By: Michael Minnich
Exponent Telegram
Class AAA
No. 16 Hedgesville (5-5) at No. 1 Martinsburg (10-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
The shortest trip of the playoffs (6.7 miles, give or take, from door to door) is a rematch of a 63-0 Martinsburg win on October 14.
Chelo Teneval scored two special teams touchdowns in that one, returning a bad snap and a blocked punt, respectively, while the Bulldogs’ offense found the end zone on their first five drives.
Hedgesville gained just 51 yards of offense.
Martinsburg had a bye last week after dismantling Musselman in the second half, 54-14, while Hedgesville lost to Spring Mills, 52-7, in their regular season finale.
Taveance Foster’s 67-yard interception return was the Eagles’ lone TD.
Martinsburg lost to eventual state runner-up Capital in the quarterfinals last year, 35-20.
The last time the Bulldogs were the No. 1 seed, in 2011, they won the state title.
Hedgesville is in for the first time since 1997, when they advanced to the semifinals.
No. 14 Jefferson (5-5) at No. 3 Musselman (8-2), Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
The good news is, the Eastern Panhandle is guaranteed to get at least two teams in the quarterfinals.
The bad news is, they can max out at only three with two head-to-head matchups.
On September 9, Musselman pocketed a 40-15 win at Jefferson.
Latrell Warr ran for two straight scores to start the process of toppling a 15-13 deficit and finished with 132 yards and four scores as the Appleman found the end zone four times in 3:07 to win 40-15.
For Jefferson, Isaac Myers threw for 155 yards and a touchdown and ran for 75 more yards in the loss, while Jeremy Beach added 131 yards and a score on the ground.
Last week, Musselman took care of Preston, 36-8.
Jacob Northcraft rushed eight times for 111 yards, including a 41-yard TD run.
Jefferson crushed winless Washington, 77-14, scoring seven touchdowns in the first half and four in the final 7:20 of the second quarter.
Myers ran for three scores, passed for two more, and finished with 119 rushing yards and 71 passing.
Both schools bowed out in the first round last year: the 6th-seeded Cougars lost at home to South Charleston, 28-8, while the 15th-seeded Applemen fell at Point Pleasant, 54-14.
No. 13 Spring Mills (6-4) at No. 4 Morgantown (8-2), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Morgantown played three EPAC teams in the regular season, beating Washington and losing to Martinsburg and Musselman, so they should be well-versed with the Cardinals.
MHS had two four-game winning streaks sandwiching that pair of losses and is coming off of a bye after defeating University, 41-28, on October 28.
For the second straight year, Spring Mills made a late surge to qualify for the postseason as the No. 13 seed, winning their final four games, including last week’s 52-7 win at Hedgesville.
Colton Henson rushed for 162 yards and two scores, passed for 116 and another TD, and returned an interception to the house.
Demetreus Jalepes tallied 142 yards, three rushing TD’s, and a TD catch.
Last year, the Cardinals’ first playoff trip ended painfully with a 62-7 loss at Capital, while Morgantown dropped the 8-9 game at home to Brooke, 27-14.
Class AA
No. 10 Keyser (7-3) at No. 7 Nicholas County (9-1), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
A rematch of the 1962 Class AA state championship game, won by the Golden Tornado, 35-20, is also one of the longest trips a team will have to make in the first round.
KHS finished their regular season with a 49-7 win at Mountain Ridge (Md.) last week, with Deavonta Johnson accounting for 132 yards of offense, two rushing touchdowns, and an TD reception from Brady Ours.
Nicholas County allowed the least points in AA (80) this year and opened the season with four straight shutouts.
44 of those points came in their lone loss, 44-42, to Class A Fayetteville.
Keyser defeated Westside, 45-14, in the first round last year then lost at Fairmont Senior, 58-42.
Nicholas County was last in the playoffs in 2014, when it lost to another Mineral County foe, Frankfort, 26-20, in the quarterfinals.
Class A
No. 16 Tyler Consolidated (6-4) at No. 1 East Hardy (10-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
A perfect regular season behind them, the Cougars’ eyes are focused on a return to Wheeling Island Stadium and the state championship game.
Corey McDonald completed 112 of 202 passes for 2,210 yards, 32 touchdowns and just three interceptions and also ran for 819 yards and 14 touchdowns, leading EH to 534 points, 48 more than anyone else in Class A.
The Cougars were also the second-stingiest defense in Class A, allowing 101 points.
They smashed Petersburg, 61-12, last week, their fourth straight output of 60+ to knock the Vikings out of the Class AA playoff picture.
Tyler Consolidated lost their regular season finale to undefeated St. Marys, 52-26.
TC has allowed 162 points in their four losses and 25 in their six wins.
Tyler Consolidated lost to Moorefield, 44-24, in the first round in 2014, while East Hardy beat Bishop Donahue (23-20), Wheeling Central (16-14), and St. Marys (36-14) before its 62-0 loss to Magnolia on the Island.