CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The first edition of the 2013 WVSSAC Football Rankings came out Tuesday and this first edition is really just fun to look at. Very seldom do the rankings have the same look in Week 11 as they have in Week 4.
For example, if the playoffs began this weekend, last years Class A state champion Wahama would be on the outside as they check in at No. 17 this week with a 2-1 record. In Class AA, the Bluefield Beavers would also be staying home as they are also ranked No. 17 this week. In Class AAA, if the playoffs began this weekend we would have five teams from the Eastern Panhandle in the top 16—last year we had two.
Now, who knows, maybe Wahama and Bluefield will miss the playoffs this year. I doubt it, but we will know for sure in Week 11, not now!
Coming up in Week 4, Class AAA will definitely provide some fireworks as #2 Cabell Midland will take their high powered offense to Huntington to play the No. 1-ranked Highlanders. Coach Luke Salmons Knights have scored 173 points this season, an average of almost 58 points per game. Coach Billy Seals and his top ranked Highlanders have allowed only 14 points this season, an average of less than 5 points per game! It will be strength meeting head-on with strength Friday night in Huntington! Also in Class AAA, the 2nd ranked University Hawks will travel to Wheeling Island Stadium to take on the 12th-ranked Patriots of Wheeling Park.
In Class AA, No. 3 Ravenswood will travel to No. 7 Wayne and Red Devils coach Mick Price can only hope this year’s game bears no resemblance to last year’s battle with the Pioneers. Last season, Wayne travelled to Ravenswood and left Jackson County with an 84-42 victory! Honestly, when you score 42 points in a high school football game you would expect to win, not get doubled up on the scoreboard! Two other big games in AA this weekend will find co-No. 4’s Wyoming East at Summers County. Both teams come into the game 3-0. And No. 9 Bridgeport will travel to take on rival #9 Robert C. Byrd, a team they beat by 14 last year. For the Flying Eagles, their only loss last year in the regular season was that game to Bridgeport.
In Class A this weekend, the big rival game will take place at Moorefield as the 12th-ranked Yellow Jackets will welcome the 7th ranked Mountain Lions of Tucker County. Last season, Tucker County rolled the Yellow Jackets 44-13 en route to a perfect 10-0 regular season.
The other big story in Class A this weekend is the Hundred Hornets will forfeit their second game in a row because they don’t have enough healthy players. I spoke with Hornets coach Rex Rush earlier this week on “High School Sportsline” and he told us he is confident he will have enough players ready to go next week when Hundred travels to Paden City. The recipient of the “free win” this week is No. 10 Clay-Battelle.
Don’t forget to join Dave Jecklin and me this Friday night for Week 4 of “High School Gamenight” presented by MVB Bank. The program can be heard statewide on the Metronews Radio Network and on line at wvmetronews.com.