After 11 weeks, the end of the regular season is upon us. Several area teams have already concluded their regular season campaigns but for at least four local schools Friday’s results are the difference between playing next week or moving onto basketball season.
Hanging tough
Greenbrier West’s playoff hopes appeared to be dealt a serious blow last week when the Cavaliers lost to Midland Trail at home. Not so fast.
Despite last week’s loss the Cavaliers still sit at No. 11 in the latest Class A ratings, keeping them comfortably in the playoff field.
They’ll have a shot to stress less about their fates if they can beat Class A No. 5 Mount View, which is a tall task. The Golden Knights are built on speed, speed and even more speed. Twins Jason and Justin Haggerty combine with Tony Bailey to form one of the most electric trios in the state.
With that in mind the Golden Knights have struggled when they turn the ball over. Expect Chase McClung to play a huge role if the Cavs hope to pull off the upset. The senior will be responsible for making sure the Golden Knights are kept in check deep.
On the opposite side the Cavs have an offense that can aid their cause. With Cole Vandall and Ty Nickell both more than capable of carrying the ball, there’s an opportunity for the hosts to run an offense that controls the ball and limits Mount View’s possessions.
Squeaking in
Heading into the final week of the season, Bluefield is rated No. 17 in Class AA. Fortunately for the Beavers they’ll host Mingo Central with a chance to play their way into the postseason. While it’s too early to say for sure that a win gets the Beavers in, the stars are aligning with several teams in the back end of the ratings facing tough matchups this weekend.
The Miners, led by standout Norm Kennedy, will test the Beavers on the ground. The senior running back ran for nearly 200 yards against Shady Spring earlier this season and when the Beavers have struggled it’s been against the run.
Still they’ve done an excellent job bottling up talented runners as of late, limiting Oak Hill standout Leonard Farrow to 77 yards when the two played two weeks ago. It’s do or die for the Beavers in what appears to be the last home game of the season at Mitchell Stadium this year.
Dive for the finish line
Bluefield isn’t the only team hoping to slide into the postseason. Beckley comes in tied for No. 16 in Class AAA while Midland Trail is tied with Meadow Bridge, a team it already beat, for No. 17 in Class A. For both Beckley and Trail the possibility of playing for a spot in the playoffs during the final week of the season seemed improbable just two weeks ago.
But it’s a reality.
Midland Trail, which has played a difficult schedule featuring two of the top eight teams in Class AA, appeared to be dead in the water after a loss to James Monroe. Three wins later and the Patriots are back in the playoff race with a winnable game on tap for Friday when they host Pocahontas County. Mathematical projections have the Patriots making the playoff field should the teams that are anticipated to win do so. For the time being the task at hand is to control what they can control.
The Flying Eagles on the other hand have a more difficult task.
Staring them in the face is defending Class AAA champion South Charleston which hasn’t been quite as dominant as last year but has still had a successful season with a 5-4 record, currently sitting at No. 12 in the Class AAA ratings.
Fortunately for the visitors from Raleigh County, the Black Eagles have already been upset once this season by a team the Flying Eagles beat in Riverside. A win over South Charleston could be enough to keep Beckley in the top 16 and secure the program’s first playoff berth since 2014.
Last but not least amongst the teams hoping to sneak in is Meadow Bridge. the Wildcats gave come close to making the postseason the last several years but sit in an advantageous position to do so in the final week of the season. Tied with Trail at 17, the Wildcats will play host to No. 12 Gilmer County in a game that could yield the necessary bonus points to sneak into the field of 16.
Led by Dustin Adkins, Meadow Bridge is hot off a close win against another rated team in No. 16 Sherman. The Wildcats are hoping there’s still a little magic left in the well.
Opposite trends
Following their game last week, Princeton and Greenbrier East are trending in opposite directions. The Tigers are coming off back-to-back losses to Bridgeport and East and have likely fallen out of the home playoff game conversation. They’re rated No. 10 but ahead of them are George Washington and Greenbrier East.
The immediate concern though is taking care of Parkersburg South and snapping the skid. That won’t be an easy task either as the Patriots have proven formidable with a 61-13 win over Beckley under their belt, though that game was played nearly two months ago.
The last thing the Tigers want heading into the playoffs is a three-game losing streak that wrecks the confidence of a younger team. Winning Friday may be necessary if for no other reason than it gives them an extra pep in their step heading into the postseason.
As for the team that beat them last week, life couldn’t be much sweeter. An overtime win over the Tigers presented the Spartans with a different situation than they’ve been in and they thrived. Without their head coach, the Spartans adjusted well, overcame turnovers and won a thrilling contest against another good Class AAA team.
This week they’ll have the opportunity to secure a home playoff game if they can beat Lincoln County, a 4-5 team that’s had its ups and down. Princeton beat Lincoln County 35-0 earlier in the season, but the Panthers have a win over a team that beat East in Oak Hill. If the Spartans hope to play at home next week they’ll need to replicate the best of last week’s performance.
Loose ends
Elsewhere in the area Liberty will travel to Wyoming East, Oak Hill will travel to University, Nicholas County will host PikeView and James Monroe will host Summers County. Liberty needs to win to stay in the playoff field while Nicholas County and James Monroe will be seeking wins that help them remain in the hunt for a home playoff game.
