WHEELING, W.Va. — The state’s longest win streak continues and senior Grant Harman took it as a personal challenge to conclude his high school career without losing a game.
Unbeaten as a freshman and now a winner of 42 consecutive games at the varsity level, Harman leaves the Bulldog football program as a key reason three more state championship trophies can be found at MHS.
“Going into the season, I didn’t want to be the team to lose a game or lose the state championship,” Harman said. “We had a tough schedule. We went to Academy Park and (hosted) Sherando. We had some tough games there. And we lost a lot of people last year.”
“We worked really hard in the offseason and it all paid off.”
“He’s got that Baker Mayfield quality to him,” said Martinsburg head coach Dave Walker. “I always tease him because he doesn’t look real flashy. But he has so much heart.”
Playing in conditions that were not conducive to throwing the football, Harman rushed the ball a team-high fourteen times for 123 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
“Point Pleasant’s quarterback (Cason Payne) did a really good job running the ball against them. I felt that if I had the opportunities, I was going to do some damage to the defense,” Harman said.
Both teams combined to complete just twelve passes. But Harman’s 30-yard touchdown toss to Chelo Teneval on 4th-and-11 broke the game open on their first possession of the third quarter. “Coming out of the half, having that touchdown is just huge,” Harman said.
“It put us where we wanted to be. It put us up 24-0. That set the tone for the second half.”
And for good measure, Harman was also the Bulldogs’ leading tackler with eight stops. He also broke up three pass attempts. Harman says this championship carries special meaning because it is his first as the team’s starting quarterback.
“This one is definitely my favorite,” Harman said. “The first one was great, last year was great. It is my senior year. I wanted to make it special and we did.”
The Bulldogs have won seven of the last nine state championships and their state-best winning streak extends into yet another offseason. “I have been truly blessed,” Harman said.
“This coaching staff and these players, they are my family. They will be my family forever.”