Entering Week 6 we’re at the halfway point of the season.
In terms of scale matchups, this week’s should prove to be amongst the best of the season.
Back on trackÂ
There are four or five games that you circle when glancing at the schedule in July.
Independence at Bluefield is one of them.
Both teams find themselves in a precarious spot – sitting outside of the playoff ratings. For Bluefield (1-3) it’s a familiar position as the first half of its schedule has been loaded for years. For Independence (2-2) it’s the first bit of adversity the team has truly faced on the field in nearly two years. The Patriots haven’t lost more than one game in a season since they finished 5-3 in 2020 and truthfully, the rest of the schedule doesn’t yield much opportunity for bonus points after Bluefield. Nicholas County (1-3), Westside (2-2) and Wyoming East (0-5) are the remaining Class AA schools on Indy’s schedule with Class A Man in that mix too.
It’s worth noting that those losses to Mingo Central and Oak Hill will help the Patriots in the bonus point equation at the end of the season, especially if those two teams keep winning. But truthfully six wins on a nine-game schedule might not be enough to make the cut with where the wins are coming from.
Bluefield faces a similar issue but has the benefit of its losses coming to opponents who are a combined 13-2, with two of them being Class AAA teams. That’ll provide a nice bonus point boost for the Beavers as those teams keep winning under the WVSSAC’s new strength of schedule variable. That’s before you factor in the Beavers have a matchup with a 4-1 Class AAA Oak Hill team on the horizon.
As for the game itself, it should be a defensive slugfest. Independence had a bug going through the locker room last week that’s it’s still recovering from. The Patriots’ strength has been their ability to run the ball, while Bluefield has excelled at shutting down the run, having allowed just one 100-yard rusher (Marquel Lowe rushed for 103 yards in Week 2). The one thing Bluefield has struggled with is defending the pass and limiting explosive plays throughout the air having given up eight passing touchdowns, all of 20 yards or more.
Independence’s success through the air has tailed off since an explosive showing in Week 1 but it’s clear that’s the best way to attack a Bluefield defense that’s only given up four touchdowns on the ground this season.
As for defending Bluefield, the Beavers rarely take to the air and when they do it’s generally a deep shot to all-state receiver R.J. Hairston. Hairston, standing 6-foot-4, has 10 catches for 311 yards and three touchdowns on the season and serves as a matchup nightmare. The offense mostly operates on the ground and often, methodically.
Instead of relying on explosive plays the Beavers have had to string together long drives to score.
Given the circumstances, the first team to 20 probably walks away with the win.
Rolling alongÂ
A trio of undefeated teams will put their perfect records on the line in what should be challenging games for each program. Greenbrier West (4-0) will host Class AA Shady Spring (3-2) in its first test of the season; Princeton (5-0) hosts Greenbrier East (0-4) and James Monroe (3-0) will host an explosive Summers County (3-2) team.
Starting with West, the Cavaliers have gone largely unchallenged this season. In theory Shady should change that. The Tigers boast a balanced attack led by Brady Green and Gavin Davis. Davis rushed for 240 yards last week and is now the area’s second-leading rusher while Green has thrown for 833 yards with eight touchdown passes, tying the mark he hit last season. West meanwhile has picked up where it left off last season, suffocating opposing offenses. The Cavaliers haven’t allowed a touchdown since Sept. 1.
Offensively the Cavs have have a number of players they trust with the ball in their hands. Quarterback Cole Vandall has eight touchdown passes to just one interception this season while Jake Pate (294 yards) and Issac Agee (181 yards) have been the team’s most effective rushers amongst the 13 that have registered totes.
Princeton is in the midst of registering a special season, already sitting at 5-0. Standing in the way of a sixth win is Greenbrier East, a team searching for its first win but it has been competitive.
The Spartans nearly came back to beat Beckley in Week 2 and played even with Bluefield for a half. They throw the ball effectively with Brody Hamric boasting seven touchdown passes.
But offense is just half the battle. The Tigers boast their own set of triplets in Chance Barker, Dom Collins and Marquel Lowe. Barker leads the area in passing yards (1,194) and touchdown passes (15), Collins leads the area in receiving yards (581) and touchdown receptions (9) and Lowe leads the area in rushing yards (637) and is second in rushing touchdowns (8). All of that to say the Tigers are really good on offense. Godspeed, Spartans.
Lastly, James Monroe hosts Summers County, hoping to mow down the Bobcats the way the Mavericks have every other team they’ve faced this season.
It won’t be easy but so far this season has been full of challenges for the Mavs who won at Wheeling Central in Week 1 and beat a previously undefeated Narrows, Va. team 21-6 last week.
The Mavericks are powered by Cooper Ridgeway who has 457 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground in three games. The Bobcats meanwhile are led by QB Brandan Isaac and super utility man Ryan Oliveros. Oliveros leads the area in receptions (29), is second in receiving yards (545) and has rushed for 303 yards. That’s nearly 900 yards of total offense. Isaac has thrown for 891 yards to go along with nine touchdown passes and has picked up 218 yards with his legs.
James Monroe has a big matchup with Greenbrier West next week but can’t get caught looking ahead. A win here boosts Summers’ playoff chances and provides a confidence boost.
Around the area
Filling out Friday’s slate is Sherman at PikeView, Liberty at Westside, Nicholas County at Midland Trail, Gilmer County at Meadow Bridge and Montcalm at Hundred.
Westside comes off a bye week after a dominant win at PikeView, aiming for consecutive wins for the first time since 2017.
Nicholas County comes in at 1-3 but could easily be 4-0 with its three losses coming by a combined six points. If the Grizzles hope to extend their playoff streak to three consecutive seasons they’ll need to put together a winning streak starting with Midland Trail. Trail meanwhile is reeling after consecutive losses and a win against a double-A opponent could get the Patriots back on track.
