28-26.

 

BYE: Washington (1-6)

 

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