Showdown: Ground attacks expected

BLUEFIELD — Like offense? Watch the Saints.

Like defense, special teams, strong running attacks and hard-hitting football? Then don’t miss tonight’s Class AA state championship game.

Tonight’s title tilt between Bluefield (11-2) and Wayne (13-0) at Wheeling Island Stadium promises plenty of the latter.

As for offense? Even though the Beavers (36.1) and Pioneers (34.5) both average more than 30 points a game, that might be hard to find in this one. But, then again, that’s why they play the game.

“You never know, just like Wayne, they might want to complete a few passes, who knows,” Bluefield head coach Fred Simon said. “I can give you my prediction, but you practice and think plays are going to work in games and you have to make adjustments.

“Very seldom does an actual game plan actually go to plan. I think we’ll be ready for anything.”

While Bluefield is making its 15th state championship game appearance, and sixth in the last eight years, Wayne has reached the finals for the fourth time since 2000, winning one and losing two, including a 69-24 setback to the Beavers in ‘04.

“It should be a heck of a game,” Simon said. “What better fitting way to end the season and end the year than with two teams have been in the state finals quite often in the last decade...It’s a big game and we’re excited.”

Bluefield enters having won eight games in a row, while the Pioneers have yet to lose this season. These teams have played three times in the postseason since ’02, with the Beavers winning twice. Wayne’s lone win came in a 41-35 decision in last year’s state quarterfinals.

The Beavers threw the ball all over the field in that game. They’re preparing to do just the opposite tonight, led by Jake Lilly (1,258 yards, 19 touchdowns), Marcus Patterson (649, 8 td) and Brad Fox (606, 5 td).

Levi Beckett has returned from a broken collar bone to throw for 669 yards and seven scores, and run for 338 more yards and six scores. Patterson, who has returned three punts for touchdowns, lead the Beavers with 18 catches for 384 yards and three scores.

“The common denominator of Bluefield football is they’ve been able to win through the air or win through the ground, and win doing both,” said Wayne head coach Tom Harmon, who is 126-34 in 13 seasons at the helm. “From what I have seen out of this year’s team, they are capable of doing it both ways. That is the added problem anytime you’re going to play Bluefield.”

There is no secret what Wayne wants to do on offense. The Pioneers have completed just 38-of-100 passes this season, an average of 2.9 a game.

Corey Damron (1,582, 18 td) leads a prolific ground attack, along with Clyde Ferrell (919, 8 td), Jake Barr (648, 10 td) and Adam Frazier (415, 10 td), who has also thrown for 651 yards and five scores. Frazier’s favorite targets are Austin Mills, who is averaging 27.2 yards on nine catches, Sean Merritt (11-170, 3 td) and Chase Perry (10-153).

They’ll run behind a line led by 6-foot-2, 262-pound Mike Davis, who is a Hunt Award candidate as the best lineman in the state.

“That’s the Wayne-T, the way they describe it,” said Simon, who is 182-99 in his 23rd season, and just the third coach at Bluefield since 1959. “They don’t like to throw, they won’t throw unless they need to and from I have seen on film, they haven’t had to throw very much. They’ve just bulldozed everybody.”

In what is expected to be a close game, neither team has been terribly effective kicking the ball, although Bluefield is 2-for-2 on field goals, including one each by Andrew Shaw and Justin Mariotti. The Pioneers’ Allen Bryant has made 32 extra points, but no 3-pointers.

Beckett averages about 36 yards per punt for the Beavers, while Merritt tallies 31.8 an attempt for the ‘Eers.

Both of these teams survived close calls to advance to Wheeling.

Bluefield trailed 3-0 and had 19 yards on offense midway through the third quarter last week at Magnolia, but a Patterson punt return sparked a 13-10 win.

“I think that defensively we have to find a way to contain the playmakers they have, and offensively, I think were going to have to figure out how to block 15 people,” said Harmon, with a laugh. “It’s seems like that’s what they have on defense. At the same time, special teams-wise, we have to just play break-even football .

“They have a tendency to make you look bad. That’s what good teams and playmakers do.”

Meanwhile, Wayne trailed Frankfort 21-0 at halftime, but escaped by recovering consecutive onside kicks for a 27-21 victory.

“We’ve had our ups and downs this year, but for the most part we have played consistent football,” Harmon said. “We haven’t been tested each week, but when we have been tested we have responded. You can’t really ask for a whole lot more at this point.”

In a game that will feature a pair of teams that have combined for 102 touchdowns on the ground and just 18 through the air, there’s little doubt finding holes in the opposing defenses will be key to tonight’s winner.

Both teams have surrendered just 13 points a game this season.

“You have no idea how lines will stack up until they get across from each other and start clacking shoulder pads,” Harmon said. “They’ve got a lot of returners, a lot of guys that have been in the heat of battle.

“Film-wise, they beat a lot of teams they play up front and we hope we can stand in there with them a little bit.”

The feeling is mutual for Simon. “Their offensive line is aggressive is tough, they’re hard-nosed players and well-coached. We’ll have to play well to have a chance.”

Both teams have size and experience. Bluefield’s defense is led by Lilly, who has 123 tackles and 594 in his four-year career for the Beavers, while Wayne is paced by Corey Gilkerson (112 tackles) and Huff Award candidate Chase Perry (6-2, 200).

These foes have one common opponent this season, that being Scott. Bluefield waxed the Skyhawks 36-8 on the turf at Charleston’s Laidley Field, while the Pioneers won 14-0 on a rainy night on their home field.

“The weather conditions were awful at Wayne,” Simon said. “It rained and poured and it was muddy. You can’t move the ball, you can’t really get a feel on that, that has nothing to do with it.”

Weather could also play a role tonight. While the normal cold weather awaits the teams, there is also a 20 percent chance of rain or snow, along with some strong winds.

However, Simon said that weather won’t matter on a facility that added turf in 2004.

“Whatever happens both teams have got to play in it so we’re OK with that,” Simon said. “The good thing now about Wheeling is it is field turf.

“In years past you had just a grass field and the weather could dictate a lot of things, but not anymore.”

There’s little doubt both teams enter with confidence, having combined for 24 wins, including 21 in a row. Bluefield will play the top-seeded Pioneers after already winning at No. 3 Sherman and No. 2 Magnolia.

“That helps, but when you get in the playoffs everybody is undefeated,” Simon said. “That’s how I look at it, everybody is undefeated. Everybody has a chance. You don’t look at other teams’ records, you just take care of business.”

They’ve been doing just that since 1959. While the coaching, players and tradition has played a role in that success, Simon points to a higher power when speaking of the Beavers, who are seeking their 10th state title on the anniversary of their first championship 50 years ago.

“We’re thankful for what God has done for us, done for me and done for our players,” Simon said. “I don’t think there is anything else to say, that is the way I feel. Without Him I don’t think we could be here. That’s just the way I feel.”

—Contact Brian Woodson

at bwoodson@bdtonline.com

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