by Bill Lusk
PARKERSBURG- The West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission announced dates and times for the 2021 high school football quarterfinals Sunday morning.
In Class AAA and Class AA, three-of-the-four quarterfinal games will be played on Friday night while three-of-four Class A quarterfinal games will take place on Saturday.
Independence, the second-ranked team in Class AA, will host No. 10 Roane County at 7:30 p.m. Friday night in Coal City. The Patriots, who defeated No. 15 Shady Spring, 73-7, last advanced to the Class AA semifinals in 1986 when the playoff was eight schools. Independence has never won two postseason games in school history, but can change that with a victory Friday night over the Raiders.
Bluefield, who knocked off No. 3 Point Pleasant, will travel to No. 6 North Marion Friday night. The 14th-ranked Beavers defeated the Huskies 33-10 in a Class AA quarterfinal played at Mitchell Stadium last season.
Class A No. 5 Mount View survived a scare from No. 12 Sherman Friday night to advance to the quarterfinals for the second time since 2018. The Golden Knights will travel to No. 4 Ritchie County Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. The Golden Knights defeated the Rebels 34-14 in the first round of the 2018 Class A playoffs and will be looking to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2003.
Seventh-ranked James Monroe will travel to second-ranked Doddridge County Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. The Mavericks, a mainstay in the Class AA playoff picture, are making their first-ever trip to the Class A playoffs and will look to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2016.
Class AAA (All games are to be played on Friday unless denoted)
9) George Washington (8-3) at 1) Huntington (11-0)
5) Cabell Midland (10-1) at 4) University (11-0)
6) Jefferson (10-1) at 3) Bridgeport (11-0)- Sat. Nov. 20, at 1:30 p.m.
7) Spring Valley (9-2) at 2) Martinsburg (10-1)
Class AA
16) Fairmont Senior (5-4) at 8) Robert C. Byrd (7-3)
13) Frankfort (7-4) at 5) Poca (8-2)- Sat, Nov. 20, at 1:30 p.m.
10) Roane County (9-2) at 2) Independence (9-0)
14) Bluefield (6-3) at 6) North Marion (8-2)
Class A
16) Gilmer County (7-4) at 8) Wheeling Central (8-3)- Wheeling Island Stadium, Sat. Nov. 20, at 1:30 p.m.
5) Mount View (10-1) at 4) Ritchie County (10-1)- Sat. Nov. 20, at 1:30 p.m.
6) Williamstown (9-2) at 3) East Hardy (10-1)
7) James Monroe (8-3) at 2) Doddridge County (10-1)- Sat, Nov. 20, at 1:30 p.m.
