By: Shawn Rine
The Wheeling Intelligencer and News-Register
Class AA No. 1 Bridgeport (1-0) at Class AAA No. 2 Wheeling Park (1-0)
A good portion of the Mountain State will be fixated on this matchup, which has become one of the best rivalries West Virginia has to offer.
The Indians, who are three-time defending Class AA champions, have lost twice in the regular season during that span of excellence. Both times, it turns out, came at the hands of the Patriots. Last season’s encounter was eventually ruled a no-contest after lightning forced what at the time was the postponement of a game that was scoreless in the first quarter.
This will also be a battle of defending state champions, as Park captured its first title last season on the same Wheeling Island Stadium turf this game will be played on.
Coach Chris Daughtery’s Patriots are coming off a season-opening, 41-20 victory in Pittsburgh against Perry Traditional Academy. They led 27-0 at halftime and extended the margin to 41-8 after three, before surrendering a pair of touchdowns in the game’s final 3:08.
“I’m very happy. We put it all together,” Daugherty said. “We have Bridgeport next and it will be a little different. They don’t hurt themselves at all and it should be a physically tough game for us.”
Highly touted Park junior quarterback Cross Wilkinson got off to a fine start, completing 11 of 15 passes for 130 yards and three touchdowns. Mazei Mosby hauled in two passes for 47 yards and a pair of scores while Nate Phillips was on the receiving end of seven Wilkinson attempts, good for 49 yards and a touchdown.
The running game appears to be in good hands after the opening performance of junior Rennie Clark. In his first game, Clark carried 15 times for 137 yards and three touchdowns.
Isaac Leech, another first-year starter, led the defense with 11 tackles.
Coach Josh Nicewarner’s Indians are coming off a 44-20 demolition of Lewis County, pulling away in the second half after leading 27-14 at halftime.
Also starting for the first time, Bridgeport running back J.T. Harris rushed for 128 yards and a pair of scores in the first half. He also added a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Quarterback Gordon Swiger accumulated 95 yards on 12 carries and also returned an interception for a touchdown. Standout linebacker Mackenzie Holmes also took an INT back into the end zone.
Class AAA No. 4 Morgantown (1-0) at Brooke (0-1)
The beating Brooke took on the scoreboard (49-6) last week at Huntington isn’t what concerns Coach Mac McLean the most. Instead, he’s worried about the physical toll the opener took on his team.
“I’m kind of anxious because three of my four — Noah Talbott, Jonathan Gallagher and Tyler Harrell — starting defensive linemen are injured,” McLean said. “Two of them were at the hospital before the game ended and the other one is scheduled to have an MRI on his knee.
“So if you asked me about my defensive starting lineup right now, I couldn’t tell you.”
Not good.
Just as disconcerting is the health of senior quarterback Koty Hudson. McLean said the second-year starter is operating at about 60-percent capacity due to a lingering knee issue. Hudson completed 7 of 11 passes for 141 yards, including a 7-yard scoring strike to Chris Yachini.
“It’s frustrating because it really hampers our offense,” McLean said. “And our offense goes through that boy.”
It was quite the debut for first-year coach Matt Lacy and the Mohigans, as they slammed Anacostia, D.C., 59-0. Jordan Page ran for three touchdowns and six different ballcarriers found the end zone. Maverick Wolfley had a game-high 76 yards.
Despite all that, Lacy still isn’t sure exactly what he has.
“Offensively we put up 59 points but didn’t have a chance to get a rhythm because of the short fields,” Lacy said. “I would have liked to have started to see us put together a drive of seven or eight plays, but it just wasn’t possible.”
It wasn’t possible because Anacostia made the trip with 17 players. Not among that total was a punter, meaning the D.C.-based school went for it on fourth down regardless of field position.
Lacy knows the Bruins present a different set of problems.
“Brooke is still Brooke and they are going to give you a bunch of formations,” Lacy said. “We better be ready to see doubles, trips and tight ends who they will put out on the boundary.
“The (Alex) Edgell kid is an extremely hard runner, they have a big target to throw to on the outside with (Ethan) Secrist and the quarterback is a good one.”
Bellaire, Ohio (0-1) at Class A No. 1 Wheeling Central (1-0)
The ceiling was thought to be high for Wheeling Central, and if the season opener is any indication that thought process would seem to be correct. The Maroon Knights got off to a bit of a slow start against a big, physical Steubenville Catholic team last Thursday but turned on the jets en route to a 33-6 victory.
“We made a lot of mistakes, but we did a lot of good things, too,” Young said after the game.
No doubt about that.
It starts with four-year starting quarterback Isaac Rine. He completed 6 of 12 for 134 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but also scrambled for another 48 yards and a score.
Senior do-it-all John Burkhalter was everywhere, hauling in three passes for 81 yards and a beautiful touchdown. He leaped for the ball at around the 4-yard line and landed in the end zone for a fingertip catch to make it 14-0 late in the first half. With time winding down and the game long since decided in the fourth quarter, Burkhalter chased down a runner who appeared certain to score, stripping the ball and recovering it for a touchback.
Freshman Adam Murray led the way with 12 tackles, while Chantz Chambers, Clayton McCabe (sack) and Dylan Baker (interception) all made seven stops.
The Big Reds will be going on short rest as their opener, which was regularly scheduled for last Saturday, was pushed to Sunday because of chemical leak at a nearby plant. They’re paced by quarterback Mason Ramsay and receiver D’Eondre Burney.
Class A No. 5 Williamstown (1-0) at Class A No. 8 Magnolia (0-1)
Magnolia’s bid to repeat as state champion got off to a surprisingly rocky start just across the Ohio River. That’s where Shadyside jumped out early and went on to hand the Blue Eagles a 41-14 setback. Magnolia beat the Tigers, 40-0, a year earlier in the opener on its way to an undefeated season.
Coach Doc Chapman’s club had to replace the majority of its offensive and defensive lines and while they will no doubt be better down the road, Shadyside took advantage.
The Blue Eagles were limited to 104 yards and three first downs. Additionally, 37 of those yards came on a touchdown pass from Nick Priem to Brooks Parsons.
“Shadyside’s a good team, but we didn’t play well,” Chapman said. “It’s not an excuse, but we have a bunch of young guys. We have a lot of growing up to do.
“When it’s all said and done, I think we’ll be a good football team.”
They’ll need to be against the rival Yellowjackets who received a wake-up call last week from Tyler Consolidated. The Silver Knights led 8-6 after one but went on to post a 25-14 victory. Trenton Tallman led the Williamstown attack with 16 carries, 134 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw a TD.
Other Games:
Friday
Mountain Ridge (Pa.) at John Marshall (0-1)
Steubenville Catholic Central at Oak Glen (0-1)
Tyler Consolidated (0-1) at Doddridge County (0-1)
Valley Wetzel (1-0) at South Harrison
Bishop Donahue (1-0) at Hundred (0-1)
Edison Local (OH) at AA No. 6 Weir (1-0)
Saturday
Tusky Catholic, Ohio, at Madonna