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DODDRIDGE COUNTY AT RITCHIE COUNTY
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Last year's result: Doddridge 29, Ritchie 26 (2 OT)
DCHS (3-0): d. South Harrison, 25-6; d. Tyler Consolidated, 20-12; d. Calhoun County, 40-0
RCHS (0-3): lost to Tyler Consolidated, 41-0; lost to Wahama, 47-20; lost to St. Marys, 67-18
Key DCHS players: QB Trent Huffman, RB Seth Richards, OL/DL Adam Burnside
Key RCHS players: QB Ethan Haught, TE Austin Bartlett, RB Bodhi Utter
Keys to victory: Doddridge County, which enters the week at No. 6 in the Class A ratings, made a run to the state semifinals a year ago before losing 43-0 at home to Williamstown.
The Bulldogs have won eight straight in the series and the defending single-A champion Rebels are off to a tough 0-3 start.
Not only is head coach Bobby Burnside's gang eyeing a sixth straight playoff berth, but a win Friday would mark the 500th in program history.
BUFFALO AT ROANE COUNTY
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last year's result: Roane 22, Buffalo 3
BHS (1-2): lost to Greenbrier West, 33-0; lost to Petersburg, 52-19; d. Mount View, 62-22
RCHS (4-0): d. St. Marys, 30-20; d. Lincoln County, 36-0; d. Clay County, 36-20; d. Lewis County, 46-14
Key BHS players: QB Josh Moody, RB Bradley Harris, RB Gunner Fertig
Key RCHS players: RB Briar Begler, RB Skyler Delk, LB Colton Paxton
Keys to victory: A series which began last year continues on Friday when Buffalo invades Spencer to take on Roane County.
The Raiders of head man Paul Burdette, who check in at No. 2 in the latest Class AA ratings, continue to play their ground-and-pound style with more than solid results.
Last week, freshman quarterback Jacob Greathouse went 4 for 4 with 140 yards and a touchdown to compliment the rushing attack.
Briar Begler found paydirt thrice while Skyler Delk, who missed on both of his pass attempts in the game, rushed for 144 yards on 15 carries with a score. He also hauled in three receptions which covered another 114 yards with a six-pointer.
RIPLEY AT OAK HILL
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Last year's result: Oak Hill 47, Ripley 26
RHS (1-3): lost to Brooke, 49-6; lost to Buckhannon-Upshur, 13-6; d. Lewis County, 20-14; lost to Marietta, 14-0
OHHS (2-2) results: d. Nicholas County, 17-7; lost to Independence, 40-0; lost to Princeton, 20-17 (3 OT); d. Lincoln County, 47-16
Key RHS players: QB Ty Stephens, RB Hunter Brown, LB Collen Moore
Key OHHS players: RB Omar Lewis, FB Alex Baxter, QB Alex Colaiseno
Keys to victory: Ripley saw its opportunity to get back to the .500 plateau go by the wayside last week as the Vikings were unable to dent the scoreboard during a 14-0 loss to Marietta at Memorial Stadium.
Now, the Vikings are taking on an Oak Hill program that won last year's game by 21 points.
The Red Devils, who are playing the Vikings for just the second time, will have homefield advantage inside John P. Duda Stadium and with a victory should improve upon their current five-way tie for No. 18 in the triple-A ratings.
TRINITY CHRISTIAN AT CALHOUN COUNTY
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday at Calhoun County High School in Mt. Zion
Last year's result: First meeting
Trinity Christian (3-1): d. Hundred, 47-24; lost to Bridgeport (Ohio), 62-21; d. Millersport (Ohio), 50-12; d. Hancock (Md.), 66-14
Calhoun County (0-4): lost to Wirt County, 53-8; lost to Valley, 62-34; lost to St. Marys, 49-6; lost to Doddridge County, 40-0
Key TCHS players: Zane Yeater (UT), Levi Teets (DB/WR/RB), Kyle Knight (K)
Key CCHS players: Ian Persinger (RB/SS), Owen Taylor (QB/CB)
Keys to victory: Calhoun County enters a portion of the schedule which could yield high rewards. Trinity Christian's three wins are against programs who are a combined 0-10. Next week's opponent, Paden City, is currently 0-2. Following an off week, Calhoun County meets a Gilmer County tam which is currently 1-3. A three-game winning streak is not out of the question.
SOUTH HARRISON AT GILMER COUNTY
Game time: 7 p.m. at I.L. Morris Stadium in Glenville
Last year's result: Gilmer 39, South Harrison 20
South Harrison (1-2): lost to Doddridge County, 25-6; d. Liberty Harrison, 16-7; lost to Wahama, 27-22
Gilmer County (1-3): lost to East Hardy, 73-12; d. Webster County, 36-18; lost to Wirt County, 60-6; lost to Tyler Consolidated, 42-14
Key SHHS players: Michael Radcliff (OL/LB), Caden Davis (QB/DB), Landen Lafferty (OL/DL)
Key GCHS players: Cadence Miller (OL/DL), Colton Hall (RB/LB), Cole Cogar (WR/DB)
Keys to victory: If the Tyler Consolidated loss is any indication, Gilmer County showed promise by giving the Knights a legitimate scare. Colton Hall's 29-yard touchdown run at the 8:15 mark of the third quarter put the Titans within 21-14.
Gilmer must duplicate the effort against a South Harrison which pushed Wahama to the brink of its first loss.
MAGNOLIA AT MONROE CENTRAL
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday at Memorial Park in Woodsfield, Ohio
Last year's result: Monroe Central 43, Magnolia 18
Magnolia (0-4): lost to Ravenswood, 48-0; lost to Wirt County, 68-0; lost to River, 49-6; lost to Cameron, 53-8
Monroe Central (0-5): lost to Edison, 42-8; lost to Bridgeport (Ohio), 50-44; lost to River, 48-8; lost to Caldwell, 56-8; lost to Buckeye Local, 68-12
Key MHS: Brayden Vargo (QB/S), Matthew Anderson (RB)
Key MCHS: Jayke Vinskovich (OL/DL), Xavier Kinney (TE/LB), Aaron Fletcher (WR/LB)
Keys to victory: Something has to give. One team is guranteed to win at least one game this season. Since Magnolia and Monroe Central first met in 1996, the series has been an annual event. After winning the past three years, the Seminoles hold a 14-12 edge. In head-to-head matchups, Monroe Central head coach Josh Ischy is 3-1 versus Magnolia's Dave Chapman
HUNDRED AT PADEN CITY
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Last year's result: Paden City 55, Hundred 0
HHS (0-3): lost to Trinity Christian, 47-24; lost to Cameron, 47-0; lost to Beallsville, 43-34
PCHS (1-3): lost to Grove City Christian, 62-16; lost to Montcalm, 24-8; d. Parkersburg Catholic, 61-8
HHS key players: RB Karter Parson, LB Zack Wise
PCHS key players: RB Joey Baker, QB Kayden Myers
Keys to victory: Plain and simple, Hundred is going to need a repeat performance from it's workhorse running back. Karter Parson gashed Beallsville to the tune of 26 carries for 148 yards and two scores. However, Paden City's Joey Baker is a running weapon his team relies on, as well. Both offenses exploded for yards and points, so something is going to have to give in this matchup. Defensively for Hundred, linebacker Zack Wise is coming off a 19-tackle performance in that loss.
SHERMAN AT RAVENSWOOD
Game Time: 7 p.m. Friday
Last year's result: Sherman 26, Ravenswood 20
SHS (1-3): lost to James Monroe, 41-6; lost to Tug Valley, 32-8; d. River View, 32-20; lost to Liberty Raleigh, 30-20
RHS (1-3): d. Magnolia, 48-0; lost to St. Marys, 56-13; lost to Williamstown, 62-0; lost to Wirt County, 63-6
SHS key players: QB TJ Hager, SS River Williams
RHS key players: QB/SS Noah Dawson, RB Jacob Bowling
Keys to victory: Both teams are looking to get back on the right track, as some quality opponents have prepared the teams for this midseason clash. In last weeks loss to Wirt County, the mobile duo of Noah Dawson and Jacob Bowling were held in check (despite Dawson recording an interception last week). Sherman's TJ Hager got Sherman's offense in motion in the loss to Liberty Raleigh. So, what gives? Both squads are going to need to set the tone at the line of scrimmage. This contest has all the making of a high-scoring affair.
WILLIAMSTOWN AT MARIETTA
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday at Don Drumm Stadium
Last year's result: Did not meet
Williamstown (3-0): d. Waterford, 46-22; d. Warren, 55-10; d. Ravenswood, 62-0
Marietta (2-3): lost to River, 52-22; lost to West Muskingum, 33-2; d. Athens, 12-7; lost to Claymont, 14-0; d. Ripley, 14-0
Key Williamstown players: QB Maxwell Molessa; RB Rickie Allen; RB Harbor Haught
Key Marietta players: RB Bryce Dotson; OL Dylan Dearth; OL Blake Bills
Keys to victory: Williamstown comes into this game fresh off a bye week. The Yellowjackets are 3-0 with three convincing wins over Waterford, Warren and Ravenswood. This will be their third matchup against a Washington County school. Marietta is coming off three straight games where both teams combined for less than 20 points. The Tigers will try to keep Williamstown's high-powered offensive attack in check. If the 'Jackets get the running game rolling and put up points in bunches, it will be hard for Marietta to keep up.
FRONTIER AT WATERFORD
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Last year's result: Did not meet
Frontier (2-3): lost to Bridgeport, 34-22; d. Miller, 21-20; d. Beallsville, 48-8; lost to Cameron, 42-6; lost to Valley (Wetzel), 32-12
Waterford (2-3): d. Crooksville, 18-6; lost to Williamstown, 46-22; lost to Shenandoah, 18-13; lost to Fort Frye, 49-19; d. Eastern, 29-13
Key Frontier players: QB Lucas Cox; RB Ethan Snyder; OL Josiah Jones
Key Waterford players: QB Jake Pantelidis; RB Dylan Taylor; WR Mason Heiss
Keys to victory: Waterford has played a brutal schedule, with its opponents combining for a 16-7 record so far this season. If you take away 0-5 Crooksville, the Wildcats have played teams with a combined 16-2 mark. They most recently handed Eastern its first loss of the season and are looking to start a winning streak in a pivotal Region 27 showdown with Frontier this week. The Cougars have played back-to-back tough teams in Cameron and Valley (Wetzel) and are looking to snap a two-game skid. Each team in this matchup features a dynamic quarterback in Waterford's Jake Pantelidis and Frontier's Lucas Cox. Whichever gun-slinger can come up with more big plays likely will lead his team to victory.
WARREN AT POINT PLEASANT
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last year's result: Did not meet
Warren (1-4): d. Belpre, 62-0; lost to Morgan, 28-24; lost to Williamstown, 55-10; lost to Logan, 17-14; lost to Fort Frye, 61-28
Point Pleasant (2-2): d. Greenbrier East, 30-7; lost to Gallia Academy, 22-21; d. Mingo Central, 56-13; lost to Scott, 21-14
Key Warren players: QB Trent Taylor; WR Tanner Pepper; LB Aden Strahler
Key Point Pleasant players: QB Evan Roach; RB Gavin Jeffers; WR Cody Schultz
Keys to victory: Warren standout running back Jason Williams missed the Fort Frye game due to injury. Williams is a talented player for the Warriors and makes a big difference when he's in the lineup. If he can't go against Point Pleasant, look for WHS to lean on Landon Fairnbanks and Aden Strahler out of the backfield as well as quarterback Trent Taylor, who is capable of making big plays with his arm. The Big Blacks are led by quarterback Evan Roach, who is a dual threat QB. The key for Warren will be preventing Roach from extending plays with his legs.