MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The annual Route 50 rivalry matchup between Ritchie County and Doddridge County will feature some added importance Thursday night. The Bulldogs have won five consecutive games in the series but both teams are 3-0 and check in inside the Top 3 in the MetroNews Power Index.
“They are the favorite team until someone can go there and knock them off,” said Ritchie County head coach Rick Haught. “Our kids have played against each other since peewee. We are just fifteen minutes up the interstate.”
Doddridge County has won 21 consecutive regular season games. They are coming off a 12-1 season that ended in the state semifinals against Wheeling Central. The Bulldogs have outscored their opposition 156-34 but the Rebels should provide a stern test.
“We need to play this game,” said Doddridge County head coach Bobby Burnside. “Regardless of what happens, if we are going to have a good season, if we are going to be fortunate enough to make it to the postseason, playing tough games like this game will help you down the road.”
While the Bulldogs have established themselves as a state title contender, Ritchie County is in the middle of an incredible turnaround. Prior to Rick Haught’s appointment as head coach in the 2018 season, the Rebels won just 2 of their previous 36 games. Since that point, the Rebels are 10-4 with a playoff appearance.
“Last years seniors and this years seniors remember those tough years,” Haught said. “I think they were more willing to be coached because they were just tired of what they were going through.”
Both teams feature quality running backs. Doddridge County is led by first team all-stater Hunter America. He scored 41 touchdowns in his junior season. America was held out of the Bulldogs’ Week 3 win against Calhoun County due to injury and has had two weeks to recover.
“We sat him in our third game plus we had the bye week,” Burnside said. “We are doing everything we can just to help him. And it has helped. He is doing much better.”
America has rushed for 413 yards and six scores in two games. Ritchie County is led by senior Garrett Owens. He has racked up 488 rushing yards and eight scores.
“I knew he was going to be solid for us but from where he was as a junior to this year, he is our bellwether,” Haught said.
Both teams have deep backfields that feature the sons of the head coaches. Junior Reese Burnside is averaging nearly ten yards per rush while scoring six touchdowns for the Bulldogs. Junior Tre Moss has five touchdown runs for the Rebels. New starting quarterbacks lead the run-heavy offenses. The Bulldogs are led by senior Noah Bumgarner. He is completing 71 percent of his passes.
“He has been solid running the offense,” Burnside said. “He knows his role. In the last game we rested Hunter and (Noah) had a big game for us. He threw three touchdown passes.”
Meanwhile, the Rebels are led by freshman Ethan Haught. He is averaging twelve yards per completion.
“In middle school, Ethan did a great job and he does some things natural that you don’t have to teach,” Haught said. “He has handled himself very well.”
–Thursday’s matchup will kickoff at 7pm and will be broadcast on the MetroNews Channel at wvmetronews.com–