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WILLIAMSTOWN - Never underestimate the value of an athletic quarterback.

Wheeling Central Catholic's Zack Hood didn't exactly post eye-popping numbers through the air, but what he did accomplish was put the Maroon Knights into the semifinal round of the Class A state playoffs.

Hood's 16-yard touchdown completion to Jordan Sorge with just under four minutes remaining in the third quarter of Friday night's game at Williamstown High School proved to be the difference in a 28-14 victory over the Yellowjackets.

Wheeling Central (9-3), which travels to Weirton to play Madonna next week, added an insurance touchdown when running back Marcus Clifford scored from a yard out with 2:15 left in regulation. Williamstown ends the campaign at 9-3.

"Zack Hood is a competitor from the word 'go,'" Wheeling Central coach Mike Young said.

With the game tied at 14 and Wheeling Central facing fourth-and-6 from the Williamstown 16, Hood dropped back to pass then scrambled to his right as two Yellowjacket linemen converged on him in the backfield. Before the sack could be completed, Hood threw to his left and found Sorge wide open in the middle of the field. Sorge broke one tackle and found the end zone to put Wheeling Central in front 21-14 with 3:59 remaining in the third quarter.

"That was the way it was last year - we had (Hood) on the run and we chased him all over creation," Williamstown coach Terry Smith said. "He runs over toward out sidelines and throws back across to the guy standing there. That's just him keeping the play alive.

"He's just a super athlete. If you start at quarterback at Wheeling Central, you're pretty good."

On their next two offensive series, the Yellowjackets found themselves inside Wheeling Central territory. Both times, the Yellowjackets were forced to punt. Once from the Maroon Knights' 35 and again from the Maroon Knights' 32.

Williamstown was still within striking distance after taking over on its own 31 with 5:18 showing on the clock. After converting one first down and the ball sitting on their own 41, the Yellowjackets decided to air it out on the next play.

Quarterback Adam Kerns dropped back, pumped once and threw a deep pass intended for Lane Knost. Sorge was one-on-one with Knost and recorded the interception.

"We were kind of in desperation right there," Smith said.

With barely enough time to recover from the shock, Williamstown failed to put the wraps on Clifford on the next play from scrimmage and the junior covered 69 yards on a run up the middle.

Two plays later, Clifford put the exclamation mark with the 1-yard score.

"I wouldn't say this was a great season, but it was really good," Smith said. "We had some good seniors. Working with these guys is so cool. The preparation part is what I like and being around these seniors allowed us to do that."

Clifford led all ballcarriers with 175 yards on 20 carries and scored three touchdowns. His 66-yard run gave Wheeling Central a 7-0 lead at the 8:29 mark of the first quarter. Williamstown tied the game at 7 on Cody Matheny's 1-yard plunge on the first play of the second period.

Clifford's second touchdown run of 4 yards later in the quarter was followed by Knost's spectacular one-handed grab in the end zone for a 5-yard TD reception, which tied the contest at 14.

Joe Palm led Williamstown with 82 yards on 19 rushes.