BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — When Martinsburg and Bridgeport agreed upon a Week 2 matchup in 2026, Friday night’s contest at Wayne Jamison Field was precisely what both head coaches had in mind.
Each team was tested and then some, while both sides made an abundance of big plays and were put in tight spots late.
Ultimately, the Class AAAA No. 2 Bulldogs preventing the Class AAA No. 1 Tribe from scoring twice when in the red zone during the second half made a major difference, while Martinsburg used a late touchdown to gain the only two-score lead of the game in a 35-21 victory.
“Proud of them and glad they played hard,” Martinsburg coach Dave Walker said. “Bridgeport is a great team and it definitely could’ve went either way.”
Perhaps the biggest play in a game that didn’t lack them came on the second play of the fourth quarter. Martinsburg led 28-21, but BHS was on the verge of scoring its fourth touchdown and faced first-and-goal on the 3-yard line. As Gabe Martin approached the 1, however, he fumbled into the end zone, and the loose ball was recovered by the Bulldogs’ Kolby Walker with 11:12 remaining.
Martinsburg (2-0) gained two first downs on its ensuing series, before Graham Vincent intercepted Brian Dick on a downfield throw, enabling the Tribe (1-1) to regain possession at its 16 with 10:17 to play.
The Indians, as they did for much of the night, moved the ball well and again entered the red zone. However, a mishandled first down snap resulted in a 6-yard loss, before the next two plays netted 5 yards, leaving BHS with fourth-and-11 at the Bulldogs’ 30.
A pass interference penalty amounted to a fresh set of downs for Bridgeport, though they again were in an unfavorable down and distance moments later after two runs netted 2 yards and committing a false start penalty in between. That made it third-and-12 from the MHS 18, and Graham Vincent’s pass was picked off by Walker with 3:03 left.
“Not coming up with points was big,” BHS coach Tyler Phares said. “We got behind the sticks, and that’s not something we can really do on offense. We have to stay in front of the sticks. A penalty, a dropped snap, that’s really what led to that. And then you have to get a little bit desperate towards the end of the game there. Simple mistakes that can be fixed and will be fixed. These guys have a lot of pride and they’ll get better.”
After picking up an initial first down, the Bulldogs were faced with third-and-5 and put the game away when Dick found an uncovered Zane Wipf for a 74-yard touchdown pass.
“It’s hard to play those guys because you can’t simulate what they do,” Walker said. “They’re very physical and they have a great team. We had our backs against the wall a couple of times playing behind the ball a bunch of times and we were able to come up with some plays. Our defense bent, but didn’t break, and offensively we were able to make some plays when we needed to.”
After Martinsburg came up with a late red zone interception, it sealed the 35-21 win at Bridgeport with this 74-yard touchdown pass from Brian Dick to Zane Wipf with 1:34 remaining. #wvprepfb pic.twitter.com/AZTchWL5MR
— Greg Carey (@gcarey938) September 5, 2026
It was a back-and-forth battle between two of the state’s premier programs that have combined for 22 state championships, including 16 since 2010. The Indians drove 77 yards on eight runs to start, and scored on Martin’s 32-yard dash to the end zone 5:24 into the action. The first of three point-after kicks from Jaylen Brown left the home team with a 7-0 lead.
Martinsburg answered immediately as Dick ripped off a 60-yard run on its first play from scrimmage, and a costly roughing the passer penalty negated what would’ve been fourth-and-12 later that drive, which ended with Dick’s 3-yard touchdown run. Andrew Bean knocked in his first of five extra points to tie it at 7.
A 75-yard ensuing kickoff return from Gavin Williams allowed Bridgeport to start at the MHS 24, and three plays later, Williams got to the edge for a 17-yard TD run that put the Tribe back on top by seven.
MHS again answered immediately. Dick found Boston Todd for a 31-yard strike, and that duo connected again on a 15-yard touchdown pass that left the matchup knotted at 14 with 1:45 left in the opening quarter.
“This is why you schedule the game, because you knew it was going to be a knock ‘em down, drag ‘em out kind of game, and man, both sides played extremely hard,” Phares said. “You saw how much everyone was cramping and that just comes from straining. Really happy with the effort of our kids.”
After the game’s first punt, Martinsburg took its first lead in unusual fashion. The Bulldogs lost 12 yards on a mishandled snap, then committed a penalty and threw two incomplete passes that left them facing fourth-and-goal from the 28.
Walker originally elected for a field goal attempt, before Phares called timeout. Out of the break, the Bulldogs brought their offense back out, and on a trick play, Todd avoided being tackled in the backfield and threw a perfect pass to Christian Irving, who made a high-level grab in the end zone and near the sideline for a 28-yard touchdown that enabled Martinsburg to lead 21-14 at halftime.
“Last week, our first play of the game was an end around and teams have kind of been biting on it,” Todd said. “I played quarterback my freshman year and then moved to receiver, but I originally was a quarterback, so I have a little arm on me now and a little something I can do. I got the end around, the d-end came around, I almost tripped and then I turned around and the rest happened from there.”
Martinsburg 21, Bridgeport 14, 5:54 2Q
Bulldogs gain their first lead with this conversion on fourth and goal from the 28 as Todd tosses a touchdown pass to Christian Irving.#wvprepfb pic.twitter.com/Wo50MVhgK0
— Greg Carey (@gcarey938) September 4, 2026
Bridgeport opened the second half with Williams recovering his own onside kick, and he went on to score on a 35-yard run to tie the matchup at 21 just 2:09 into the second half.
Again, however, the Bulldogs countered. Dick ripped off a 13-yard run on fourth-and-5, then threw a 45-yard screen pass to Kevin Myers on third-and-38, before the signal-caller kept it for a go-ahead 9-yard TD run at the 3:43 mark of the third.
Dick completed 11-of-19 passes for 271 yards and rushed 13 times for 108 yards.
“Brian was actually our Iron Dog Award winner for our hardest offseason worker,” Todd said. “He put so much work in over the offseason and I’m just glad to see him put it on display on Friday nights.”
Wipf had four receptions for 135 yards and Todd had four for 54 as the Bulldogs amassed 426 total yards on 39 plays.
All 344 Bridgeport yards came on the ground. Williams gained 149 on 19 carries and Martin had 141 on 18 attempts.