By Shawn Rine – The Wheeling Intelligencer and News-Register for WVMetroNews.com
Morgantown at Class AAA No. 9 John Marshall
MOUNDSVILLE – It’s been a long time since John Marshall (6-2) has been in this position. The Monarchs are riding a five-game winning streak following last week’s 37-14 rout of Brooke and are No. 7 in the latest WVSSAC Class AAA ratings.
“Our defense was a little over-anxious last week and we had to get them calmed down at the half,” Coach Rick Goodrich said. “But our starters had only played a half the couple of games before that and we tried to warn them that Brooke would not be a pushover.
“It was nice to see them come out and raise the level of intensity in the second half. In the past, some teams would have just folded tents and gave in.”
That certainly hasn’t been the case for this JM team, which is already a virtual lock to make the postseason. But a victory Friday night against Morgantown and another the following week against rival Wheeling Park will have the Monarchs playing at home for at least one postseason game.
John Marshall guaranteed itself of a winning record for the first time since 2007 when it went 7-3, which is also the last time it has beaten the Mohigans (4-4). Morgantown has won nine straight in the series, including a 60-0 blowout last season.
“They have played a tremendous schedule, so they are definitely better than their record,” Goodrich said. “Morgantown is very good up front both on offense and defense and they are as good as we will have seen.
“As always, they are very physical and fundamentally sound. And (QB Logan) Holgorsen coming back to them has really been a bonus. I am still scratching my head a little over what happened last week, but we have to be ready for everything they throw at us.”
“What happened last week,” was a surprising, 28-27 overtime defeat at the hands of Riverside. In that game leading rusher Ty Konchesky went out with a knee injury that will likely prevent him from playing this week. But in his stead, Alajuan Robinson ran for 190 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries.
“I told the kids last week that Riverside was a team of punchers and that they couldn’t go out and get in a boxing match with them, and I feel the same holds true this week,” Morgantown coach Matt Lacy said. “When you turn (the Monarchs’) film on the Hess kid really stands out.
“That kid can get to the house in a hurry, but at the same time, he is not a one-man show. They have a good quarterback, a couple of receivers that can make things happen, a nice aggressive defense and are very fundamentally sound.
“Coach Goodrich has done a great job and has that team on the right track and they are currently riding a pretty nice streak. We know they will be very fired up for us.”
That Hess kid, is Kennedy Award candidate Dereck Hess. He’s rushed 158 times for 1,185 yards and 19 touchdowns, averaging 7.5 yards per-carry and 148.1 a game. He has 25 total touchdowns – 19 rushing, one receiving, three on returns and two on interceptions returns.
In last week’s victory against the Bruins, Hess carried 27 times for 198 yards and three scores. Quarterback Jordan Wood has completed 60 of 11 for 820 yards and three touchdowns. Nick Coulter added a TD run last week to go along with a 52-yard INT return for a score.
“They will be coming to play and will be very focused after last week,” Goodrich said of the Mohigans. “Just like us they need to take care of what is directly in front of them and worry about the big challenge ahead later.
“I just hope we will be able to rise up and be ready for them.”
Magnolia at Tyler Consolidated
MIDDLEBOURNE – One of these teams is battling for a possible playoff position while the other is playing for pride at this point. But the roles are reversed from what one might imagine.
Tyler Consolidated (4-3), which has dropped 12 straight games to rival Magnolia (2-6) before last seasonás 20-7 victory, is 17th in the latest SSAC Class A ratings. The Silver Knights enter the matchup off a 48-14 demolition of Tolsia in which they piled up 270 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
Sophomore Mark Rucker rushed for 189 yards and three scores last week and has chewed up 818 yards and 16 TDs on 102 carries this season.
“If we are fortunate enough to run the football, then we are going to run the football,” Tyler Consolidated coach Ryan Walton said. “Rucker is getting stronger every week and success breeds success. It makes the kids want to work harder.
“Rucker has been a nice addition as a sophomore. He has become a workhorse for us and has done a nice job.”
Magnolia held unbeaten St. Marys to seven points during the first half a week ago, before the Blue Devils erupted in the second half for a 35-6 win.
“We played a good first half,” Magnolia coach Dave Chapman said. “We just couldnát get anything going in the second half. The score didnát indicate how close the game was but St. Marys is a good team.
“We lost and we will put that game behind us and focus on Tyler Consolidated.”
The Blue Eagles only managed 5 rushing yards in the loss but Hunter Partridge has paced the attack all season with 705 yards and six scores on 126 touches.
Quarterback Pat Mirandy has connected on 64 of his 155 passes for 963 yards, with Brooks Parsons being his main target. Parsons has hauled in 36 passes for 569 yards and four touchdowns.
“Magnolia does so many different things and they have many weapons,” Walton said. “Not too many guys in the valley can run with Parsons. Leo Herrick at receiver is a tough matchup for anybody in Class A. Partridge is a hard-nosed kid and a workhorse.
“Mirandy is also very versatile. He moves around the pocket and I am pretty impressed with their offensive line. They come off the ball well and stick to their blocks.”
Parsons also made his presence felt last week as he recorded the only score of the game for Magnolia on an 88-yard kickoff return.
“Brooks is on the field a good bit in all phases of the game,” Chapman said. “He is a potential home run every time he touches the ball and is capable of scoring quick touchdowns when we need them.”
Tyler Consolidated has some explosive weapons at its disposal, as well.
The Knights are led by dual-threat quarterback Griffin Phillips. The signal caller has been successful on 59 of his 97 pass attempts this season for 857 yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception. He has also done damage on the ground this year with 473 yards and six touchdowns on 64 touches.
Wheeling Park at Princeton
PRINCETON – Not many predicted Wheeling Park (3-4) to be in this position. The Patriots, who two seasons ago captured a state championship, come off their bye week probably needing to win their final three games to qualify for the postseason.
Coach Chris Daughertyás squad was in the 18th spot when this week’s W.Va. Class AAA ratings came out Tuesday. In other words, the playoffs begin Friday at Princeton (1-6).
“Yeah, no doubt about it,” Wheeling Park coach Chris Daugherty said when asked if the Patriots are treating every week like the playoffs. “We have to win out to have any chance of the playoffs.
“Every Friday is going to be a playoff game for us.”
Wheeling Park saw the bittersweet part of being on a bye week. It was able to take a week to get healthy and watch more film, however, the boys were ready to play some ball.
“Bye weeks are good and bad,” Daugherty said. “You are always banged up a little at this point. You get a week to watch film and on the flip side, everyone hates standing around.
“Everyone wants to play. But it was a good week and we are ready to get after it now.”
Wheeling Park has knocked off Princeton in each of the last two seasons, including 28-14 last year. The Tigers’ lone victory came Oct. 6 against Oak Hill.
“Their quarterback is very athletic and they like the run-option,” Daugherty said. “They are going to run the football and not throw very much. The QB is going to carry the predominant workload.”
Daugherty is talking about Devon Sibley. The Tigers signal caller was one of the key components in the victory against Oak Hill. Sibley ran for 201 yards for three touchdowns on 12 attempts. His longest scoring run of that night was a 91-yarder.
Ranson Graham might be another player that Park will keep its eyes on. The running back also found the end zone multiple times in their lone victory as he tallied 95 yards and two scores on 12 tries.
In the Tigers most recent outing, Sibley was held to 35 yards on nine attempts while Graham had 21 on the same number of carries.
As for Park, it struggled to find the end zone in the loss to Morgantown. The Patriots were held to a season-low three points.
Quarterback Cross Wilkinson leads the valley big schools in passing as he has thrown for 1,623 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions. In the backfield, the dynamic duo of Rennie Clark and Donnie Evans should give the Tigers something to worry about. Clark has compiled 613 yards and five touchdowns on 90 attempts while Evans has 601 and eight scores on 101 carries.
Nate Phillip leads the receiving core as he has hauled in 35 receptions for 568 yards and five touchdowns. He missed the Morgantown game with an injury.
“We have to execute,” Daugherty said. “We played good defense the week of Morgantown. Offensively, we had some good nights. We will have to control the line of scrimmage and we hope to come home with a win.”
Obama Academy, Pa. at Class A No. 9 Wheeling Central
WHEELING – It’s Hall of Fame Weekend at Wheeling Central, but Obama Prep isn’t the patsy that some may think was brought in to add to the celebration. The Wildcats (4-4), who have won three of the last six Pittsburgh City League titles, enter on a three-game winning streak and will be another test for the Maroon Knights (3-4).
Kickoff at Bishop Schmitt Field on the Wheeling Jesuit University campus is set for 1 p.m. Saturday.
“They are a big, fast and aggressive football team,” Central coach Mike Young said. “They have made some mistakes, and we have to be able to take advantage of those if they do and we also need to be mistake-free.
“I think one of the biggest keys for us is that we need a lot of good possessions. It will be a challenge, they actually play a very competitive schedule and they have improved all season long.
“For us it is a matter of not only improving Saturday, but playing together, executing, blocking up front, tackling and not turning the football over.
“We cannot shoot ourselves in the foot and expect to be all right.”
The Maroon Knights are coming off a 38-19 loss to Martins Ferry, Ohio, and have a date with parochial rival Madonna next week.
“We played really well in the first half last week and were only down 14-7,” Young said. “And in the end I still think the game was closer than the final score.
“But give Martins Ferry credit, they are one of the most improved teams in the valley and they played very well, especially on defense.
“At Wheeling Central we have a lot of pride and tradition, and the stress factor is always a little high. But we have a lot of people coming for the festivities this week and we need to play like we know how to play.
“Our record is a little uncommon for us right now, but the playoffs are definitely still a possibility and we need to go out and represent the pride that we normally play with.”
Central has continued to improve offensively, led by sophomore quarterback Curtis McGhee III, who has gotten it done both with his legs and arm. McGhee has completed 66 of 114 passes for 844 yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing for 400 more and three scores on 118 carries.
Dawson Wear is the teamás leading rusher with 504 yards and two touchdowns while the Maroon Knights have a pair of fine receivers in Bray Price (23-335-6) and Anthony Robbins (25-293-5). Price had a 48-yard scoring grab against the Purple Riders, while Robbins found the end zone twice.
Other OVAC Games:
Greenbrier East at Parkersburg South
East Liverpool, Ohio at Weir
Van at Paden City
Preston at University
Beallsville, Ohio at Cameron
Clay-Battelle at Conotton Valley, Ohio
Valley-Wetzel at Doddridge County
Buckhannon-Upshur at Brooke
Warren, Ohio at Linsly