(Note from the Managing Editor: This article is the second of three that preview the second round of the West Virginia high school playoffs. The final six teams, of course, will battle for titles at Wheeling Island Stadium.)
The blue bloods are alive and well in Class AA as the class’ three-top teams in terms of overall state championships, No. 4 Bluefield (11), No. 2 Bridgeport (9) and No. 3 Poca (6) all advanced.
Defending champion and top-seed Fairmont Senior too has six titles to its credit, but prior to 2018’s win against the Beavers, the previous five state crowns came in 1946 and prior.
Still, Fairmont has played in the last three Class AA title games and is making a push to be mention in the same lofty air with the double-A big boys.
Despite losing 2018 Kennedy Award-winning quarterback Connor Neal, the Polar Bears are averaging 49.6 points per game offensively and a minuscule 8.1 on defense.
Poca, meanwhile, will try to bring the “Payne” against unbeaten Oak Glen. Ethan Payne, a 6-foot, 215-pound yardage churning machine, has been the driving force for the Dots in 2019, amassing 2,661 yards rushing yards and 51 touchdowns — yes, those are individual totals. Payne averages nearly 28 points per game himself, far better than most teams cumulatively.
Oak Glen’s defense yields less than 100 yards per game on the ground so either the Golden bears will do what 11 other teams could not, or Payne and company will continue their march unabated to Wheeling Island.
Class AA
No. 8 Frankfort (9-2) at No. 1 Fairmont Senior (11-0), Friday at 7:30 p.m.
How they got here: Frankfort unloaded on Nicholas County 58-12. The Falcons have wins vs. Class A playoff teams East Hardy and Moorefield. The Polar Bears gave up 55 points in the regular season. They gave up 34 in the 63-34 playoff opener against Winfield. Fairmont’s lone “close” game was a 34-15 win against Bridgeport.
No. 5 Keyser (10-1) at No. 4 Bluefield (10-1), Friday at 7:30 p.m.
How they got here: Keyser owns Class AA’s top scoring offense (50.3 ppg) and defense (4.5 ppg) and shutout Liberty Harrison 53-0 for its eighth shutout of the season. Its lone loss is a 28-7 setback to Bridgeport. Bluefield took care of Man 48-16. The Beavers only loss was a 20-14 defeat against undefeated Lord Botetourt, Va. Tailback J.J. Davis leads a potent Beavers attack.
No. 10 Mingo Central (9-2) at No. 2 Bridgeport (10-1), Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
How they got here: Mingo Central knocked off No. 7 Shady Spring. The Miners’ two losses have come against Pikeville, Ky. and Poca. They last won a championship in 2016, defeating Fairmont Sr. Bridgeport is coming off a 56-15 drubbing of Lewis County and is looking to get back to the title game for the first time since three-peating in 2015.
No. 6 Oak Glen (11-0) at No. 3 Poca (11-0), Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
How they got here: Oak Glen’s season of firsts continued with a home playoff victory against Wyoming East, 55-13. The Golden Bears will have to get through a Poca team fresh off a 42-27 victory against North Marion. Both teams have high-scoring offenses. The Dots have a slight edge at 49.8 points per game to 44.6. Oak Glen beat Ohio playoff participant Toronto while Poca has knocked off both Mingo Central and Winfield.
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