Photo by Cody Tomer Wheeling Central’s Luke Duplaga (63) makes a tackle against Portsmouth West, while Payton Marling, right, and a slew of defenders assist on the play. Central looks to advance to the state championship if it can earn a win on Friday.

WHEELING–Since the 2000 high school football season Wheeling Central has captured a whopping nine West Virginia Class A state championships.

Meanwhile, Coach Bobby Burnside and his Doddridge County team has never been to the winner’s circle, in fact the Bulldogs had never even advanced to a state semifinal before beating Cameron by a 27-0 count last week.

That will all change Friday night at 7:30 p.m. on Bishop Schmitt Field on the campus of Wheeling Jesuit University when unbeaten Doddridge County (12-0), the new kid on the block, takes on perennial power and defending state champion Wheeling Central (11-1) with a trip to Wheeling Island Stadium and the 2018 state championship game on the line next week.

The Maroon Knights are playing some of their best football since the return of junior quarterback Curtis McGhee two weeks ago. Last week McGhee helped his team get a measure of revenge with a cherished 40-19 victory over Magnolia, the only team that had defeated Central this season.

“The kids are doing a good job and we have weathered a few storms along the way,” Young said. “It has been an uphill battle at times but through injury and some adversity these kids have continued to fight.

“This team has so much chemistry together and most of them have been playing as a team since Junior High. Curtis coming back like he has is also an inspiration for his teammates. There is just so much character on this team and these kids want to do this for their teammates as well as themselves.

“We also couldn’t do this without the coaching staff that we have. These guys are bound and determined to go out and put points on the scoreboard all the while stopping the best that the other team puts out there.”

Led by junior running back Hunter America and a stifling defense, the Bulldogs shut down one of the best small-school offenses in the state in blanking the Dragons in Glenville a week ago.

“Cameron was a good football team and I felt like we got an outstanding effort from our kids last week,” Burnside admitted. “We made some mistakes like penalties and fumbles, but I am proud of our young men and how they handled things.

“The school, kids and community are very excited about what’s going on here, especially with it being the last year of our old stadium and one of the best seasons we have had.

“This whole thing is very special to us. We are in the final four with a chance to play the defending state champions with a trip to the Super Six on the line. Last year we started 0-2, won our last eight games and played our guts out in the first round against a St. Marys team that went to the finals.

“Something that was still on the kid’s minds this year and it helped them work harder and harder week-in and week-out to prepare for where we are now.”

McGhee had racked up some pretty impressive numbers through seven-plus games during the regular season before a shoulder injury sidelined him for the final two contests. Since returning all the junior standout has done is complete 30-of-50 passes for 510 yards and seven touchdowns while rushing for 96 yards and another score.

For the season McGhee has competed 98-of-157 tosses for 1,686 yards, 26 touchdowns and just two interceptions while rushing for 591 more and nine scores.

It was the usual cast of characters in the passing game against the Blue Eagles last week with Anthony Robbins catching four passes for 120 yards, Bray Price eight for 72 and a score and Jalen Creighton adding three for 44 and another score.

While McGhee is the team’s leading rusher he gets plenty of support from a group that includes Jordan Waterhouse, Adam Murray, Payton Marling and Price.

The Maroon Knights were also the beneficiary of three defensive touchdowns in last week’s victory with Luke Duplaga scoring on a pair of scoop-and-scores and Creighton adding an interception return for six.

“Without doubt Wheeling Central is just a great football team,” Burnside added. “They are very well coached, they are very athletic and nothing they have done is a fluke.

“They play a very challenging schedule and for them to have the success they have with the teams they play is very impressive.

If the Dragons did anything right last week, they were able to keep America out of the end zone, something that hasn’t happened very often with the junior dandy scoring 40 touchdowns on the season. However, he did manage 208 yards on 30 carries, well below his averages.

All America has done this season is carry the ball 273 times for 2,715 yards and the 40 scores. When the Bulldogs do look to put the ball in the air it is quarterback Tanner Lett, who is 49-of-75 for 1,144 and 15 touchdowns on the season.

Griffin Devericks is Doddridge County’s leading receiver with 29 grabs for 785 yards and nine touchdowns but did not have a catch last week. Devericks did, however, return an interception 17 yards for a score. Austin Kelley had a 39-yard touchdown catch from Lett.

The Bulldogs’ defense limited Cameron to just 150 total yards of offense, including holding 2,000-yard-plus rusher Andrew Ritchea to just 44 yards on 14 tries. They also forced four Dragons’ turnovers that made a huge difference. While Doddridge entered that contest as the state’s highest scoring small-school offense Cameron was second.

“Hunter America runs very hard and we know we are going to have to key on him, but at the same time they have a quarterback with a good arm and a fullback that runs the dive very well,” Young commented. “They are going to be a challenge for us.

“This is something that we have had circled on our calendar since August, which we always do, and it has come to fruition to get this far. With the injuries and everything we have dealt with I am very happy to be here. These kids are so competitive, and their heart and emotion has carried us through 12 games and hopefully we have a couple of more in us.”

The teams had two common opponents this season with both beating Tyler Consolidated and Williamstown. The Bulldogs beat the Silver Knights 62-43 and Williamstown 14-7. Meanwhile, Central defeated Tyler Consolidated by a 61-30 margin and blanked the Yellowjackets 33-0 in their season opener.