Photo: Sharon Powell
The matchups are set for the Super Six, so let’s take a look at each team and how they made it to Wheeling.
CLASS AAA – Martinsburg vs. South Charleston
MARTINSBURG
RECORD: 13-0
RANKING: 2
LAST CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE: 2006 (34-6 loss to Parkersburg)
PREVIOUS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCES: 4 (2001, 2003, 2004, 2006)
STATE TITLES: 0
THIS YEAR’S ROAD TO WHEELING:
ROUND ONE – Defeated No. 15 Lewis County 54-0
QUARTERFINALS – Defeated No. 7 Bridgeport 31-7
SEMIFINALS – Defeated No. 3 Morgantown 24-10
The Bulldogs breezed through the second half of their schedule after several early tough tests in the regular season. In the playoffs, quarterback Brandon Ashenfelter, receiver Cedric Brown and running back David Gladden have provided a solid offensive balance to get the Bulldogs back to the state title game. In the semifinals against Morgantown, Martinsburg blocked two punts – one of those was returned for a touchdown. The Bulldogs will be looking for their first ever state football championship this week.
SOUTH CHARLESTON
RECORD: 12-1
RANKING: 4
LAST CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE: 2009 (28-7 win over Brooke)
PREVIOUS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCES: 4 (1975, 1994, 2008, 2009)
STATE TITLES: 4 (1945 by Sportswriters Association, 1994, 2008, 2009)
THIS YEAR’S ROAD TO WHEELING:
ROUND ONE – Defeated No. 13 Parkersburg 62-7
QUARTERFINALS – Defeated No. 5 Hurricane 30-26
SEMIFINALS – Defeated No. 8 Brooke 29-28
Plenty of controversy and distractions surrounded the Black Eagles after four players were originally suspended for the semifinal matchup against Brooke following an on-field brawl against Hurricane the week before. A temporary restraining order on those suspensions put South Charleston at full strength in the semifinals and the Black Eagles delivered, holding on for a 29-28 win. South Charleston comes into the Super Six as the two time defending state champs. A win on Saturday would make South Charleston the first Class AAA football program to win three straight titles since the old Charleston High did it from 1968-1970.
MARTINSBURG AND SOUTH CHARLESTON COMMON OPPONENTS: None.
CLASS AA – Ravenswood vs. Magnolia
RAVENSWOOD
RECORD: 13-0
RANKING: 1
LAST CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE: 1976 (15-7 win over Big Creek)
PREVIOUS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCES: 4 (1957, 1959, 1972 and 1976)
STATE TITLES: 4 (1957, 1959, 1972 and 1976)
THIS YEAR’S ROAD TO WHEELING:
ROUND ONE – Defeated No. 16 Poca 63-21
QUARTERFINALS – Defeated No. 9 Roane County 48-20
SEMIFINALS – Defeated No. 4 Bluefield 24-19
The Red Devils and quarterback Cole Starcher have been on fire in the postseason, scoring a combined 111 points in the first two rounds and then knocking off defending state champion Bluefield in the semifinals. In that matchup against the Beavers, Starcher finished with 184 rushing yards and one touchdown along with another 83 yards through the air. That touchdown came on a 68 yard run.
MAGNOLIA
RECORD: 13-0
RANKING: 2
LAST CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCE: 2008 (56-25 loss to Grafton)
PREVIOUS TITLE GAME APPEARANCES: 6 (1964, 1972, 1981, 1992, 1993, 2008)
STATE TITLES: 1 (1964)
THIS YEAR’S ROAD TO WHEELING:
ROUND ONE – Defeated No. 15 Tug Valley 62-0
QUARTERFINALS – Defeated No. 10 Chapmanville 56-14
SEMIFINALS – Defeated No. 3 Greenbrier West 41-7
Besides a 7-6 win over Oak Glenn, Magnolia has dominated every game this year – the next closest win was a 21-0 victory on the road at Weir back in early October. In last week’s semifinal win over Greenbrier West, running back Jayson Keller led the Blue Eagles with 215 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, quarterback Justin Fox is always a threat to score the football as well – he finished with 305 passing yards and four touchdowns against Chapmanville in the quarterfinals. Magnolia will be looking to get over the hump in state championship games – they do have the one title from 1964, but have lost five straight title contests.
RAVENSWOOD AND MAGNOLIA COMMON OPPONENTS:
Tyler Consolidated
September 9th: Magnolia 57 Tyler Consolidated 0
September 24th: Ravenswood 55 Tyler Consolidated 14
CLASS A – Wahama vs. Wheeling Central
WAHAMA
RECORD: 13-0
RANKING: 1
LAST CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCE: First in school history
THIS YEAR’S ROAD TO WHEELING:
ROUND ONE – Defeated No. 16 St. Mary’s 19-0
QUARTERFINALS – Defeated No. 9 East Hardy 73-38
SEMIFINALS – Defeated No. 4 Wirt County 31-14
Eight of Wahama’s 10 regular season wins came against teams out of Ohio and probably its toughest test of the year came all the way back in week number one – a 14-6 win over Ohio playoff participant Trimble. Still, once the playoffs began that out-of-state heavy schedule had little effect on the White Falcons as they’ve been able to jump out early and control each of their three playoff games so far. Wahama has two state baseball titles – 1996 and 1998 – but the school has never made it to the championship game on the football field. Semifinal trips in 2001 and 2003 both resulted in losses on the road at Moorefield. This year, the White Falcons have forced all kinds of turnovers in the playoffs and scored three non-offensive touchdowns in the postseason (interception, kickoff and blocked field goal).
WHEELING CENTRAL
RECORD: 9-4
RANKING: 6
LAST CHAMPIONSHIP GAME APPEARANCE: 2007 (51-14 win over Williamstown)
PREVIOUS TITLE GAMES: 8 (1979, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
STATE TITLES: 7 (1979, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
THIS YEAR’S ROAD TO WHEELING:
ROUND ONE – Defeated No. 11 Pendleton County 48-7
QUARTERFINALS – Defeated No. 3 Bishop Donahue 24-20
SEMIFINALS – Defeated No. 7 Matewan 34-12
The Maroon Knights are back in the state championship game after losing for two consecutive years in the semifinals. Wheeling Central faced just one team from West Virginia in the regular season – a 39-38 win over Linsley. In the semifinals against Matewan, running back Marcus Clifford rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns while quarterback Lee Peluchette threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Wahama and Wheeling Central last met back in 2004 on the football field – a quarterfinal matchup won by the Maroon Knights.
WAHAMA AND WHEELING CENTRAL COMMON OPPONENTS: None.