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Southwestern Report: Week 1

Point Pleasant and Mingo Central meet in Week 1 in a matchup of ranked Class AA teams.

 

— By Wes McKinney for WVMetroNews.com

GAMES TO WATCH

CLASS AA

No. 4 Point Pleasant (0-0) at No. 6 Mingo Central (0-0)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Last year: Point Pleasant finished 9-3, losing to Bluefield in the quarterfinal round. Two of the three losses for the Big Blacks were against Bluefield. Mingo Central fell one step shy of getting a chance to defend its Class AA crown, losing to Fairmont Senior in the state semifinals. The Miners were 12-1.

Why it’s important: When Point Pleasant and Mingo Central met to open the 2017 season, it was arguably one of the best games of the entire year. Former Mingo Central quarterback Jeremy Dillon rescued the Miners with a Hail Mary on the final play of the game to lift MCHS to a 36-34 win at Point Pleasant.

“Hopefully we’ll have that intensity,” Point Pleasant head coach David Darst said. “It was a playoff atmosphere type game last year when Mingo Central came to our place. Our kids are excited about the opportunity about playing a quality team like Mingo Central early on. There were so many big plays in last year’s game and Mingo Central was the last team to make a big play.”

Players to watch for Point Pleasant: Senior quarterback Cason Payne headlines the list of players returning for the Big Blacks, but Point Pleasant also has slot receiver Josh Wamsley back in the fold as well as all five starting offensive linemen. 

Players to watch for Mingo Central: Even though Dillon has moved on to play basketball at Marshall, the Miners still have plenty of playmakers on offense including Drew Hatfield.

“They put Drew Hatfield in space and you better know where he’s at,” Darst said. “My observation is they aren’t making mistakes on offense.”

AA No. 5 Wayne (0-0) at AAA No. 3 Spring Valley (0-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Last year: Wayne got back to being a dominate program in Class AA last season as the Pioneers went 10-2 and appeared in the state quarterfinals before bowing out to Fairmont Senior. Meanwhile, Spring Valley fell in the Class AAA State Championship game to Martinsburg for a second straight season to finish up at 11-3.

Why it’s important: Spring Valley and Wayne are separated by just 19 miles, and despite the difference in classification it has nearly been two decades since the two mainstays in their respective classes will meet on the gridiron.

“Both communities are excited,” Wayne head coach Tom Harmon said. “We love the challenge and we’re going to do our best to represent Wayne.” And it is good for both communities and Wayne County that has seen its teams play for four state championships since 2013.

“The communities want it more than anybody,” Spring Valley head coach Brad Dingess said. “I don’t know how much of a choice either coach had in this ballgame.”

Players to watch for Wayne: After rushing for over 1,000 yards as a junior, Mikey Bartram spearheads the backfield for the Pioneers while Coach Harmon’s son Gunnar is in line to replace the now-graduated Jeremiah Milum at quarterback.

“Wayne has one of the winningest coaches in this state’s history in Coach Harmon,” Dingess said. “They have great, gritty kids and the style of football they play is a lot like us.”

Players to watch for Spring Valley: Even though Spring Valley has produced high major Division I linemen in recent history, the Timberwolves have an experience backfield led by Isaac Howard, Owen Chafin and Graeson Malashevich.

“With the system we run, there’s a chance for four or five people to carry the ball each game,” Dingess said.

CLASS AAA

No. 4 Huntington (0-0) at Belfry (Ky.) (0-0)

When: Friday, 8:30 p.m.

Last Year: After an undefeated campaign for the second time in five seasons, the Highlands advanced to the Class AAA semifinals before losing to Spring Valley with an overall record of 12-1.

Why it’s important: For a second straight year, Huntington matches up against Kentucky powerhouse Belfry on the road to open the season. Last season, the Highlanders put an early feather in their proverbial hat with a 45-34 road win.

“We have a lot of old heads on the offensive and defensive lines that have let our younger skill guys know what the environment is going to be like at Belfry,” Huntington head coach Billy Seals said of the tough home field advantage that Belfry imposes.

Players to watch for Huntington: Huntington’s offensive line is anchored by one of the best linemen in the whole nation in Darnell Wright, but it’s do-it-all running back Jadon Hayes and quarterback Luke Zban that Seals is forced to replace this year.

“We feel really good about Tajan Blackwell at quarterback who has come in and played well in June and here in August,” Seals said.

“Tajan is a very athletic football player. He’s long and tall. He’s a very mobile guy that can run any of our sprint out packages. He doesn’t hesitate to pull the ball down and run. We’re excited for him not only this year, but in the future. The sky is the limit for him.”

Ty Wilcox has taken over at running back for Huntington. 

Players to watch for Belfry: Belfry possesses one of the best offensive linemen in Kentucky in Dagen Rash. 

St. Albans (0-0) at Cabell Midland (0-0)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Last Year: Cabell Midland got into the playoffs with a 5-5 record and proceeded to defeat Musselman on the road before falling to Spring Valley, 15-0. A young St. Albans team just missed the Class AAA postseason last season with a mark of 4-6.

Why It’s important: Despite being in the MSAC together, the Knights and Red Dragons have only met twice since the turn of the decade, and in each instance Cabell Midland has scored at least 50 points including a 60-26 win last season.

Players to watch for St. Albans: In this case, it’s not a player to watch, but rather the head coaching debut of Nick Watts who took over the Red Dragons just three weeks before fall camp started. Watts is a graduate of St. Albans and a former assistant to Cabell Midland head coach Luke Salmons.

Players to watch for Cabell Midland: Ivan Vaughn powers the rushing attack for the Knights as he has already eclipsed the school’s all-time mark in rushing yards.

“I know he has a lot of goals,” Salmons said. “I think he wants to be the best. He’s embraced it and he’s excited.”

CLASS A

No. 5 Sherman (0-0) at No. 9 Magnolia (0-0)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Last Year: Sherman made it back-to-back playoff appearances in 2017 as the Tide appeared in the state quarterfinals before falling to East Hardy to cap a 9-3 season. Meanwhile, Magnolia failed to defend its 2016 state championship with a rare absence in last year’s postseason as the Blue Eagles went 4-6. 

Why It’s important: Last year, the Tide won just one game against teams with a winning record—a 37-14 opening round win over Madonna in the postseason. Though Magnolia was not a playoff team in 2017, this will be a good barometer for the Tide who follow with Tug Valley in Week 2. 

Players to watch for Sherman: J.T. Hensley was an all-state selection as a wide receiver/defensive back last season while 2017 all-stater Layne Daniel (6-foot-3, 355 pounds) anchors the Sherman line.
Players to watch for Magnolia: Jakob Burrows landed on the all-state squad last season as just a sophomore in 2017. 

Other Games: Logan (0-0) at Man (0-0); Sissonville (0-0) at Chapmanville (0-0); Fairland (Ohio) (0-0) at Tolsia (0-0); Meadow Bridge (0-0) at Van (0-0); Scott (0-0) at Herbert Hoover (0-0); Shady Spring (0-0) at Lincoln County (0-0); Hannan (0-0) at Tug Valley (0-0)





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