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Wheeling Central Overpowers Linsly

McGhee Throws 5 TDs; Robbins adds 3 scores, 2 Interceptions

Photo by Alex Kozlowski Wheeling Central’s Curtis McGhee III (11) tries to escape Stephen Snyder’s grasp during Saturday’s game at Bishop Schmitt Field.

WHEELING–Wheeling Central football coach Mike Young said it felt like Christmas morning on Saturday as he was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.

Just a few hours later, his Maroon Knights gave him the greatest present of all in the form of a 31-14 triumph over visiting rival Linsly at Bishop Schmitt Field.

A week after taking a powerful W. Va. Class AAA Morgantown team to overtime, Linsly could not slow down a physical and explosive Central attack.

“Linsly is a very solid team,” Young said. “They have a lot of size but we felt that we could out-skill them in some areas and we did.

“I’m proud of how our coaches coached and how our kids responded to it. We executed our schemes well.”

On defense, the Knights conquered the line of scrimmage as Vinnie Mangino constantly got into the backfield forcing Linsly quarterback Wyatt Hirt into three interceptions, including two by Anthony Robbins.

Robbins also made his presence felt on offense by hauling in three touchdown grabs from quarterback Curtis McGhee, who accounted for five touchdown passes in the win.

“Robbins and McGhee have both come a long way,” Young said. “They are very competitive, they don’t want to lose and they show it.

“They are competitors from the word ‘go’ and it’s in their blood. I’m just awfully proud of them and happy for them. They played their tails off.”

Linsly was without its top receiver and on-the-field leader, Jules Giovengo, who suffered a dislocated elbow in last week’s overtime loss at Morgantown.

“It certainly makes a difference,” Linsly coach B.J. Depew said.

“He is a great football player and an emotional leader for us.

“When you lose a key senior captain like that, it has an impact but we have capable kids on this team and we felt good about the next man stepping in.”

When the Cadets did seem to get steady drives together against the Knights, they often harmed themselves via penalties.

Linsly committed 15 penalties for 130 yards.

“Critical penalties in key moments are drive killers,” Depew said. “A combination of things kept us from moving the ball in the first half and those are things we have to correct.”

Both teams swapped punts on their opening drives but Central struck first as it drove 65 yards in nearly three minutes and McGhee connected with Robbins for a 34-yard score.

On Linsly’s ensuing possession, a pair of false start penalties and a holding call forced a punt, which didn’t make it past midfield.

McGhee and company didn’t waste any time in taking advantage of the favorable field position as he lofted a 35-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the drive to Bray Price, who made a diving catch to extend the lead to 13-0 early in the second.

Following a Linsly punt that was downed at the 5-yard line, McGhee orchestrated a 95-yard drive that lasted over five minutes.

After Price hauled in a one-handed screen pass for 26 yards and a 21-yard scamper from McGhee, a fumble put the drive in jeopardy at the 2-yard marker.

Luke Duplaga saved the day as he pounced on the loose ball, setting up a sensational touchdown grab by Robbins, who went up and over a defender to secure the ball.

Linsly strung together an impressive drive before halftime but Duplaga came up big again with a diving interception at the goal line with only six seconds to go in the half to keep the Cadets scoreless.

“Duplaga is a defensive wizard and sometimes he works with the secondary,” Young said with a laugh. “He just did a great job and I’m really proud of him.”

The Cadets regrouped at the half and scored on its first possession of the third.

Hunter Kelley delivered a successful fake punt on his own 26 as he found Kobe Hill for 26 yards and a first down, which later led to a 2-yard TD burst from Hirt, the first touchdown allowed by the Central defense all season.

Hirt finished with 181 yards passing.

The momentum continued to grow when Eli Petho got Linsly within 19-14 with a 3-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.

“It was gut-check time at halftime,” Depew said. “We weren’t playing our best in the first half and Central was playing really well. I give them a lot of credit.

“We knew if we could rally and get some momentum we could have success but after a couple of mistakes and penalties, the momentum was back on their sidelines. You can’t do that in big games against a good team.”

The momentum did shift as McGhee went on to lead two more scoring drives, culminating in touchdown passes to Payton Marling and Robbins from 19 and 27 yards, respectively.

Robbins collected his second pick with 1:45 to go to secure the victory.

McGhee tallied 150 yards through the air and 71 on the ground to lead the charge.

“I’m just very happy,” Young said. “It’s a great day to be a Knight. I feel blessed that I have the opportunity to work with great people, boosters, kids and parents.

“I just happen to be the guy to come along and keep it going.”

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