By: Michael Minnich
Class AAA No. 1 Martinsburg (5-0) at Liberty Christian, Va. (3-3), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
The only undefeated team left in Class AAA, Martinsburg cruised last week against Washington, scoring 48 points in the first half of a 72-11 win.
The Bulldogs are atop both the WVSSAC rankings, which determine playoff seeding, and the MetroNews poll.
Liberty Christian has alternated wins and losses this year, most recently defeating Maury (Va.) by a 38-21 score last week.
The two schools did not meet last year.
Class A No. 2 East Hardy (5-0) at Tucker County (2-4), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
East Hardy, tops in the SSAC rankings again this week, picked up an impressive 40-16 win over Pendleton County in the mud last week.
Corey McDonald had three passing touchdowns, including strikes of 97 and 80 yards, and rushed for another score.
Tucker County lost at home to Southern Garrett (Md.) by a 26-13 score last week.
East Hardy pitched a shutout in last year’s meeting, 40-0.
Class AAA RV Hedgesville (4-2) at Class AAA No. 5 Musselman (4-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Two teams jockeying for playoff positioning can really help their cases here.
Musselman, fifth in the SSAC rankings as well, still hasn’t lost in an in-state game after winning at Morgantown last week, 21-14.
Jacob Northcraft was fantastic, rushing 26 times for 241 yards and a touchdown, while Latrell Warr tallied the other two scores and 83 yards.
Hedgesville, now tied for ninth in the SSAC rankings, picked up a rare Thursday afternoon win last week, thumping Preston in the ‘Buckwheat Bowl’, 58-13.
Gavin Smoot scored three times on just four carries; in fact, the Eagles only ran 26 plays on offense.
The Applemen romped last year, 51-0.
Class AAA No. 6 University (5-1) at Hampshire (0-5), Friday, 7 p.m.
Hampshire held Keyser scoreless for a quarter in the rain last week before the floodgates opened in a 41-7 loss. Richie Stanley scored the touchdown late for the Trojans.
University, sixth in the SSAC rankings, rebounded from its first loss of the year to Fairmont Senior two weeks ago by defeating Greenbrier East, 24-8, last week.
The two schools did not meet last year.
Class A No. 8 Moorefield (4-1) at Northern Garrett, Md. (5-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
Moorefield, ninth in the SSAC rankings, was off last week after picking up their first loss against South Harrison.
After a one-point win in its opener against Smithsburg (Md.), Northern has averaged 49 points in their last four wins. They shut out Brunswick (Md.) by a 63-0 score last week.
The two schools did not meet last year.
Class AAA RV Jefferson (2-3) at Spring Mills (2-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
Jefferson turned in its best effort of the year last Saturday, easily defeating Handley (Va.) by a 42-6 score to move back above the red line into 15th place in AAA.
The Cougars scored 28 points in the second half to pull away, with Isaac Myers throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for two more for the game.
Spring Mills, just on the outside of the playoffs in 17th, had last week off after a 36-18 win at Southern Garrett (Md.).
Jefferson won last year’s game, 27-6; the Cardinals followed that with four straight wins to make the playoffs.
Petersburg (3-2) at Berkeley Springs (1-4), Friday, 7 p.m.
Petersburg moved back over .500 with a 20-6 win over Philip Barbour last week.
Trad Harman caught a 63-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Hartman and also intercepted a pass for the Vikings, who are 21st in the AA rankings
Meanwhile, Berkeley Springs trailed 28-0 at the half against North Marion and lost 42-14.
Tobin Whittington ran for a touchdown and tossed another to Hunter Andrick for the Indians.
Petersburg won a tight one last year, 20-15.
Frankfort (2-4) at Washington (0-5), Friday, 7 p.m.
Frankfort rallied from a 14-0 deficit to force overtime at Mountain Ridge last week, but fell 27-21.
For FHS, Dalton Pollock put up 153 yards and a rushing TD on 17 carries, while Nate Strietbeck rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown.
Washington’s lone TD last week against Martinsburg came on a Dimonyeah Jennings return.
The Falcons won last year’s game, 16-14.
BYE: Class AA No. 8 Keyser (4-2) will rest before playing a Harrison County doubleheader at Robert C. Byrd in Week 8 and home against Bridgeport in Week 9. Brady Ours rushed for 164 yards and Terrell Bush 137 in a 41-7 homecoming win over Hampshire last week. KHS is tied for 14th in Class AA right now.