By Rich Stevens
MaxPreps.com
West Virginia’s football season begins one week later than many states – the state of Ohio began last weekend.
Still, Mountain State teams get 11 weeks to play 10 games beginning on Friday night when most of West Virginia's 122-football playing schools open their season.
Among the hot topics of conversation involve two-time defending Class AAA champion Parkersburg High School and four-time defending Class A titlist Wheeling Central.
There are also some coaching changes which are expected to affect the outcome of some team’s seasons -- for better or for worse.
On the weekend, however, it’s about the matchups – team against team, line against line, offense against defense.
I’ll take everything into consideration as I take a close look at the best games of the 2008 West Virginia high school football season.
Week 1
Thursday
Capital vs. George Washington, at University of Charleston Stadium: The Cougars and Patriots begin the season with new quarterbacks. The state’s first game of the season will feature QBs Joey Beane of Capital and Taylor Norman of GW. The erratic Cougars’ offense of a year ago should be more defined. The Patriots will miss defensive ends Brock Heffelfinger and Beau Wilson. This game revolves around the GW defense. If it proves to be as staunch as a year ago, the Patriots will be 1-0.
Friday
Fairmont Senior at Robert C. Byrd: Byrd has long been criticized for its less-than-ambitious schedule, and this year will be no different as the Class AAA Eagles play three AA opponents. Last year Byrd finished the regular season as the state’s only big school unbeaten team and still only managed fourth in the SSAC ratings. That makes this an important game against the AAA Polar Bears.
Poca at Nitro: The Wildcats begin a new era without longtime coach Scott Tinsley, who moved back to the college level at NAIA WVU Tech. The Dots might consider this an important game because Nitro is a class larger. However, they play two more Class AAA foes.
Week 2
Crestview (Ohio) at Oak Glen: Since when did an Ohio team playing a struggling Class AA state team become a big game? Ever since Tony Filberto became coach at Oak Glen. Filberto guided Weir to the Class AA state semifinals before losing 21-20 to Bluefield in 2004. The Golden Bears have a 3-37 record the last four years, so there’s nowhere to go but up.
Wayne at James Monroe: A rematch of last year’s Class AA semifinals, won by James Monroe, 21-14. Need I say more?
Week 3
Winfield at Riverside: The Generals sojourn into Class AAA includes their third big school opponent in as many weeks. They have Lincoln County in week two, so they shouldn’t be 0-3 after this one.
John Marshall at Brooke: Keep an eye on inside linebacker Mike Henderson, he’ll be the closest to the ball. The Monarchs are breaking in a new coach, so this rivalry will feature new faces.
Week 4
Capital at Ripley: Word is, the Cougars’ weakness is itssecondary. Well, by this time Ripley QB Seth Parsons should want to break outafter playing tough defenses St. Albans and Hurricane in weeks one and three.
Martinsburg at Washington: The state’s newest school plays its first home game, against a Class AAA power and after having a week off. The Bulldogs, who played in the championship game in 2003, 2004 and 2006, won’t be sympathetic to the newcomers.
Week 5
George Washington at Riverside: The Patriots’ only regular seasonloss in 2007 came against the Warriors, 21-20 at UC Stadium thanks to a missed PAT.
Wayne at Sissonville: The last time these teams played in Sissonville, the Indians pulled off a huge upset. That season, 2006, the Pioneers went on to win the Class AA title.
St. Albans at Hurricane: Defense against defense. The Red Dragons hope to have their new offensive look solidified. The Redskins always tough defense should be ready.
Week 6
Fairmont Senior at University: The Hawks should be unbeaten and No. 1 in the SSAC computer ratings entering this game. They should also be 9-0 four weeks later going into the Mohawk Bowl against Morgantown.
Wheeling Park at Steubenville (Ohio): The last time retiring Wheeling Park coach Mark Nardone sees Big Red. The Patriots haven’t held upagainst Steubenville and won’t this time either.
St. Marys at Williamstown: Always a superb state Class A battle with a huge crowd.
Week 7
Nitro at St. Albans: The Red Dragons are trying to get back tothe Class AAA title game. The Battle of the Bridge will be hard-hitting as always.
Schenley (Pa.) at Wheeling Central: Many West Virginia teams won’t play Wheeling Central, a parochial school in the Northern Panhandle and the winner of the Class A title the last four years. Their reason? Wheeling Central recruits. My claim? They’re scared to death.
Parkersburg South at Parkersburg: The huge rivalry at Stadium Field won’t have the same punch it's had in the past. Still, the stands will be filled.
Week 8
Steubenville (Ohio) at Wheeling Central: It’ll be interesting to see how West Virginia’s best small school program stacks up against the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference’s best program.
Week 9
Bishop Donahue at Valley (Wetzel): The Bishops just missed the playoffs last year. Neither team is expected to be in the playoff chase, but the Lumberjacks will be nine weeks into having head coach Tom West back at the helm.West led Valley to the Class A championship game four consecutive years (1993-96) without a title.
Capital at Parkersburg: This will be a battle for playoff positioning.
Week 10
Wheeling Park at John Marshall: This game, which in the past was the season’s final regular season contest, has often had playoff implications.This season, it might be the battle of non-playoff contenders.
Bluefield at James Monroe: A rematch of the 2007 Class AA championship won by Bluefield, 20-12. This year it’ll be Will Cole against Taylor Robertson – a pair of Kennedy Award candidates.
Week 11
Madonna at Cameron: Don’t be surprised if the Blue Dons are playing for No. 1 in the SSAC ratings in the final week of the regular season.
Ripley at Ravenswood: Rivalry week features the battle of Jackson County.
South Charleston at Bluefield: Wow. The Class AAA, ultra-talented, superbly athletic Black Eagles against the Class AA, ultra-talented, superbly athletic defending Class AA champions.
Rich Stevens, a sportswriter for the Charleston Daily Mail, covers West Virginia for MaxPreps.com
