— By Fred Persinger II
GAMES TO WATCH
CLASS AAA
No. 1 Cabell Midland (7-0) at Woodrow Wilson (1-5)
When: Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Cabell Midland ran away from Princeton, 54-7. Beckley lost convincingly to South Charleston, 55-0.
Why it’s important: This will be the final time these two teams play each other for the foreseeable future with Woodrow Wilson leaving the Mountain State Athletic Conference at the end of the year. Beckley has only defeated Cabell Midland two times in the 14 times they have previously met.
It is also senior night for the Eagles, who will finish their season with three straight road games.
Who to watch for Cabell Midland: Wake Forest commit J.J. Roberts is the leader and a player that makes the Knights go. Taking over at quarterbacka after a number of injuries, Roberts’ speed adds a different dimension to the Knights’ offense. Cabell Midland has outscored its opponents, 99-15, the last two weeks.
Who to watch for Beckley: Lineman Ian Pomeroy has been the most consistent player for the Flying Eagles this season. Pomeroy has started every game for Beckley going back to his freshman season and leads the team in tackles. Punter Joseph Wells is averaging 45 yards a punt this season and six of his 28 punts have ended up inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
CLASS AA
No. 10 Wyoming East (5-1) at No. 5 Man (6-0)
When: Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Wyoming East suffered its first loss of the season last week, 27-20, to Shady Spring. Man is coming off its bye week.
Why it’s important: A matchup of two top 10 teams in a very congested Class AA field makes this game important for both.
The Warriors do not want to suffer back-to-back losses that could drop them to the lower third of the Class AA field and leave a small margin for error down the stretch.
For Man, a win over a quality team could help solidify a home game for at least the first round of the playoffs. The Hillbillies have been dominant this season, but this is arguably their toughest test to date. Five of Man’s wins have come by at least 40 points, with the lone close call a 22-17 win over Greenbrier East. Man’s fotball program is also seeking its 500th win in program history.
Who to watch for Wyoming East: Quarterback Seth Ross has thrown for more than 950 yards this season while running back Caleb Bower has rushed for more than 950 yards. That duo sparks the Warriors’ offense.
Who to watch for Man: While the Hillbillies would like to limit Ross in an effort to make the Warriors one-dimensional, Man has plenty of weapons itself. Caleb Milton is a dual threat behind center, while a balanced rushing attack often relies on the likes of Nick Plumley, Zack Frye, Josh Moody and Erick Grimmett.
Independence (5-2) at Liberty Raleigh (4-2)
When: Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Independence defeated Summers County, 34-0. Liberty Raleigh picked up a big win over one of the better Class A teams, beating Midland Trail, 32-20.
Why it’s important: A big matchup between these two Raleigh County rivals with major postseason implications. Although both teams have only two losses, Independence comes in at No. 18 in the latest WVSSAC playoff ratings, while Liberty Raleigh is No. 20. The loser of this matchup will have a signifcantly less chance of qualifying for the postseason than the winner does.
Who to watch for Independence: Sophomore running back Atticus Goodson has had an outstanding season and is a focus offensively, but the Patriots defense has played exceptional during the current three-game win streak. Over that time, Independence has allowed 18 total points.
Who to watch for Liberty Raleigh: Consistency is a key for the Raiders, who are enjoying a resurgent season after winning only one game over the previous two years.
Logan Dodrill ripped off a 99-yard TD run in last week’s triumph, while Issac Atkins gained 98 yards on the ground and scored twice. Liberty got off to a strong start and held a 20-7 halftime lead a week ago, forcing Midland Trail to pass more than it wanted to. The Raiders’ pass defense was up to the task and allowed Trail to complete only 3-of-18 attempts.
Other games: Class AAA No. 8 Greenbrier East (4-2) at Class AAA No. 14 Ripley (3-3); Class AA No. 9 Bluefield (5-1) at Tazewell, Va. (4-2); Oak Hill (2-5) at Class AA No. 11 Shady Spring (6-1); Princeton (1-5) at James Monroe (4-2); River View (3-5) at PikeView (0-7); Webster County (3-4) at Class A No. 3 Ritchie County (5-1); Class A No. 5 Greenbrier West (5-1) at Richwood (2-4); Tug Valley (3-3) at Mount View (3-3); Meadow Bridge (3-3) at Summers County (2-5); Sherman (0-6) at Van (2-4)