By: Shawn Rine
The Wheeling Intelligencer and News-Register
Van (6-1) at Class A No. 9 Cameron (7-0)
There haven’t been too many victories in Cameron football history recently than were bigger than last week’s at Clay-Battelle. The Dragons hung a 48-19 loss on the Cee-Bees in a battle of unbeaten West Virginia Class A playoff contenders.
But the next one – should it happen – would be even bigger to Dragons coach Scott Holt.
“Mathematically, we still need one more win to get in,” Holt said. “We have crossed a lot of things off the list.”
Next would be a victory against Van (6-1), which comes to town at 7 on Friday night in an eighth-place tie according to the WVSSAC prep football ratings. Cameron is holding down the sixth spot. If the Dragons come out on top, they will not only clinch a berth in the playoffs, but the possibility of playing host to at least one round increases exponentially.
“If we are lucky enough to qualify for the playoffs, it would be unbelievable to host,” Holt said. “Certainly you want to string those wins together.
“When you look up and down our schedule, you say who’s up and who is down? No disrespect to any of the teams we have played, but this is the first time we’ve had to strap it up against very strong opponents in back-to-back weeks.
“I am as interested as anyone to see how we respond.”
If history is any indication, the answer might be well. Last week the Dragons went into a hostile environment and won a game in a venue that few visitors do behind 201 yards rushing from Michael Starcher and 202 yards and five total touchdowns – four rushing and one passing – from Colby Brown.
“We were fortunate to have a great game plan put together by our coaching staff,” Holt said. “Our kids executed to a T.
“Could not have drawn up a better scenario.”
The one the Dragons draw up this week will be different than the last one. That’s because unlike Clay-Battelle, the Bulldogs don’t offer much in the way of a passing game. They’re a one-trick pony that excels at that trick, led by junior Brady Grant, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound running back.
“The plan going in this week is to get ready for a big, physical, strong Van team. They take pride in pushing people around.
“It’s just their attitude of how they play. You cannot stand around a pile and you can’t expect to tackle them with one guy.
“Southern football is tough and we have to adapt our mentality.”
Not that Holt will know which mentality his players will enter the stadium with.
“This is the most even-keel, low-key group that I can remember coaching anywhere I have been,” Holt said. “This is a team that doesn’t have highs and lows.
“Sometimes it is hard to figure if we are focused or flat. A lot of time we have to ask ‘how do you feel.'”
One thing Holt knows for sure, is the outcome will likely hinge not on skill players, but his offensive line.
“We won’t roll out five all-staters along the line,” Holt said. “A lot of this has come about because of the play of the offensive line because we knew we had a quarterback that could spread the ball around, wide receivers who can go get it and talent in backfield.
“We didn’t know how good those five up front were going to be. We’re ecstatic with them.
“We have experience mixed with youth. We might not have the best group, but we have the right group.”
Princeton (5-2) at Wheeling Park (4-3)
The playoffs unofficially begin at 7 p.m. Friday night for defending Class AAA champion Wheeling Park. Major postseason points are at stake for the Patriots, who enter this week 14th in the SSAC standings.
Coach Chris Daugherty’s crew is coming off a bye week, which may have happened at an opportune time. That’s because the last time out Park was handled at home, 41-14, by Morgantown.
“At this point in the season it doesn’t matter if you are a .500 team or undefeated, you are at least a little bit beat up and you have to heal,” Daugherty said. “So it was good to get a week off to do that and get our legs underneath us a little bit.
“But at the same time the kids really miss playing on Friday night and they are very anxious to get back out on the field.”
It’s a homecoming of sorts for Tigers coach Wes Eddy, who is a former assistant at Brooke. They dropped a 19-7 decision to Class AA contender James Monroe last week, but their only other defeat came at the hands of Martinsburg by a 60-0 score.
“I think we are a pretty good 5-2 football team right now,” Eddy said. “The season is going good, the kids are playing well and we have played some pretty good football teams and held our own.
“We are all very excited about another good opportunity this week, and a game we can use as a measuring stick as to where we really are.”
The teams offer contrasting styles. The Patriots have a balanced offense, led by quarterback Cross Wilkinson and running back Rennie Clark – both juniors. Wilkinson has completed 97 of 167 passes for 1,225 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions this season. Clark has churned out 1,091 yards on 147 carries and found the end zone 13 times.
Nate Phillips, yet another junior, is the leading receiver with an Ohio Valley-leading 47 catches for 588 yards and six TDs.
“They are a loaded football team with talent at all positions,” Eddy added. “And they are still the state champions as well.
“They have a very good program right now and we feel playing a team of this caliber is a good experience for our kids.”
Daugherty believes a quick start will be key.
“I think we hurt ourselves more than anything when things aren’t going well,” he said. “And we have yet to come out and really execute during the first quarter and a half so far this season. Hopefully we will be able to come out faster and get things started early and put a little pressure on the defense and cause them to make some adjustments.”
Other games:
Oak Glen at Buckeye Local, Ohio
Bishop Donahue at Paden City
Hundred at Conotton Valley, Ohio
John Marshall at Morgantown
Doddridge County at Valley (W)
Brooke at Buckhannon-Upshur
Tyler Consolidated at Magnolia
Weir at East LIverpool, Ohio
Beallsville, Ohio, at Wheeling Central
Madonna at Steubenville Catholic, Ohio