MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Half of next week’s Super Six was filled up on Friday night as three high school football semifinal games were played around the state.
In Class AAA, No. 3 Wheeling Park (11-1-1) defeated No. 2 Point Pleasant (12-1) 35-14 as quarterback Cross Wilkinson threw for 219 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Savion Johnson finished with 180 yards on 30 carries, while receiver Elijah Bell added 108 receiving yards and two scores on four catches. Senior Jamez Coles collected three catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns as well in the win.
Highlights and photos: Wheeling Park 35, Point Pleasant 14
The Patriots held Point Pleasant’s Cody Mitchell to just 27 yards in the first half – he finished with 125 rushing yards and a touchdown on 19 carries.
“Teams have had trouble running against our defense as we’ve done a good job of defending the run,” said Wheeling Park coach Chris Daugherty. “We did tonight what we have been doing (all season). Our coaching staff did a good job of getting the kids in the right place and our kids did a good job of executing.
It’s the first trip to the state championship game for the Patriots since 1991, which was a 15-14 loss to Capital – that game was played at Laidley Field in Charleston. Now, the Patriots will play for a state championship on their home field at Wheeling Island.
“Our kids have always talked about trying to play at a state championship at our home field,” Daugherty said. “It’s important for our kids and people have talked about it a lot. Now we’re getting an opportunity. We can’t be complacent – the goal isn’t just to get to the state championship, the goal is to win one.”
Wheeling Park will face the winner of Saturday’s semifinal between Capital and Cabell Midland.
The Class AA game will feature No. 1 Bridgeport (12-0-1) against No. 3 Tolsia (12-1). Tolsia is into the championship game for the first time since 2006 when the Rebels fell to Wayne, 33-6.
Tolsia Friday night shutout Mingo Central (10-3) 22-0. It’s the second straight shutout for the Rebels who have given up just six points during the entire postseason.
Highlights: Tolsia 22, Mingo Central 0
“Our defense has played really well through these playoffs,” said Tolsia coach Mike Smith. “Tonight they showed up and played well again. We scored on our first possession and I think that kind of took the wind out of (Mingo Central’s) sails a little bit.”
Tolsia running back Luke Presley totaled 142 rushing yards and a touchdown on 22 carries.
“It was a real special night and I got real emotional after the game – it’s what you live for, right here,” Presley said after the win. “Now we have Bridgeport in Wheeling and that’s awesome. It’s what we’ve been dreaming about.”
Tolsia quarterback Seth McMillion also added two touchdowns for the Rebels as well.
Mingo Central quarterback Stevie Hammond left the game in the first half with a shoulder injury and didn’t return. It was the first semifinal appearance for the Miners in school history.
Bridgeport will be making its third straight appearance in the Class AA title game after edging Fairmont Senior (10-3) 28-20. The Indians won the game off of turnovers, recovering a Fairmont Senior fumble inside the Bridgeport 10 yard line and returning two interceptions for touchdowns.
A Luke Southern 50 yard pick-six in the third quarter gave Bridgeport a 14-0 lead, while Elijah Drummond added a 15 yard pick-six with under five minutes to go, giving the Indians a 28-14 cushion.
“That’s a good team that we played – they were physical, they came to play and hit us in the mouth,” said Bridgeport running back Dante Bonamico. “We just stuck to what we do, we just kept grinding and kept pushing. It was just a game of big plays.”
After facing familiar opponents in both the quarterfinals (Robert C. Byrd) and semifinals, it’ll be a new team the Indians will have to get through in order to win a third straight title.
“Through these 13 games, we’ve done everything that we’ve needed to do to win. It hasn’t always been pretty, but we’ve continued to battle,” said head coach Josh Nicewarner. “It’s actually kind of nice to be playing an uncommon opponent, one that I’m not sure we’ve ever played.
“It’ll be nice to see something new, but Tolsia is there for a reason,” Nicewarner continued. “They’ve been successful and beat a very good Mingo Central team tonight and shut them out. Kudos to them, but we’re going to focus on ourselves this week, fix some things that need to be fixed and be ready to go.”
Both Class A semifinals will be played on Saturday with Moorefield visiting Magnolia and St. Marys visiting East Hardy.
The complete MetroNews high school football scoreboard is here.