By Shawn Rine – The Wheeling Intelligencer and News-Register for WVMetroNews.com
Class A
No. 10 Wheeling Central at No. 2 South Harrison
LOST CREEK — It’s a case of out of the fire and into the frying pan for Coach Mike Young and Wheeling Central. A week after going on the road and beating ‘a really good’ Cameron team, the No. 10 Maroon Knights (7-4) are once again going to have to do business away from home, traveling to Robert C. Byrd on Friday night to take on No. 2 South Harrison (10-1).
Facing a rugged opponent will be nothing new for Wheeling Central, which has played arguably the toughest Single-A schedule in the state. The Knights ran their winning streak to five in a row with a 34-20 victory against the Dragons.
“The maturity level of this group has come a very long way,” Young said. “And we have had some kids really step up into leadership roles on both sides of the football. Now it’s time to continue to do that and continue to gel.
“Cameron was a very scrappy and aggressive team last week. We played a very good game against a good team.”
Things don’t get any easier against the Hawks, whose only loss was a 41-20 verdict against top-seeded East Hardy. The Maroon Knights fell, 10-7, to the Cougars. Coach Brad Jett’s club also beat Steubenville Central, which handled Wheeling Central in a mutual season-opening contest.
“When it comes to the playoffs you either win and move on, or you stub your toe and hang the cleats up,” Jett said. “The kids understand that, and they went out and did what they needed to do last week.”
Did they ever.
Speedy tailback Freddy Canary set a preliminary-round record with 368 yards to go with five touchdowns on 32 carries as the Hawks pounded 15th-seeded Richwood, 58-19. Canary has gained 2,027 yards and scored 36 touchdowns this season.
The senior standout showed his speed last spring on the track, not only winning, but setting Class-A records in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes. His times were also the best in all classes last season.
“Freddy worked very hard in the offseason bulking up,” Jett said. “But we usually try to limit his carries to 20-25 a game, which got away from me a little bit last week when he carried it a career-high 32 times.
“He is a leader and a fine young man, and I really appreciate everything that he does for this team.”
Quarterback Nate Wright added 77 rushing yards last week, including a 59-yard scoring run. As a team the Hawks rushed for 521 total yards.
South Harrison has scored more than 40 points in nine of 11 games this season, averaging 45 while allowing 14 an outing. While Central’s schedule has been well documented, the Hawks have played seven playoff teams and five with eight-plus victories.
Possibly the biggest win of the season for Jett’s group was a 43-15 victory over defending Class A state champions St. Marys, handing it the lone loss on its ledger.
“They are a very disciplined, good team,” Young said. “Their speed and aggressiveness really stand out and we know we are going to have to play good ball to beat them.
“You can’t turn the ball over against them and like every other week we are going to have to prepare very hard. They are the No. 2 team in the state and that is not by fluke or mistake. They play a very good schedule.
“Canary runs the ball very well and is their workhorse, but they also have other kids that are threats and a quarterback that can throw the ball. You must always be ready because they can catch you off-guard with the pass.
“It all comes down to fundamentals and you have to block and tackle better than your opponent. If we can execute our game plan both offensively and defensively, we should be just fine.”
Wheeling Central is led by sophomore quarterback Curtis McGhee III, who has thrown for 1,165 yards and 16 touchdowns to go with six interceptions. McGhee was also the team’s leading rusher a week ago, gaining 168 yards and scoring a pair of touchdowns.
Senior Dawson Wear is the team’s leading rusher with 851 yards and 10 scores while the Maroon Knights have a pair of big-play receivers in Bray Price (30-503-7) and Anthony Robbins (27-376-7). Price is also a threat out of the backfield, rushing for 52 yards and a score against the Dragons.
Young’s squad is averaging 50 points a game in its last three victories and is putting up 31 points a contest while allowing 20.
“They are a well-oiled machine,” Jett said of the Maroon Knights. “And watching tape on them, they have gotten better game-by-game. They are very well-coached and disciplined and we will have our hands full.
“I honestly believe that they are the toughest out on either side of the bracket, and definitely the most dangerous, especially as the 10 seed.
“They are hot right now, and a very good team.”
Class AAA
No. 10 John Marshall at No. 2 Martinsburg
MARTINSBURG — John Marshall was physically imposing last week during a 42-35 victory against Parkersburg that marked the school’s first postseason victory since the 1996 team brought home a state championship.
The Monarchs (8-3) are going to have to take it up a couple more notches this week as they travel to Cobourn Field to tangle with a defending champion Martinsburg (11-0) team that has won 25 in a row overall and 48 in a row at home against West Virginia opponents, dating back to Nov. of 2007.
“They are a very good football team, and we know what we are getting into,” JM coach Rick Goodrich said. “But we are just telling the kids to go out and play their game and enjoy the moment. Give them your best shot and leave there feeling good about yourselves.
“Hollywood makes movies about mismatches like this, so let’s go out and make a movie. If games were played on paper nobody would show up and they could just hand Martinsburg another title.
“But we are going to show up and I can guarantee you there have been bigger upsets that have happened, than if we win.”
In last week’s victory against the Big Reds, the Monarchs set Class AAA preliminary-round records for first downs (33) and rushing plays (85), which was five off a national record.
“Our kids played very well and that was a good victory to get,” Goodrich said. “I honestly believe that the debacle against Wheeling Park the week before played a part in it. The kids were embarrassed and had something to prove.
“They went back to doing what they did the first nine weeks of the season and everything clicked against Parkersburg.
“We wanted to establish the run and go out and get at least 3 yards a carry. I think we caught them off-guard a little with Chas McCool getting that many carries, but the line did a nice job and the backs found creases.”
Coach Dave Walker’s powerful Bulldogs took Morgantown behind the woodshed, 61-0. The Mohigans finished with negative-10 yards of total offense in another in a lone line of dominant Martinsburg performances.
The Bulldogs have recorded shutouts in four of their last five playoff games.
“This is a veteran group that we have here,” Walker said. “Most of our seniors are three-year starters, so they have seen a little bit of everything and they are very accustomed to playing in big football games.
“We spend a lot of time keeping them focused on the task at hand and the kids know they need to remain humble and stay focused. They are a very coachable group.”
The Martinsburg defense has limited 11 opponents to 89 total points, and the offense has been nearly unstoppable.
Led by quarterback Tyson Bagent, who has thrown for 2,444 yards, 31 touchdowns and four interceptions, the Bulldogs have racked up an impressive 631 points, an average of 57 a game.
Walker’s offense has eclipsed the 50-point mark eight times this season, has been over 60 points five times and has scored 279 points in its last four games, an average of 70 a contest.
Dewayne Grantham is the teamás leading rusher, coming off a three-touchdown performance last week, and has toted the ball 72 times for 733 yards and 14 scores. Mikey Jackson has 92 carries for 625 yards and 13 trips to the end zone.
Jarod Bowie, Teddy Marshall and Chelo Teneval all recorded receiving touchdowns against the Mohigans. Bowie has more than 600 receiving yards and eight scores.
R.J. Barrett is the team’s leading tackler with 73 stops while Jalen Hesen has recorded 71. Tavis Lee, who committed to West Virginia University on Wednesday, has a team-high 5.5 sacks.
John Marshall proved against the Big Reds that it is not a one-man team. While senior Dereck Hess has carried the load for most of the season, rushing for 1,333 yards and 20 touchdowns, McCool and Nick Coulter both showed their abilities last week.
McCool had 27 carries for 228 yards and two touchdowns while Coulter added 31 totes for 163 and three scores. In all, the Monarchs rushed for 467 yards while quarterback Jordan Wood was 4 of 4 for 58 yards, and has more than 1,000 through the air on the campaign.
“John Marshall has made it here and they are a good football team,” Walker said. “Their kids play very hard and they can be physical. This will be another big challenge for us against a well-coached football team.
“Our kids played extremely well last week and did an outstanding job, but you can’t expect that kind of effort every week.”