photo by: Nick Henthorn

The Wheeling Central Maroon Knights, pictured with their WVSSAC Class A-AA Region I championship plaque after defeating Williamstown 5-0 Wednesday on 16th Street Field in East Wheeling.

WHEELING — Oh what a difference 36 hours can make.

On Tuesday morning, the Wheeling Central Maroon Knights needed two wins to advance to the state tournament in Beckley. On Wednesday evening, in a steady, cold rain, the Maroon had punched their ticket.

After defeating Wood County Christian on Tuesday in a Class A-AA Region I semifinal, Wheeling Central returned to 16th Street Field in East Wheeling and prevailed over Williamstown 5-0 to clinch a regional championship and advance down state after a one-year absence.

“We played all year for this,” Wheeling Central head coach Brian Komorowski said. “The schedule was built to get to Beckley. I mean, we played a very hard schedule to play hard opponents, to get down there. We executed what we wanted to do.”

Luke Magruder scored twice in the game’s first 10 minutes, and JD Schoolcraft added a third goal in the 16th minute, booting the ball on an impressive slide after Mason Smith struck a sharp crosser very close to the goal.

Smith scored himself in the 24th minute, punching a goal into the back of the net after Williamstown’s keeper, perhaps influenced by the inclement weather, couldn’t handle a save on a long range shot, and instead deflected it right to Smith.

Schoolcraft scored again right before the half for a 5-0 game. There were no goals in a waterlogged second half, but Komorowski thought the weather didn’t effect his team before then.

“We came out fast,” Komorowski said. “The beginning of the game, it didn’t matter. We were fast in the first half. I think the second half, the weather really impacted the second half. It was a sloppy, sloppy second half. Neither team did anything. It was just, it wasn’t a really good second half by either team. So, yeah, the weather definitely impacted that part of the game.”

The 2025 State Tournament is set to take place Nov. 5-8 at the YMCA Kline Memorial Sports Complex in Beckley.

“This senior class, this was their second OVAC championship. This is their second time down state,” Komorowski said. “They’ve earned it. They’ve worked really, really hard to get to this. So it’s a great, great day for them.”