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Eastern Panhandle Playoff Report: Semifinals

Eastern Panhandle Report New03

By: Michael Minnich

Mineral Daily News Tribune

“If you’re playing football this time of year, you’re pretty fortunate.”

WVU coach Dana Holgorsen’s words certainly ring true for the 12 teams around the Mountain State who are mixing turkey and trap plays, potatoes and passing, in anticipation of their state semifinals.

 

CLASS AAA

No. 4 Martinsburg (11-1) at No. 1 Capital (11-0), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

All respect to South Charleston and Huntington, but this is the centerpiece game in AAA this weekend, between the only two teams in AAA that haven’t lost a game to an instate foe.

Martinsburg is the four-time defending champs, but never on those runs did the Bulldogs have to win a true road game.

Capital hasn’t lost at home since…the last time an eastern panhandle team came to them: Musselman, 42-23, in the first round of the 2011 playoffs.

It’s a rematch of last year’s 2-3 game, won by Martinsburg, 35-21.

Four-time defending Class AAA state champion Martinsburg defeated No. 5 Point Pleasant 49-28 in the quarterfinals of the high school football playoffs.
Four-time defending Class AAA state champion Martinsburg defeated No. 5 Point Pleasant 49-28 in the quarterfinals of the high school football playoffs.

Martinsburg took an early lead on Point Pleasant last week, weathered a rally from the Big Blacks, then pulled away, 49-28.

Trey Boyd rushed for 145 yards.

Capital also posted a 3-TD win, over Wheeling Park, 35-14.

The Cougars intercepted four passes and scored 28 points in a row after trailing 7-0 early.

Capital hasn’t been in the championship game since back-to-back trips in 1995 (beat Hedgesville, 20-0) and 1996 (lost to John Marshall, 29-22).

 

CLASS AA

No. 6 Westside (10-2) at No. 2 Frankfort (12-0), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

Nearly 125 volunteers showed up on short notice on Wednesday evening after a snowstorm to get FHS’s grass surface ready to go for arguably the biggest game ever to be played in Short Gap.

Frankfort is in the semifinals for the third time in the 38-year history of the program, will host that game for the first time, and is seeking its first spot in the championship game.

The Falcons led Nicholas County 20-0 last Friday only to have the Grizzlies fight back to tie the score late in the fourth quarter.

But Jacob Kessel scored his second touchdown of the night—and the season—with 3:33 left, and, this time, the 26-20 lead stuck.

FHS set the school record for wins with its 12th straight triumph.

Westside took advantage of an injury to Ravenswood star Rhys Jelich to capture a 42-25 win in its quarterfinal on Saturday.

Justin Cogar scored all six touchdowns and racked up 501 yards of offense, tossing for 357 and five scores and rushing for 144 yards and another score.

Westside, which opened in 2002, also is in search of its first trip to Wheeling: The Renegades lost in the semifinals in 2003 to Bluefield, 35-8.

The Renegades will hope this goes better than their last encounter with a Mineral County foe: Keyser came to Clear Fork as a 14-seed in 2011 and departed with a 48-6 win.

Look for the future talent under center in this one: Frankfort’s Gage Shaffer has committed to Maryland, while Westside’s Cogar has an offer from Toledo.

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