By: Kristin Kurelic
AA No. 7 Robert C. Byrd at AA No. 5 Fairmont Senior
The headline season opener in the region features a pair of Class AA top 10-ranked teams in the preseason MetroNews Power Rankings.
Fairmont Senior narrowly missed a spot in the state quarterfinals this past year, when it was edged by Wayne, 43-40, in the first round. The Polar Bears are expected to make another postseason push this season.
The Polar Bears return experience at every position group, highlighted by senior wide receiver Nick Davisson, who averaged more than 22 yards per catch last year.
Also returning are quarterback Dominic Smith, who threw for eight touchdowns as a sophomore, and rising sophomore running back Bryson Gilbert. Jake Abbott, Dante and Darius Stills, Joseph Leon and Peyton Ozie lead the line and linebacking groups.
Up first on the schedule is Robert C. Byrd, which has reached the state playoffs for three straight seasons. The Eagles fell to eventual state champion Bridgeport, 35-14, in the quarterfinals last year.
Head coach Bruce Carey stepped down during the offseason, and former Eagles coach Bryan Fisher (2002-’09) was hired for a second tenure. RCB will also debut a new turf field this season.
All-state running back and linebacker Juwan Jones-Wright, who rushed for 813 yards and 85 carries in 2014, leads a small group of key returning starters. Others include quarterback Julian Marino, who threw for 1,043 yards and 13 touchdowns, and wide receiver Cole Fisher.
Anacostia (D.C). at AAA No. 8 Morgantown
The Mohigans, usually a Class AAA playoff lock, finished the 2014 season with a 4-6 record, losing five of their final six games – a stretch that included surrendering a 26-15 lead to Martinsburg with four minutes to go, a 19-point loss at Class AA power Wayne, a one-point loss to nine-win Wheeling Park, a seven-point loss to Musselman and an overtime loss to crosstown rival and 10-win University.
Still, the Mohigans expect to bounce back, thanks in part to the experience gained by many young players this past season. Injuries sidelined many top players and others were forced to step in, so MHS now returns 13 players who have started offensively and 14 players who have started defensively.
Zayne Hern will take over at quarterback, replacing graduated starter Ethan Goldcamp. Leading returners include Kody Shearer at receiver, Jonah Campbell on the line, running back DaShon Thomas and running back/linebacker Maverick Wolfley, who has committed to play at WVU.
The Mohigans open with Anacostia, which is making the trip to Morgantown for an early season non-conference game for the third time in four seasons. MHS won, 41-26, in 2012, and 41-0, in 2014.
John Marshall at University
The Hawks’ season ended with a heartbreaking loss to South Charleston in the Class AAA state quarterfinals, when Black Eagles quarterback Kentre Grier fired a 5-yard touchdown pass to receiver Fred Crozier with just 33 seconds left on the clock.
It ended careers for a large senior class that made up 89 percent of the UHS offense, including quarterback Jeremy Eckels, wide receiver Tristan Lucas, utility player Michael Ramsey and running back Jace Neville.
UHS returns one star in 6-foot-1, 260-pound junior fullback Isaiah Utt, who fractured his ankle in the second game last year and returned just before the playoffs. He finished with 308 yards and seven touchdowns on 84 carries in four games.
Colin Molnar and Kaleb Jennings return with experience at receiver, but the rest of the positions will be full of newcomers. Sophomore Clay Bailey will take over at quarterback and Robert Sanders, Amir Richardson and Desmond Cunningham are also offensive threats.
Rick Goodrich’s John Marshall teams are known for their running attack, and this season should be no different. The Monarchs return leading running back Chase Gump, who rushed for more than 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns this past season, as well as Jimmy Michelucci.
No. 1 Bridgeport at Buckhannon-Upshur (Thursday)
The Indians are the clear favorite in Class AA, after finishing a dominating 2014 season with a second straight state title.
Bridgeport posted a 43-7 win against Frankfort in the Super Six, which followed a 48-7 victory in the semifinals against Wayne, a 35-14 quarterfinal win against rival Robert C. Byrd and an opening round thumping of Liberty (Raleigh), 50-14.
The Indians return loads of talent from that squad, including four top senior skill players: Quarterback Zack Spurlock and running backs Elijah Drummond, Dante Bonamico and Dylan Tonkery. Bridgeport returns six starters on each side of the ball, and made other quality additions.
Bridgeport is seeking to become only the second team to win three consecutive Class AA football titles. The other was Poca, from 2001-’03.
The Indians open with Buckhannon-Upshur, which is coming off its first Class AAA playoff appearance since 2005. The Bucs return seven starters on offense, including Brandon Mallett and Marcus Lofton, the State Defensive Back of the Year, in the backfield.
Valley Fayette at No. 6 Clay-Battelle
The Cee-Bees are back from a school-best season, in which they finished 11-2 and advanced to the Class A state semifinals for the first time. C-B fell to St. Marys, 20-14.
The Cee-Bees graduated 13 seniors and will deal with inexperience at many positions, but first-team all-state quarterback Jarret Hockenberry returns to lead the young group. As a junior, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Hockenberry passed for 1,830 yards and 22 touchdowns, completing 97 of 166 of his throws. He also rushed for 651 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Other top returners with experience include offensive linemen Tanner Six and Tristan Shriver, receiver Devin Webber and running back Zack Bane.
The Cee-Bees have stepped up their schedule, replacing St. John’s (Ohio), Parkersburg Catholic and Van with defending state champion Williamstown, Barnesville and seven-win Valley Fayette.
Philip Barbour at Grafton
The Bearcats responded to a winless season in 2013 with a 6-4 season in 2014, narrowly missing the state playoffs.
With 20 lettermen, including third-year starting quarterback Cole Collins and senior linebacker Brody Withers, returning under third-year coach Drew Toth, Grafton is looking to make its first playoff appearance since 2011.
The Bearcats open the season with Philip Barbour, which is struggling with low numbers and looking for a boost from running back duo Michael McViker and Chris Neville.
East Fairmont at Liberty Harrison
The Bees are aiming for improvement, after a 3-7 season in which they were shut out four times. New coach John Greary, also the wrestling coach at East Fairmont, is installing a new offense and a new defense.
East opens the season at Liberty, which improved from 0-9-1 in 2013 to 5-5 in 2014 under rookie head coach A.J. Harman. Senior Buddy Devericks has earned the starting quarterback job.
St. John’s (Ohio) at Notre Dame
The Irish finished the season with an 8-3 record, but were left with a bitter taste in their mouths after a first-round playoff loss. They graduated standout running back Santino Cava and linebacker Sal Lopez, but the Irish are aiming to rebuild and return to the playoffs again.
They open the season with the first of five straight home games, before closing out the season on the road.
Lewis County at Oak Hill
The Minutemen have qualified for the playoffs in each of the past three seasons and five of the last six. But this season, longtime assistant and Lewis County graduate Dustin Cogar takes over as head coach, after Eddie Vincent stepped down during the offseason.
He has some work to do, as about 2/3 of the roster is made up of freshmen and sophomores.
Oak Hill stumbled to 1-9 in 2014, after making the state playoffs in each of the two seasons before.
Preston at Hampshire
Preston started the 2014 season with a 5-2 record, but finished it with three straight losses, including a 29-25 loss to University, and missed the playoffs.
The Knights graduated all-state running back Josiah Nuse, but return many offensive starters, including senior quarterback Scott Stone and receiver Dylan Smith.
The season opener at Hampshire could prove crucial to Preston’s playoff hunt later, as it ends the season with the same three big games against University, Buckhannon-Upshur and Bridgeport.
Other games:
North Marion at Elkins
South Harrison at Doddridge County
Braxton County at Lincoln
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