By: Jack Withrow, WVMetroNews.com
AAA No. 12 Hurricane (6-4) at No. 5 University (8-2) – Friday, 7:30
Hurricane got a much needed victory over St. Albans 42-14 to secure the No. 12 seed in this week’s first round of the Class AAA football playoffs.
Quarterback Dylan Plumley completed only 4-of-6 passes for 68 yards but three of those were touchdown strikes to Ben McCallister. James McDougale rushed for 111 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown while Payton Lunsford added 9 carries for 127 yards and another score.
Two weeks ago, University jumped out to a 21-7 halftime lead over Morgantown in the annual Mohawk Bowl but allowed 34 unanswered points in the second half as the Mohigans downed the Hawks 41-28. Fullback Isaiah Utt led the Hawks’ offensive attack with 116 yards on 23 carries.
After playing straight through their 10-game regular season schedule, University was off last week for some much needed rest before the playoffs start.
This will be only the second meeting between the two schools.
AAA No. 11 Cabell Midland (6-4) at No. 6 Capital (7-3) – Friday, 7:30
A few weeks ago, Capital looked to be one of the favorites to get back to the Class AAA football championship game at Wheeling Island Stadium. However, the Cougars then lost the last 2 out of 3 games of the regular season including a 34-18 setback to cross-town rival George Washington last Friday.
Capital totaled 260 yards of offense against the Patriots defense as quarterback Kerry Martin, Jr. completed 9-of-27 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. Four turnovers including two interceptions thrown by Martin didn’t help as the Cougars’ defense gave up 473 total yards of offense to the Patriots.
In their first meeting this year, Capital defeated Cabell Midland 42-23 but since then the Knights have won 5 of their last 6 games. Midland’s only loss came to a very good Belfry, KY team, 35-21 back on September 30th.
AAA No. 10 South Charleston (6-4) at No. 7 Huntington (7-3) – Friday, 7:30
South Charleston defeated Woodrow Wilson 36-6 last Friday night to put the Black Eagles at No. 10 with an opening round trip to No. 7 Huntington.
Curon Cordon hauled in two Trae Murphy passes for touchdowns and added an interception for another score to lead the Black Eagles over the Flying Eagles. Murphy completed 18-of-34 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns while Cordon finished with 10 receptions for 204 yards.
South Charleston defeated Huntington, 34-23 back on week 9 of the regular season. In that Black Eagles’ victory, Murphy rushed for 117 yards and two scores.
AAA No. 9 Wheeling Park (7-3) at No. 8 George Washington (7-3) – Friday, 7:30
Talk about a turnaround. George Washington went from starting the season off with a 1-3 record to hosting a first round playoff game as the No. 8 Patriots welcome No. 9 Wheeling Park to The Hill Friday night.
Last week, George Washington totaled 473 yards of offense as they defeated cross-town rival Capital 34-18. Sophomore quarterback Grant Wells continued to lead the Patriots with 15-of-23 completions for 319 yards and a touchdown while rushing for two more scores. Tracy Conliffe finished with 5 receptions for 122 yards.
The defending Class AAA state champions, Wheeling Park enters postseason with a 7-3 record and having won their last three games. Last week, the Patriots held off John Marshall, 34-28 behind the rushing of senior Zach Torbett and junior Rennie Clark. Torbett finished with 162 yards on 12 attempts and two touchdowns while Clark added 115 yards on 16 carries and two scores. Junior quarterback Cross Wilkinson completed 10-of-23 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown.
AA No. 11 Winfield (7-3) at No. 6 James Monroe (9-1) – Friday, 7:30
History has a way of repeating itself as Winfield finds its way back into the Class AA football playoffs for the first time since 2005. The Generals’ first round opponent that year was James Monroe as the Mavericks defeated the Generals 61-7.
Dropping back down to Class AA, Winfield finished the year at 7-3 and a third place finish in the Cardinal Conference. Quarterback Andrew Huff led a Generals offense that averaged 34.3 points a game. Huff finished the regular season as one of the top quarterbacks in the conference with 1,117 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns while completing 97-of-191 passes for 1,453 yards and 11 scores.
James Monroe finished the season at 9-1 with their only loss coming in week 6 at home to No. 7 ranked Nicholas County, 25-7. The Mavericks defense gave up an average of just under 9 points a contest while holding seven opponents to 6 or less points this year.
AA No. 12 Herbert Hoover (7-3) at No. 5 Fairmont Senior (7-2) – Friday, 7:30
Herbert Hoover enters the postseason with a big task as they travel to Fairmont to battle No. 5 Fairmont Senior on Friday night.
It got even bigger after losing senior quarterback Chase Stover for the year with a medical issue last week. Stover’s replacement, sophomore Rhett White did get the start in last week’s 28-6 victory over Lincoln County. Running back Brody Thomas led the Huskies with 122 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns while Colten Rollyson added 99 yards on 14 attempts and a score.
Fairmont Senior’s only two losses came at Class AAA No. 14 Jefferson, 35-24 and to Class AA No. 1 Bridgeport, 17-14.
AA No. 13 Weir (7-3) at No. 4 Sissonville (9-1) – Saturday, 1:30
Sissonville gets back into the Class AA playoffs while riding a seven game winning streak to end the regular season.
The Redskins’ offense is averaging 39.6 points per game in the last seven games including a 57-18 romp over Braxton County last week. Quarterback Chance Brown threw for 217 yards and four scores while rushing for two touchdowns while running back Austin Cook finished with 11 carries for 201 yards and a score.
Weir (7-3) lost at Brooke 14-7 to finish the regular season.
A No. 15 Buffalo (7-3) at No. 2 St. Marys (10-0) – Friday, 7:30
Just like a year ago, Buffalo and St. Marys meet up in the first-round of the Class A football playoffs. This year, roles are reversed as Class A No. 2 St. Marys is the one that is undefeated entering postseason play.
After two consecutive losses to Class A No. 3 Fayetteville (24-21) and Class AA No. 11 Winfield (30-21), the Bison defeated Wahama 60-14 last week behind Dylan Lucas’ 202 yards on nine carries and three touchdowns.
Lucas finished the regular season as one of the top players in the state with 3,323 all-purpose yards and 43 touchdowns while averaging 238.2 yards per game on the ground.
St. Marys, averaging 48.6 points per game, finished their regular season with a 52-26 victory at Tyler Consolidated last Friday.
This will be the fourth meeting between the two schools as St. Marys holds a 3-0 series record over Buffalo.