Each year when the West Virginia Class A state football playoff brackets are released, the first question on nearly everyone’s mind is, where is Central?
Wheeling Central Catholic has earned the reputation as the team to beat and one to hopefully avoid until the last possible moment.
Since winning its first Class A title in 2000, Wheeling Central Catholic has hoisted the small school championship trophy 10 more times with the most recent title coming in 2019.
The Maroon Knights won their initial title in 1979 as a Class AA school.
“We have been pretty fortunate. I have had some real good kids and and some good assistant coaches,” veteran head coach Mike Young said. “Covid hit us the year before last and Ritchie hit us last year on a mud field, so we are trying to rally back.”
For the No. 5 rated Maroon Knights to make it back to the Super Six and get a shot at their 13th title overall, the next leg of the journey has to go through Lindside and No. 1 rated James Monroe.
Central is no stranger to heavy playoff travel, just to get back home for a shot at the title.
Ironically, the Super Six has been played at Wheeling Island Stadium for the past 29 years. The venue is roughly two miles from the Wheeling Central Catholic campus.
“I don’t think anyone has traveled a further road than we have to get back home,” Young said. “In 2018 we went 1,000 miles to win it and the following year we went to 1,200 (miles to get back to the championship). This year we are back at it.”
After pounding Man at home in the opening round of the playoffs this year, Central made the 300-mile round-trip to battle No. 4 Wahama.
The Maroon Knights promptly dispatched the White Falcons 48-14. Wahama entered the contest undefeated and averaging nearly 60 points in the previous 11 games.
“To be able to limit Wahama to 14 points says a lot about our kids. (It) also speaks highly of our coaching staff to put together a defensive scheme to shut them down to 14 points,” Young said. “We took away the long pass and the long run. I think their longest play was 16 yards. To be able to do that against an explosive offense that was averaging 60 points per game is pretty good. Then to put up 48 speaks volumes to preparation and execution of what we see and what we do.”
Young made the move from assistant coach to head coach at Central after the 2005 championship season.
He promptly guided Central to two more titles in 2006 and 2007 before winning back-to back championships in 2010 and 2011.
The Maroon Knights again reigned supreme in Class A under Young from 2017-19 as well.
While he is quick to credit his players and coaches, Young also feels the longstanding tradition at Central has been a key to winning titles.
“Since I have been head coach we have won eight of them. We have played in eight and won eight.” Young said. “I came in as an assistant and we won three of four. I can say I have seen these kids grow and develop. The players have seen the program do the same. The young kids are very influenced by the older kids and they want the same things. They come in with the attitude that they are going to win it too.”
“The expectations at Central, we have always said, are high and we really don’t want them the other way,” Young went on to say. “I think when these kids are little and in junior high, they see what the kids at the high school are doing. Those players are role models that are winning state titles.”
Friday, Wheeling Central will register roughly 600 more miles on the travel log to battle the Mavericks.
“We will leave in the morning and stop along the way to get a stretch and a workout in. We will also eat along the way,” Young said. “It is a four-and-a-half to five hour drive. I wish the state could do something about that in regards to neutral sites.”
“All of this traveling is not really good for parents, kids or even your bus drivers to be driving late at night. You never know what you will run into. We will take all of the safety precautions to play four quarters of good football.”
While the travel may appear to be an advantage for James Monroe on the surface, that will not likely be the case.
“Even in the regular season we had to travel to Mount View and Berkeley Springs. We have had that challenge before and our kids seem to adapt to that,” Young said. “We don’t do well spending the night. That is why I feel we will do just as well going down the same day.”
Clearly the formula has been working very well for the Maroon Knights who enter the game with a 10-1 record.
“We have good team chemistry all the way around between the guys in the trenches and the guys getting all the ink,” Young said. “Being able to share the wealth and enjoy it is huge for us.”
Although he is not a fan of the extreme travel circumstances, Young refuses to let it be a distraction for his team in its quest to get back home for the championship game.
“I think because we do have a lot of history, a lot of tradition and a good culture in our program, we will travel to wherever we have to go to make it happen for our kids to move on and play Wheeling Central football,” Young said.
“We know we have a challenge in front of us. James Monroe has a good tradition and a good program. Their coach does a good job of preparing them. They are steady on the ground and they can throw it.”
Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. Friday at H.E Comer Sports Complex.
