CLASS A
No. 4 Clay-Battelle (11-1) at No. 1 St. Mary’s (12-0)
The Cee-Bees are in the state semifinals for the first time in school history after winning back-to-back home playoff games against Greenbrier West and Bishop Donahue. The Cee-Bees won a regular season rematch 30-20 against the Bishops Saturday afternoon in Blacksville as senior Cannon Brummage was the standout. Brummage had three interceptions on defense and a key pass breakup at the goal line in the final seconds of the first half. Brummage added three catches for 76-yards on offense.
Clay-Battelle would trail in the game three separate times before taking the lead for good late in the second quarter on a Jacoby Steele short touchdown run. The Cee-Bees’ defense then dominated the second half, keeping Bishop Donahue off the scoreboard.
“It was like a heavyweight boxing match,” said Clay-Battelle coach Ryan Wilson. “They would punch and we would punch back. We just made a few extra plays than they did in the second half.”
The Clay-Battelle defense outscored the Bishop Donahue offense in the second half as defensive end Sam Cropper nearly sacked standout quarterback Jesse Padlow in the end zone. Padlow fired the ball away and was flagged for intentional grounding which led to a safety.
The Clay-Battelle defense has excelled all season. The coaches made some key adjustments in the Bishop Donahue win as they increased the pressure on Padlow and they adjusted the way they covered the Bishops receivers. Clay-Battelle allowed just 67 yards passing the second half and it finished the game forcing four total turnovers.
“We were confident with our game plan,” Wilson said. “But we were able to make some key adjustments at halftime.”
Quarterback Jarrett Hockenberry –in his second game back in the lineup after recovering from a knee injury — threw for 235 yards and a touchdown against the Bishops.
“It’s like a security blanket,” Wilson said of the return of the quarterback. “The other kids did a fabulous job without him in there, but the passing game is so much better with him in there. Plus, we had to move Tanner Bragg in to play quarterback and he is our best receiver.”
Bragg, back at receiver, had eight receptions for 115 yards against Bishop Donahue.
So, with that win, Clay-Battelle moves three rounds deep into the playoffs for the first time ever.
“It is very special time in Blacksville right now for our community and for this football team,” Wilson said. “Thirty years ago was the first time Clay-Battelle made the state playoffs. People remember that team and they still talk about that team because it was a first. Well, they are going to be talking about this team in years to come because we have accomplished a lot of firsts.”
CLASS AA
No. 5 Wayne (10-2) at No. 1 Bridgeport (11-1)
Bridgeport ran its playoff winning streak to six with a 35-14 win over rival Robert C. Byrd in the second round. That victory sets up a rematch of the 2013 Class AA state championship game with Wayne. In fact, the two previous times these teams have met have both led to state championships for Bridgeport. The Indians won 14-13 last year at Wheeling Island in the championship game. Bridgeport beat Wayne 14-6 in the 2000 state title game as well.
Last week, junior Dylan Tonkery was the standout against RCB with 196 yards rushing and three touchdowns. He scored a fourth TD on a 54-yard interception return. Tonkery had been slowed earlier in the season by rib and ankle injuries.
Both Tonkery and Dante Bonamico have a chance to surpass the 1,000 yard rushing barrier in this playoff game. Tonkery is at 987 yards. Bonamico is at 945 yards for the season. The Indians have a streak of nine consecutive seasons with at least one 1,000 yard ground gainer.
The Bridgeport defense also continued with its pattern of scoring. Tonkery’s return marked the third straight game an interception was brought back for a touchdown. Zach Bombardiere had one in the regular season finale against Preston. Mackenzie Holmes returned one 37-yards for a touchdown in the first round playoff win over Liberty Raleigh.
The Bridgeport defense stood out again as it held RCB to -20 yards rushing and 163 total yards while forcing three turnovers. The Indians also rolled up four sacks in the final few minutes.
Last year’s state title game between Bridgeport and Wayne was extremely competitive, but a bit sloppy on a snowy night in Wheeling last December. Bridgeport held on to win 14-13 after a last second heave into the end-zone fell to the ground incomplete on the game’s final play.
A.C. Caldera had scored both of the Bridgeport touchdowns on rushing attempts. The wet, cold and snowy conditions led to seven fumbles and five turnovers between the teams. The game winning score, in fact, was setup by a Wayne turnover late in the first half. Caldera ran it in from 22 yards after the Pioneers fumbled the ball to Bridgeport at the Pioneers 28.
Bonamico added a two point conversion for the 14-13 lead. The Bridgeport defense then shut Wayne out in the second half as the Pioneers had their 36 game win streak snap. Wayne was also denied a third consecutive state championship. The Pioneers will try to derail Bridgeport in an effort to win a second straight Class AA title this year.