High School Sports

Knights Pocket Needed Victory

PETERSBURG -- Wheeling Central went into Friday night's game simply trying to control what it could control.

With the possibility of Ohio County turning red on the COVID-19 map and playoff implications on the line, No. 18 Wheeling Central ignored the distractions and rolled to a 49-13 victory over No. 11 Petersburg.

The victory will likely move the Maroon Knights into a postseason spot.

"We'll just have to wait and see what (Saturday) brings us," Central coach Mike Young said of the final playoff ratings. "(Friday), our kids played well. Everyone stepped up. Michael Toepfer threw the ball well, Jordan Waterhouse ran really well, Payton Marling had a few nice runs, our line blocked well and our defense did a great job. They all played really hard."

Wheeling Central kicked off the scoring first when Toepfer found Marling for a 53-yard TD strike less than 4 minutes into the game.

The Knights fed the hot hand of Marling later in the first and he dashed 29 yards to pay dirt for a 14-0 upperhand.

Marling added a 57-yard TD scamper in the second and Toepfer collected two more touchdown passes to Caleb Ratcliffe and Vinny High as the Knights led 35-7 at halftime.

Jordan Waterhouse and Lorenzo Ferrera added TD runs of 3 and 67 yards, respectively, in the second half to complete the Central triumph.

Toepfer threw for 178 yards on 6 of 9 passing, while Marling led the rushing attack with 167 yards on eight carries. Braxton Anderson delivered 74 yards on only three carries, while Ferrera needed just two touches to rumble 72 yards.

NOTE

The WVSSAC announced Friday that the top 16 teams at season's end will in fact be included in the playoff brackets regardless of their counties being red or orange on today's COVID map.

Any county in red or orange on the map must enter green, yellow or gold before their playoff game.

If they do not return to green, yellow or gold by game time, they will have the option to play Sunday at 1:30 p.m. after next Saturday's COVID map is released.

If the school's county is still red or orange at that point, they will forfeit and their opponent will advance to the next round.

Wheeling Central 49, Petersburg 13

Wheeling Central 14 21 7 7 -- 49

Petersburg 0 7 6 0 -- 13

W -- Marling 53 pass from Toepfer (Tucker kick), 8:18

W -- Marling 29 run (Tucker kick), 3:39

W -- Ratcliffe 33 pass from Toepfer (Tucker kick), 10:43

P -- Moomau 64 pass from Nuzum (VanMeter kick), 9:54

W -- High 43 pass from Toepfer (Tucker kick), 8:54

W -- Marling 57 run (Tucker kick), 4:45

W -- Waterhouse 3 run (Tucker kick), 9:21

P -- Sindledecker 6 run (Pass failed), 5:50

W -- Ferrera 67 run (Tucker kick), 3:00

Rushing: Wheeling Central 33-413-4td (Ferrera 2-72-td, Waterhouse 8-62-td, Anderson 3-74, Walsh 1-9, Marling 8-167-2td, Toepfer 2-(-14), Watkins 9-43).

Passing: Wheeling Central 6-9-178-3td (all by Toepfer).

Receiving: Wheeling Central 6-178-3td (Waterhouse 1-9, Marling 1-53-td, High 2-61-td, Ratcliffe 2-55-td).