With week #7 officially in the scorebooks and Covid 19 or 20 or whatever number you want to use still playing havoc with some teams, the playoff field of sixteen is starting to play itself out.
With teams still having four weeks remaining in the regular season, there is time available for those teams that are currently on the outside of that field of sixteen to turn things around and put some wins on the scorebook. However, for a lot of teams that we are so used to seeing in the playoff field, their time is quickly running out.
For example, if the playoffs started this weekend, here are five teams in each class that would be turning in their football gear and start getting ready for the round ball season. In Class AAA, those currently on the outside of the playoff bracket include Musselman….Wheeling Park…..Parkersburg….Hurricane and Ripley. In Class AA, the five teams currently out of playoff contention include Sissonville – Bluefield – Fairmont Senior – Braxton County and Elkins. And in Class A, the five teams currently out include Tug Valley….St. Marys….Midland Trail….Pendleton County and Tolsia! Now for some of the aforementioned fifteen teams, what happens over the next three to four weeks will greatly enhance their opportunities to climb into that playoff field of sixteen. For others, they are just playing out the schedule!
On the other side of the “In or Out” ledger, here are five teams in each class that have almost guaranteed themselves at least one extra week of football this season. In Class AAA, leading the way to the playoffs are Huntington – Martinsburg – Jefferson – University and Princeton. You can also place Bridgeport in that list because the Indians, just like the Highlanders, the Bulldogs, the Cougars, the Hawks and the Tigers are all still undefeated! In Class AA, the five teams that have booked a spot in the playoffs right now include Lincoln – Herbert Hoover – Poca – Independence and Point Pleasant. In Class A, the top five right now include East Hardy – Doddridge County – Cameron – Madonna and Moorefield! Now, unlike the previous fifteen teams I listed, this group of fifteen teams control their own playoff destiny and entering week #8, it all looks good.
Speaking of week #8 here is what you can look forward to: In Class AAA, George Washington (4-2) will travel to Cabell Midland (6-1)……Brooke (4-1) will play at John Marshall (4-2) and Wheeling Park (2-2) will try and make it two in a row as they make the long trip to the Eastern Panhandle to battle the Musselman Appleman (2-4).
Games of interest in Class AA include: Robert C. Byrd (3-2) at Fairmont Senior (2-3)….Liberty (R) (4-1) at Scott (4-2) and Logan ((5-2) at Poca (5-0).
In Class A, week #8 will find these games of interest…..Clay Battelle (6-1) at Cameron (6-0) – Williamstown ((5-1) at Tyler Consolidated (4-2) – and in a big match-up in the Hardy Bowl we will find Moorefield (5-1) at East Hardy (6-0)!
Certainly all of the above games, and so many more, will be worthy of your attendance and we urge all of you to get out and support your favorite team as they compete under those Friday night lights! And, as always, after the game be sure and tune in to GAMENIGHT with Dave Jecklin and me as we recap every game played across the state! GAMENIGHT is heard on over 45 radio stations statewide and the audio and video of the show is streamed at www.wvmetronews.com.
Talk with you this Friday night!