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Wheeling Central uses passing attack to top Linsly, 31-14

Wheeling Central quarterback Curtis McGhee threw five touchdowns Saturday in a 31-14 win over Linsly.

 

WHEELING, W.Va. — In each of its first four games, Class A No. 3 Wheeling Central had a decisive advantage in the trenches that the Maroon Knights relied on heavily while outscoring the opposition, 168-7.

On Saturday, however, Central welcomed Linsly, and the Cadets were the bigger team thought to perhaps have a clear edge up front.

Instead, the Maroon Knights held their own and then some, using a dominant first half and a big-play passing attack to stay unbeaten, 31-14.

“They can play football with anybody around this area,” Central coach Mike Young said of his team after the impressive win.

Wheeling Central (5-0) had a 43-yard touchdown pass thrown by Bray Price to Anthony Robbins called back on a penalty before the game was 2 minutes old.

After the teams exchanged punts, Central started its second series on its 35-yard line. The Maroon Knights needed a mere six plays to cover 65 yards, producing the game’s first points on a 34-yard TD pass by quarterback Curtis McGhee to Robbins. The point-after try failed, leaving Central with a 6-0 lead at the 1:30 mark of the opening quarter.

Several penalties doomed Linsly on its next series, and after the Cadets’ second punt, the Maroon Knights took over at the Linsly 35.

From there, McGhee connected with Price for a 35-yard touchdown pass on the first play. Jacob Rine converted the PAT to up the lead to 13-0 early in the second quarter.

“We got out of the gates early. I’m proud of how our kids weren’t intimidated by their size, their athleticism and their record,” Young said. “They went toe to toe with Morgantown last week and could have won that game.”

The Maroon Knights’ defense, led by linebacker Adam Murray and lineman Vinny Mangino, continued to stifle the Cadets and forced another punt that allowed Central to regain possession at its 5-yard line 7:50 before halftime.

A 30-yard pass by McGhee to Price, along with McGhee’s 29-yard run, put Central in prime position to add to its lead. The Maroon Knights did just that when McGhee tossed his third of five touchdowns, finding Robbins on a 3-yard throw that made it 19-0 with 2:28 to play in the half.

The Cadets (4-2) got a 27-yard pass from Wyatt Hirt to Trevin Tush to move into the red zone, but Hirt was intercepted by defensive lineman Luke Duplaga at the Central 1-yard line just 5 seconds prior to the intermission.

“It was a very physical game. We were banged up in different areas, especially up front,” Young said. “They’re a very physical team and our kids were getting knocked around, but they didn’t quit. Our kids were getting knocked off the ball without a doubt, but our linebackers came through. Adam Murray had a heck of a game and was all over the field.” 

But Linsly came out with a purpose to start the second half and put together a nine play, 80-yard drive to get on the scoreboard via Hirt’s 1-yard run. Six plays prior to the Cadets’ first TD, punter Hunter Kelley completed a 24-yard pass to Kobe Hill on fourth-and-4.

The Linsly defense seemed to be ignited and forced Central into three-and-outs on each of its next two series.

The Cadets then traveled 74 yards in 10 plays and got a 3-yard TD run by tailback Eli Petho with 11:31 remaining. The second of Carl Nyh’s extra points cut the Linsly deficit to 19-14.

But the Cadets hurt their cause with a pair of costly defensive penalties on the game’s next sequence, including an offsides infraction with Central lined up to go for it on fourth-and-2 from the Linsly 24.

Two plays later, McGhee threw a 19-yard TD pass to Payton Marling to up the Maroon Knights’ lead to 25-14 with 8:08 remaining.

Robbins intercepted Hirt twice over the remainder of the fourth quarter, and in between picks, he caught a 27-yard TD pass from McGhee that made it 31-14 with 1:45 to play.

“They are a team that thrives on big plays and they have kids that are capable of that,” Linsly coach BJ Depew said of the Maroon Knights. “They seemed to make them at crucial moments during this game.”





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