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WELLSBURG -- For the 53rd time, Weir High and Brooke are set to clash on the gridiron Friday night -- and this time with a lot on the line for both teams.
The annual clash between rivals from schools separated by less than 10 miles kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at Brooke Memorial Stadium.
Different from the last few meetings, both team's are in playoff contention this go around and need a win to stay that way.
The Red Riders (6-3) sit in a slightly better position at 16th, the final playoff spot, in the Class AA rankings, but Friday is their last chance to add to their point total as they have a bye in Week 11. The Bruins (4-4), meanwhile, sit at No. 20 in Class AAA, needing to leapfrog a few teams to make it with two more games, including Friday, left to score playoff points.
"It's always a big game for both communities, going all the way back to 1969," Weir High head coach Frank Sisinni, who is a Brooke alum, said. "Anytime you get two schools with such a close proximity -- the Brooke-Hancock County line runs right through the City of Weirton -- the kids truly are neighbors and know each other.
"It's a rivalry that's been exciting to watch throughout the years. This one has something a little extra, though, because there's some added importance to it this year (playoff implications) that both schools haven't seen in a while.
"It's a typical, as they call it, backyard brawl with two teams that are hungry to get into the playoffs. Both teams are alive in the races and it probably hasn't been that way in a few years, so it's exciting for the communities, schools, fans and everyone involved with the football programs on both sides."
The added importance is not lost on the Brooke side, either.
"It's a high-stakes football game, that's for sure," Brooke head coach Mac McLean said. "It's a lot of pressure on guys like me and coach Sisinni, but this is where you want to be in the ninth game of the season, playing with a lot on the line. It should be a very good game. (The playoff implications) add a new wrinkle, especially for us with our struggles as of late. To be at this point and still have an opportunity to make the post season is exciting.
"I'm sure the team that wins on Friday night is going to have a little extra grin on their faces because the other team might end up staying home because of this game. Everything is on the line Friday night."
With the added implications on top of the rivalry, not getting caught up in the emotion is going to be key for the Red Riders, who are looking to extend a five-game win streak in the series.
"We're trying to keep an even keel throughout the process," Sisinni said. "You try to keep the routine, you try to make it where it's not too over-hyped. When you look at the whole basis of the season, we've been in playoff mode the last few games. We're just telling the kids not to get too high or too low, just stay even keel throughout the process and play our game. We're excited for the opportunity to go play at Brooke in a big game.
"We've had some success in recent years (against Brooke), but you don't have to look any further than last year to see anything can happen in this game. We were out of the playoff race and they were in a scenario trying to make the playoffs, and we came out and played really well and won. These kind of games, it doesn't really matter what happened last year or what the records are, it's year-to-year."
As for what the Red Riders bring to the table, McLean knows the first thing his group will have to figure out is a Weir defense that allows just 18.6 points per game.
"They're a very typical Red Riders team in that they are aggressive on defense, they're physical and well-coached," McLean said. "They won't back down from anyone. Through the years, Weir defenses have been defenses that try to smother things before they get started, so they send a lot pressure -- off the edges and up the middle. In years past our inability to handle that pressure has cost us, so we have to figure out how to deal with it."
That Weir defense will be facing a Brooke offense that averages 20.1 points but showed signs of getting back to early season form with its starting quarterback back in the mix.
"They're trying to find an identity at quarterback since the injury to (Braelyn Sperringer)," Sisinni said. "They've got some athletes that real-good in space. (Anthony) Bachinski is talented, Gavin Moore is an athlete, (Gus) Gilbert is a good athlete, (Jace) Campinelli can run, so they're a team that can the ball and they get creative with screens and way to get their athletes the ball in space.
"We know we have to contain Sperringer and he's healthy now. Seeing how they played against Wheeling Park in the first half is concerning, they were hanging with a really good team. And, we know they're going to be hungry for a win coming off back-to-back losses in hard, AAA games."
The Red Rider offense, which averages 27.1 points, is led by the ground attack of Jamari Hubbard-Bass, Corey Lyons and company.
"They have a good running game," McLean said. "They have a good offensive line and they have several running backs that can beat you, and in the absence of their quarterback (Malachi Stromile) they were able to throw the ball when they needed to against East Liverpool. Job No. 1 is going to be stopping that stable of ball carriers, but we can't fall asleep on the pass because they'll lull you to sleep and pop one over the top on you. The main focus has to be the run, but we have to be ready for the pass, too."
Being back in the playoff conversation is exciting for both teams. Weir is looking for its first trip to the post season since the 2018 team went to the state semifinals.
"We are at No. 16 and are definitely making progress in certain areas of the program," Sisinni said. "This one would be a program win for us, getting us back to seven wins and possibly a playoff spot. For us to go down on the road in a tough place to play, it's going to be a lot like a playoff game."
The Bruins, meanwhile, are not just looking for their first playoff berth since 2015, they're also looking for their first win against the Red Riders since 2016.
"I think it would be great for the team, the school and the community to get off the schneid in this game," McLean said. "I coached at St. Clairsville for a long time and they had a long losing streak against Bellaire. I remember what that was like, what the day we overcame it was like when we put one back in the win column and how good it felt.
"Hopefully about 10:30 or 11 on Friday night we'll be able to have that feeling again at Brooke."