10:06am: Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval

A Lot of Old, A Lot of New…

The high school football playoffs begin this Friday night and over the course of the first weekend of play, 48 teams will have a chance to move on and continue playing in 2015.  However, the reality is the season has come down to one and done and with that said, only 24 of the 48 will actually move on to week number two!

When you take a look at the 48 teams in the field this year, 28 were in this same position last season which means we have 20 fresh new faces for 2015.  In Class AAA, nine return while seven are new…..in Class AA, the same is true with nine back from last season and seven new faces added, and in Class A we have ten of last year’s top sixteen back and only six new teams.  Of the top six teams from 2014 that made their way to Wheeling Island Stadium, five are back this year, including all three state champions, with only Frankfort failing to get back in the playoff field.  In Class AAA, the new faces this playoff season are Morgantown, Brooke, George Washington, Musselman, Greenbrier East, Spring Mills and Princeton.  In Class AA, the playoff field welcomes newcomers James Monroe, Chapmanville, Herbert Hoover, Summers County, Lincoln and Independence.  In Class A, the six new faces are Magnolia, Wheeling Central, South Harrison, Pocahontas County and Valley Wetzel.  In comparing won/loss records from last year to this year among the twenty new teams in the playoffs this season, those twenty teams this year posted a combined record of 150 wins and only 50 losses……last year, they were a combined 87-113…..that’s a difference of 63 wins!  It’s easy to see why we have new teams in the field of 48!

By now I know you have seen the pairings for all three classes and there are certain to be some very good games this weekend.  Here are a few games from each class that jump out to me:

In Class AAA…..#9 Brooke at #8 Morgantown – now I know picking a #9 vs. #8 to be good is easy, but in this case it goes deeper than just the seeding.  Back in week #2 of the season, the Brooke Bruins made the trip to Pony Lewis Field in Morgantown and when they left town they had an 0-2 record after dropping a 27-14 decision to the Mohigans.  This Friday night Brooke will make the same trip to Pony Lewis but will be hoping for a much different outcome.  Also in Class AAA, #10 seed George Washington will make the 53 mile journey to battle #7 Huntington.  The Patriots limp into the playoffs having lost two of their last three games including a 48-21 defeat last Friday night against #12 seed South Charleston.  However, one thing to keep in mind is George Washington also defeated #4 seed Capital back in week 8 of the season winning 32-21 over the reigning state champs.  For Huntington, it has been another good season under head coach Billy Seals and unlike George Washington, the Highlanders come into the playoffs on a three game winning streak having outscored their last three opponents 171-12!

In Class AA, the #4 seed Fairmont Senior will welcome in a very talented #13 seed as the Lincoln Cougars will travel the short 14 miles to East-West Stadium this Friday night.  Although located so close together the two teams did not meet in the regular season this year but last season the Polar Bears ran past the Cougars 52-6.  Also in Class AA, #15 Weir will make the long road trip (295 miles) to Mitchell Stadium to battle an old familiar foe in #2 Bluefield.  If your memory is good and you love high school football as much as I do, you will remember a Saturday afternoon in late November, 2004 when the Red Riders of Weir were having their way with the Bluefield Beavers!  With 2:28 left to play in regulation, Weir led 14-0 and was facing fourth-and-2 deep in Bluefield’s territory. Instead of running the ball, which the Riders had done successfully the entire contest, Weir went for a swing pass. Quarterback Brandon Sperlazza was picked off by Michael Davis, who ran it back 70 yards for a touchdown.  And, that was just the beginning of a tremendous Bluefield come back!  With still more than two minutes to play, the Beavers recovered an onside kick, and with no timeouts remaining, Bluefield drove down the field and scored on a fourth-and-1 yard run by Derrick Steptoe with no time remaining on the clock. The extra point tied the game at 14 and sent the contest into overtime.  Bluefield took the ball first in overtime and scored on a 12-yard run by Quintin Steptoe. The extra point was good and made the score 21-14. Weir scored during its possession in overtime, on a 2-yard pass from Sperlazza to Justin Pernell, but then missed the extra point, and the Riders lost the game.  I have a feeling both teams remember that game!

In Class A this weekend, the one game that really jumps off the score sheet will find #12 Tug Valley making the 55 mile ride to George Queen Stadium in Man to take on the 5th seeded Hillbillies.  This will be a re-match of a game played just two weeks ago when the ‘Billies went to Mingo County to battle the Panthers and came away with a hard-fought 14-12 victory.  Both teams are obviously evenly matched and this should be another great game on Friday night!

With a total of 24 games this weekend, 13 on Friday and 11 on Saturday, try to make your way to watch one or even two of the contests!  The 1st round of the high school football playoffs in WV are always exciting and it makes for a great family experience.  And, don’t forget High School GAMENIGHT will be on again this Friday night from 9:30 to Midnight and we will have all the scores of the 13 games played Friday, plus a look ahead at the 11 contests on Saturday!

Talk with you then!!