By: Michael Minnich
The Exponent Telegram
University and Morgantown are a combined 15-3 entering the MoHawk Bowl. Bridgeport and Fairmont Senior get another chance to make their cases as Class AA title contenders. Not a bad Friday night in North Central West Virginia.
Class AA No. 1 Bridgeport (9-0) at Class AA No. 4 Fairmont Senior (6-1), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
The top two schools in the SSAC computer rankings will meet at East-West Stadium eyeing home-field advantage all the way to Wheeling.
It’s almost hard to believe, but three-time defending state champion Bridgeport has never gone 10-0 during that run: a tie against Wheeling Park in 2015 and losses to the Patriots the previous two years saw to that.
Friday’s opportunity to break some rare new ground for this group of seniors almost didn’t come.
Fourth-quarter heroics from Gordon Swiger prevented the Tribe from falling to 1-3 all-time at Keyser last week as Swiger rushed for three touchdowns in the final period and 114 yards for the game to topple a 13-3 deficit in a 24-13 Bridgeport win.
JT Harris intercepted Camden White, who replaced the injured Brady Ours at quarterback, to clinch the win and also rushed for 76 yards.
Fairmont Senior, which has only nine games scheduled this year, had its second open date of the year last week coming off their lone loss, a 35-24 decision at Jefferson.
Bridgeport kept a clean sheet last year in this game, winning 35-0.
Class AAA No. 5 University (8-1) at Class AAA No. 6 Morgantown (7-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
University, No. 3 in the SSAC rankings, tuned up for this week’s showdown with a rainy 42-6 win over Preston.
The Hawks held the Knights to negative-7 yards of offense in the first half.
Clay Bailey ran for two touchdowns and passed for three scores, all to Amir Richardson; the duo hooked up six times in all for 101 yards.
Morgantown, tied with Huntington for sixth in the SSAC rankings, had an even easier time, dropping 60 points—41 in the first half—on John Marshall in a shutout win.
Jordan Page rushed for 161 yards and four scores seven carries ago and Camron Henderson picked off two JM passes in the first quarter.
Morgantown won last year’s game, 42-22.
Class A No. 8 South Harrison (7-1) at Paden City (2-6), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
The dream showdown of undefeateds last week between St. Marys and South Harrison turned out to be a rude awakening for the Hawks.
The Blue Devils cruised to a 47-6 win, holding SH, who dropped to seventh in the SSAC rankings, to four first downs and negative-2 rushing yards on 28 carries.
Paden City lost at home to Bishop Donahue last week, 30-2.
South Harrison won last year’s game, 51-6.
Robert C. Byrd (4-5) at Class AA RV Lincoln (6-2), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RCB has now won three of four after spoiling North Marion’s Senior Night, 40-30.
The Flying Eagles rose quickly, taking a 16-0 lead in the first minute of the game on an 89-yard kickoff return by Gage Jackson, a fumble recovery on the ensuing kickoff, and a Malcom Johnson plunge.
Johnson ran for two scores and 63 yards and Tre Junkins passed for two touchdowns.
After fumbling the opening kickoff and falling behind 6-0 to Grafton, Lincoln wasn’t fazed, far from it.
The Cougars scored 33 unanswered points to bolster their playoff resume; they’re fighting for a home playoff game, currently sitting in a tie with Winfield for ninth in Class AA.
Kobie Carpenter passed for 173 yards and ran for two scores, while Hunter Moore added 99 rushing yards on 24 carries and Chase Riley set a program record for career catches, moving to 141, three ahead of the old mark.
RCB took last year’s meeting, 35-14.
North Marion (5-3) at East Fairmont (3-5), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
North Marion scored 22 points in the third quarter to overturn an early deficit and take a 30-28 lead to the final frame, but were out-scored 12-0 in the fourth quarter by RCB to lose last week and fall to 13th in the SSAC rankings.
Kyle Elliott ran for 146 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 109 yards and another TD for the Huskies.
East Fairmont has won two straight, both away, adding a 14-0 blanking of Philip Barbour last week to a 35-14 triumph over Preston.
North Marion won last year’s game, which was played in early October instead of late in the month like this year, by a final of 26-23.
Tucker County (2-6) at Petersburg (5-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
Petersburg is in the 16th and final playoff spot in Class AA after picking up their first win at Moorefield since 1993, 37-33.
The Vikings trailed 27-6 after the first quarter but then put their passing game into gear, scoring the final 24 points of the game.
Jacob Hartman was 19-for-32 passing for 354 yards and four scores, hitting Jordan Hartman (7 catches, 139 yards, 2 TD’s), Trad Harman (5 catches, 98 yards, 1 TD), and Cody Southerly (6 catches, 91 yards, 1 TD), and Tyce Wisnewski (26-yard TD catch).
Tucker County dropped their third straight game last week, 26-6 at Pendleton County.
Petersburg won a 53-30 decision in this series last year.
Clay-Battelle (6-2) at Notre Dame (3-5), Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Two weeks ago, the Cee-Bees were undefeated.
Now, they have work to do.
After a 39-8 loss at Salineville Southern (Oh.) last week, Clay-Battelle is out of the playoff picture in 19th, making a rebound on Saturday at Fairmont State against Notre Dame essential.
Notre Dame was off last week.
Clay-Battelle were 43-20 victors last year.
OTHER GAMES:
Braxton County (3-5) at Philip Barbour (0-8), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Lincoln County (2-6) at Elkins (4-4), Friday, 7 p.m.
Grafton (3-5) at Ritchie County (0-9), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Webster County (5-3) at Tygarts Valley (1-7), Friday, 7 p.m.
Buckhannon-Upshur (3-4) at Preston (1-7), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
BYE: Doddridge County (5-4), Lewis County (4-5), Liberty Harrison (6-3)