By Jim Workman
Three area teams are two wins away from a trip to the Super Six.
That’s three wins away from a state championship.
Playing high school football in late November is a privilege that all three teams are embracing.
Fayetteville has enjoyed playoff success through the years, but of late the Pirates have stalled at this point in the season.
“The last two years we’ve lost in the quarterfinals,” coach Frank Spangler said. “We want to get over the hump. The players want to get it behind them.”
The Pirates’ defense has Spangler thinking this could be the year.
“Our defense has changed quite a bit,” he said. “They’ve done a great job. They’re flying around and playing very aggressively. The kids like playing like that. We have a lot more athleticism on the defensive side this season, although we’re still relatively young. We have five seniors on defense; the rest are sophomores and juniors.”
The Pirates are looking to avenge a regular-season loss to Man. But they know it won’t be easy.
“They line up and here they come after you,” Spangler said of the Hillbillies. “They run some bootleg and wiggle with some option. But most of the time, they bring it right at you.”
It has been a magical season for undefeated Richwood.
The Lumberjacks will be hosting their second home playoff game, likely in front of a standing-room-only crowd at Dean Memorial Field Saturday night.
“It’s nice to play at home in front of our fans,” Richwood coach Jason Rogers said. “I don’t ever remember seeing a bigger crowd than the one at last week’s game. I expect an even bigger one this week.”
Even with an unbeaten season and a high rating throughout the year, the Lumberjacks still have a chip on their shoulder.
“It seems that everybody is picking us to lose (this week),” Rogers said. “There have been some things written on the Internet that we’ve posted all over the locker room. They think we’re overrated. But it is serving as motivation for us.”
With last week’s win, a trip to Wheeling is getting closer.
“We’re not thinking that far ahead,” Rogers cautioned.
PikeView had never won a playoff football game until last week’s 34-21 upset of No. 5 Westside.
In fact, the school had not been in the playoffs since 1996.
But one may get the feeling that the Class AA No. 12 Panthers aren’t quite satisfied yet.
The defense stepped up to the challenge against the Renegades, limiting Kennedy Award candidate Travis Whitten to just 97 yards on 18 carries — his season low.
Even more amazing in the first-round victory was that it came on the road. But Ridgeley, home of Frankfort High School, is a little longer drive than Clear Fork.
It’s about a five-hour trip to face the Falcons.
The Panthers will have to become Road Warriors.
Don’t bet against them.
A capsule look at the three local teams left playing in prep football playoffs:
CLASS A
No. 7 Fayetteville (9-2)
Key team stats: The Pirates have scored 40 or more points in five games.
Fayetteville has held opponents to 15 or fewer points seven times.
Key wins: Sept. 25 vs. Valley Fayette 20-12; Oct. 10 at Parkersburg Catholic 35-13.
Losses: Sept. 11 vs. Richwood 48-34; Oct. 2 vs. Man 23-7.
Key players: Quarterback MichaelAngelo Hernandez, lineman Chase Lafferty and running back Drew Weis.
First-round result: Defeated No. 10 Wahama 23-20.
Second-round opponent: No. 2 Man (10-1)
Key players for opponent: Running backs Brandon Plymale and Derrick Lomax, quarterback Ryan Crum, wide receiver Derrick Earnest.
No. 3 Richwood (11-0)
Key team stats: The Lumberjacks have scored 40 or more points in seven games.
Richwood has held opponents to 15 or fewer points four times.
Key wins: Sept. 11 at Fayetteville 48-34; Oct. 23 vs. Valley Fayette 47-46.
Losses: None.
Key players: Quarterback Sam Tindal, running back Dustin Brown, linebacker Spencer McPherson.
First-round result: Defeated No. 14 Pendleton County 44-26.
Second-round opponent: No. 6 Wirt County (9-2)
Key players for opponent: Quarterback Jake Hutchinson, wide receiver Dalton Brindo, running back Kris Holbert.
CLASS AA
No. 12 PikeView (8-3)
Key team stats: The Panthers have scored 40 or more points once.
PikeView has held opponents to 15 or fewer points eight times.
Key wins: Sept. 4 at Iaeger 33-6.
Losses: Sept. 11 at Liberty Raleigh 20-19; Sept. 18 vs. James Monroe 10-6; Oct. 9 at Westside 15-7.
Key players: Wide receiver Joel Calfee, quarterback Ben Nester, running back Josh Neal.
First-round result: Defeated No. 5 Westside 36-21.
Second-round opponent: No. 4 Frankfort (10-1)
Key players for opponent: Quarterback James Jones, wide receiver Logan Wolford, running back Joey Luciw.
