This past Friday night was unlike anything I have witnessed before in the first 13 years of hosting High School Gamenight.
We certainly gave a new meaning to the phrase “Friday Night Lights” because the lighting was not man-made. Lightning strikes in nearly every part of the state caused numerous games to be postponed and one game was cancelled because of the bright lights from the sky.
As I’m sure most of you know, when officials notice a lightning strike, players must be removed from the field and there is a 30 minute delay. If another lightning strike is seen during the delay, then it is another 30 minutes before players can return.
So, on and on it went Friday night causing several games to be completed after midnight and it was 1:15 Saturday morning before Clay-Battelle and Midland Trail wrapped things up in Hico, W.Va. And, the lightning was no respecter of classes this past Friday night as all three saw several games delayed.
In Class AA, the big game of the night, and maybe the season, was finally cancelled when school officials came to the conclusion the game could not be played.
With Class AAA Wheeling Park and Class AA Bridgeport not being able to come together on a make up date that would work for both teams, the administration for both schools decided the best thing to do was just cancel the game altogether! While that was certainly not the best thing for all the fans that had assembled in Bridgeport, it seems to have been in regards for the safety of the kids and that has to be the most important thing! Sad though, wonder which team would have won by three or four points this year?
Even though the lightning was the real winner last Friday night, we did have several games that proved to be worth the price of admission. Starting at the top, No. 1 Capital and No. 2 South Charleston proved why they are the top teams in Class AAA. In a game that wasn’t really decided until the very end, the Cougars of Head Coach Jon Carpenter prevailed once again over the Black Eagles of South Charleston winning this time by only five points 26-21.
For the Black Eagles head coach Donnie Mays, it was disappointing to lose once again to the Cougars, however he found that his kids fought hard to the end and that has to be something they can really build on as the season progresses.
In Class A, we also had a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2 and this time the second-ranked Blue Eagles of Magnolia defeated top ranked Williamstown 21-14 and a lot of folks seem to think we may see those same two teams again when the playoffs begin in November.
So, what can we look forward to this weekend? Well, once again let’s start at the top in Class AAA where the top ranked Cougars of Capital will get another strong test as No. 3 Cabell Midland will bring their high scoring offense to University of Charleston Stadium for much-anticipated show down! The Knights opened the season by pounding Spring Valley 41-6 and followed that up last week by embarrassing Winfield 56-6!
So my quick math skills point to the fact coach Luke Salmon’s boys from Cabell County have outscored their first two opponents 97-12. Now if the Knights can catch the speedy backs from Capital it should be a great game to watch! Also in AAA, the Big Reds of Parkersburg will try to get on the winning track after a bye week as they travel to Huntington to take on the undefeated Highlanders and two undefeated teams square off in Wood County as Morgantown will travel to take on the Parkersburg South Patriots. One big question in Class AAA is when will Martinsburg get their first win? The Bulldogs are 0-2 for the first time since water was turned into wine and this Friday night they have to travel 280 miles south to take on the once beaten Princeton Tigers! I have a feeling that is at least a six stop leg stretching ride!
In Class AA, third-ranked Fairmont Senior will try to stay unbeaten as they travel to Class AAA Preston. The Wayne Pioneers will host the powerful Point Pleasant. So far this season, Point Pleasant is outscoring their first two opponents 126-13.
In Class A this weekend, top-ranked Magnolia will host always-tough Greenbrier West, Wheeling Central will host Madonna and the Man Hillbillies will travel to battle the Renegades of Westside.
Don’t forget to join Dave Jecklin and me this Friday night for another edition of Gamenight heard around the state on over 40 great radio stations and on-line at WVMetronews.com!
And by the way, keep your fingers crossed—we want only the man-made kind of Friday Night Lights!