Playoff football: Big Reds, Patriots, Vikings hit the road
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PARKERSBURG -- Parkersburg snapped a four-game losing skid when it routed winless Oak Hill 69-6 to close the regular season on high note. The Big Reds, who received the No. 10 seed in quad-A, will face a big step up in competition at 7 p.m. on Friday when it visits No. 7 Musselman.
Parkersburg got a big boost last week with the return of human highlight reel Brady Thorn. Thorn scored four total touchdowns -- two on offense and two on defense -- for the Big Reds while Cole Sisk led the PHS ground game with lead back Alex Greer nursing an injury.
Quarterback Noah Smith was 10 for 14 for 160 yards and three TDs in the game for Matt Kimes' unit. Smith continues to put together a strong sophomore campaign. He's 74 for 131 for 983 yards, 14 TDs and four interceptions. Thorn's caught 28 passes for 473 yards and seven scores.
Musselman head coach Brian Thomas guides a squad that leans heavily on the run game. Kason Warden, Nate Barra and Mason Johnson all are capable of doing damage with the ball in their hands. In a 33-15 win over Spring Mills this season, Warden had 239 yards and two TDs.
In a 49-14 rout of Jefferson, the Applemen eclipsed 500 yards rushing in the contest.
PHS held the Red Devils to just 42 yards on the ground last week, but will need to be on top of its game against Musselman's potent attack.
PARKERSBURG SOUTH (1-9) at GEORGE WASHINGTON (10-0)
Despite a 1-9 record, Parkersburg South snuck into the Class AAAA playoffs.
The Patriots earned the 16th and final spot in quad-A, which netted them a trip to top-seeded, unbeaten George Washington. The game is slated for 7 p.m. on Friday.
It's a rematch from two weeks ago when South invaded GW and was dealt a 63-21 setback.
Though PSHS is on a four-game losing streak, the Patriots are averaging 22.3 points per game the last three weeks. The problem, though -- they've surrendered at least 48 points in each of their last four games.
Look for head coach Larry Thompson and his staff to put an emphasis on getting the ball to workhorse running back Kooper Jackson. Jackson put up 1,218 yards and 12 touchdowns on 195 carries in the regular season.
South's offense is balanced, as quarterback Logen Arnold threw for 1,665 yards and 16 TDs in 10 games. He was intercepted 11 times. Josiah Swiger has been his go-to target, hooking up 44 times for 539 yards and six scores.
Defensively, Asa Yost can get after the quarterback. He registered six sacks in the regular season, forced three fumbles and recovered five. Swiger led the team with four interceptions.
GW's offense is a juggernaut, as head coach Steve Edwards' squad scored fewer than 35 points in a game just once this season.
Jaden Black is the name to know. Black surpassed 2,000 rushing yards in the regular season, going for 10.3 yards per carry and finding the end zone 32 times.
Quarterback Desean Isabell keeps defenses honest, completing 68 of 100 attempts for 1,290 yards, 16 touchdowns and three picks. Davon Brockman (29 rec., 511 yds, 6 TDs) is the team's leading receiver.
CLASS AAA
RIPLEY (6-4) at WINFIELD (8-2)
After just missing out on the postseason last year, Ripley's goal coming into 2026 was redemption in the form of a Class AAA playoff berth.
The Vikings accomplished that goal, going 6-4 and securing triple-A's No. 11 seed. Now, they're goal is to turn the tables on No. 6 Winfield. Ripley visits the Generals at 7 p.m. on Friday in a rematch of a week 7 contest that Winfield won 46-7.
Ripley's offense averaged 33.5 points per game in the regular season, doing the bulk of its damage on the ground. Jordan Adkins put together a 1,000-yard campaign while scoring 17 touchdowns in nine games. Quarterback Jackson Moore is a dual threat for the Vikings, totaling more than 1,700 yards and nearly 20 touchdowns through nine games.
The Vikings have one of the top defensive players in the state in Eli Huffman, who racked up 24 1-2 tackles for loss and 10 sacks through nine games.
In this third season at the helm, head coach Ryan Simon led Ripley to the playoffs in his first year in 2024 before exiting in the first round.
After starting the year 0-2, head coach Eddie Smolder's Generals closed the regular season on an eight-game win streak.
Gannon Boggs (140 car., 895 yds, 18 TDs) leads the Winfield ground game but quarterback Jared Miller (114 car., 827 yds, 10 TDs) is just as effective as a runner. Miller also went 90 for 155 for 1,176 yards, 21 touchdowns and two interceptions through the air. Aiden Tate (32 rec., 531 yards) caught 10 of those touchdowns and also intercepted four passes on defense.