By Michael Minnich – Clarksburg Exponent Telegram for WVMetroNews.com
Marion County will be the place to be this weekend as two of the two three teams in Class AA play at East-West Stadium on Thursday and Friday nights.
AA No. 3 Bridgeport (2-0) at East Fairmont (0-2), Thursday, 7 p.m.
A short turnaround for both teams as East-West Stadium will be lit up on a Thursday for the second time in three weeks.
Bridgeport-Wheeling Park was as advertised, with the Indians pulling out a 35-28 win over the Patriots at Wayne Jamison Field last week.
The Tribe had three touchdowns go 49 or more yards and rushed for 300 yards.
John Merica rushed 10 times for 115 yards and three touchdowns for Bridgeport.
East Fairmont saw its first win slip through its grasp, losing to Grafton, 10-9, on a late field goal.
A 27-yard touchdown pass from Dom Postlethwait to Dylan Burks and an Aiden Slusser 25-yard field goal gave the Bees a 9-0 advantage at the break before the Bearcats rallied in the second half.
Bridgeport won last year’s meeting, 49-7.
North Marion (2-0) at AA No. 2 Fairmont Senior (2-0), 7 p.m.
Fairmont Senior rolled to its second straight decisive win last week, bashing Lewis County, 45-7.
Connor Neal again was excellent at quarterback, completing 10-of-13 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown, and Bryson Gilbert (five carries, 69 yards) and Caleb Walker (six carries, 89 yards) chewed up the rushing yards.
North Marion, too, is perfect after Dalton Malcolmb accounted for four touchdowns in a 41-19 win over Preston, including a 51-yard rush and a 54-yard pass to Daniel Booth to put his team ahead for good in the first quarter.
Fairmont Senior was victorious in last year’s matchup, 37-15.
AAA No. 4 University (2-0) at Brooke (0-1), 7:30 p.m.
University scored 42 straight points to more than overturn an early 10-7 deficit against Parkersburg South, winning 49-24.
Clay Bailey threw for 207 yards and four scores, with three of the TD balls ending up the hands of Amir Richardson.
Brooke had a bye last week after losing at Wheeling Park, 24-6, in its opener.
University won last year, 35-13.
Liberty (1-0) at Lincoln (1-1), 7 p.m.
Liberty opened with a 56-14 win over Notre Dame last week, with Dalton Westfall rushing 31 times for 343 yards and four touchdowns and Broderick Lantz toting 12 times for 160 yards and three scores.
The Mountaineers scored 42 unanswered points.
They’ll face a Lincoln team with questions after a 45-19 loss at Robert C. Byrd last week.
Kobie Carpenter passed for 185 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for another score.
Lincoln won last year’s encounter easily, 55-13.
Frankfort (1-1) at Robert C. Byrd (1-1), 7 p.m.
Ghovan Davidson rushed 29 times for 192 yards and five touchdowns, catching two more passes for 43 yards, as RCB made a statement in a 45-19 win over Lincoln last week.
The Flying Eagles out-scored the Cougars by a 19-0 margin in the fourth quarter to break open a tight game.
Frankfort lost at home to Class A power East Hardy last week, 38-13.
Dalton Pollock rushed for a 1-yard TD and Nick Marley scored from 44 yards out for the Falcons.
Frankfort took last year’s game, 24-7.
Philip Barbour (1-1) at Notre Dame (1-1), 7:30 p.m.
After an impressive opening win over Pendleton County, Notre Dame lost at Liberty, 56-14, last week, despite Ryan LaAsmar’s 190 passing yards.
Philip Barbour, too, could not carry over the momentum of a Week 1 win, losing to Elkins, 17-0, as Hunter Mason and Chase Collier were held to a combined 57 yards on the ground.
Notre Dame won a 13-12 squeaker last year.
Morgantown (0-2) at Parkersburg South (0-2), 7 p.m.
Morgantown was better last week against Ohio power Steubenville, but still lost its second straight, 28-6.
The Mohigans turned over the Big Red three times in the first half and got a 49-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Alvarez to Javohn Moore for their lone score.
Parkersburg South led 10-7 at University last week before the wheels came off.
Zane Hinzman rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
It was Morgantown coming out on top last year, 31-19.
Elkins (1-0) at Lewis County (0-2), 7 p.m.
Elkins blanked Philip Barbour last week, 17-0, holding the Colts to nine rushing yards in Evan Hott’s head coaching debut.
Thomas Talkington rushed for both touchdowns from distances of 42 and 1 yards and finished with 21 carries for 105 yards.
After opening with Bridgeport and Fairmont Senior, Lewis County hopes to lick its wounds and build on a 129-yard rushing performance from Jacob White against the Polar Bears.
Elkins won last year, 27-15.
Petersburg (2-0) at Grafton (1-1), 7 p.m.
Grafton moved back to .500 in thrilling fashion last week, rallying from a 9-0 deficit on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Garrett Wellman to Michael Casseday and Gabe Wolverton’s 40-yard field goal with 15.9 seconds left to beat East Fairmont, 10-9.
Petersburg defeated Pendleton County last week, 42-21.
The two schools did not meet last year.
Other games:
Calhoun County (0-2) at Doddridge County (0-2), 7:30 p.m.
Gilmer County (0-2) at Wirt County (1-1), 7:30 p.m.
Greenbrier East (0-2) at Preston (0-2), 7 p.m.
Northern Garrett, Md. (1-0) at Tucker County (1-1), 7 p.m.
Tygarts Valley (0-2) at Paden City (0-1), 7 p.m.
OFF: Braxton County (1-1), Buckhannon-Upshur (1-1), Clay-Battelle (2-0), A No. 3 South Harrison (2-0)