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Playoffs Begin Friday in Princeton for Wheeling Park

PRINCETON — November 10 is the first day of the West Virginia state football playoffs. However for Wheeling Park, its playoffs start Friday.

The Patriots, coming off a bye week, sit at 3-4 and have a giant task at hand: win out. The Patriots are on a two-game losing streak, most recently a 28-3 setback to Morgantown two weeks ago.

ìYeah, no doubt about it,î Wheeling Park coach Chris Daugherty said when asked if they are treating every week like the playoffs. ìWe have to win out to have any chance of the playoffs. Every Friday is going to be a playoff game for us.î

Wheeling Park saw the bittersweet part of being on a bye week. It were able to take a week to get healthy and watch more film, however, the boys were ready to play some ball.

“Bye weeks are good and bad,î Daugherty said. ìYou are always banged up a little at this point. You get a week to watch film and on the flip side, everyone hates standing around. Everyone wants to play. But it was a good week and we are ready to get after it now.î

The run to a possible playoff berth begins Friday in Princeton. Wheeling Park has defeated the Tigers two straight, including a 28-14 victory last year. In 2015, it made the more than four-hour trek and came home with a 52-16 win.

Princeton has had its struggles this year . The Tigersí only victory came Oct. 6 when they defeated Oak Hill, 49-14. Last week, they fell to James Monroe, 56-14.

ìTheir quarterback is very athletic and they like the run-option,î Daugherty said. ìThey are going to run the football and not throw very much. The QB is going to carry the predominant workload.î

Daugherty is talking about Devon Sibley. The Tigers signal caller was one of the key components in the victory against Oak Hill. Sibley ran for 201 yards for three touchdowns on 12 attempts. His longest scoring run of that night was a 91-yarder. Ranson Graham might be another player that Park will keep its eyes on. The running back also found the end zone multiple times in their lone victory as he tallied 95 yards and two scores on 12 tries.

In the Tigers most recent outing, Sibley was held to 35 yards on nine attempts while Graham had 21 on the same number of carries.

As for Park, it struggled to find the end zone in the loss to Morgantown. The Patriots were held to a season-low three points.

Quarterback Cross Wilkinson leads the valley big schools in passing as he has thrown for 1,623 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions. In the backfield, the dynamic duo of Rennie Clark and Donnie Evans should give the Tigers something to chalk up. Clark has compiled 613 yards and five touchdowns on 90 attempts while Evans has 601 and eight scores on 101 carries.

Nate Phillips leads the receiving core as he has hauled in 35 receptions for 568 yards and five touchdowns. He missed the Morgantown game with an injury.

“We have to execute,” Daugherty said. “We played good defense the week of Morgantown. Offensively, we had some good nights. We will have to control the line of scrimmage and we hope to come home with a win.”

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