After a full week of homecoming festivities, Friday was the penultimate event with Wheeling Central’s homecoming dance tomorrow.

“It’s a great week for the kids,” Wheeling Central head coach Mike Young said. “A lot of school spirit, a lot of tradition here, not just football, but our whole homecoming week has been great. From our administration to our coaches, to our players, to our cheerleaders, everybody in our family. We had a great time celebrating. We had a great time having the events that we had all week long. Very festive and a lot of tradition.”

Wheeling Central dominated on the ground Friday, totalling 258 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Especially noticeable was the Maroon’s performance in the red zone, where Kade Koroneos ran for four touchdowns behind a crushing effort from Central’s offensive line, who got plenty of push all night.

“Our blocking, starting with Troy Mortakis, Luke Wear, Carver Bolon, Dom Paesani, and of course Cooper Jones now in for Trent Lander, kids did a super job. Max Olejasz and Joey Hall did a super job of blocking on the outside. We may have lost a kid with Seth Wodusky, he had a knee injury, we’re gonna check that out, but he’s done a super job for us. And Kade will tell you that’s what makes it all go.”

Koroneos finished with 130 rushing yards and four scores. Wheeling pulled their starters after the third quarter, ahead 48-12.

Koroneos had five total touchdowns on the day– he hoofed an interception return 35 yards to the end zone– while Troy Mortakis caught an eight-yard touchdown pass in the final seconds of the third quarter.

Koroneos scored two touchdowns, one of four yards and one of six yards, in the first quarter to put Central ahead 14-0. Brashear’s Gerard Williams caught a back-shoulder pass for a 12-yard touchdown to cut Central’s lead to eight, 14-6, but Koroneos broke the plan from five yards and six yards out in the second quarter, as well as recording his pick-six, to put Wheeling Central up 35-6 at halftime.

Eli Czapp (nine rushes, 61 yards) burst for a 29-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, and Mortakis snagged his touchdown pass in the third quarter to stack up the score.

Central quarterback Nico Kusic finished with 171 passing yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 70 yards. His top target was Mortakis, who had four catches for 73 yards and six points.

“The leadership of Nico and how he’s matured, all the above, Nico has been very good. I’m very pleased with everyone’s development,” Young said.

Mortakis also had three sacks in the game on defense.

Wheeling Central lost two fumbles on Friday.

The Maroon Knights were second in this week’s W.Va. Class A Playoff Ratings, and with Friday’s outcome, Wheeling Central has a good chance of hosting playoff football after their bye next week.

“We got two weeks to get ready for playoffs, two weeks to get ready to take on our first opponent,” Young said. “We’re looking forward to a home game for that and just make it a great week of celebration, topping her off with the dance tomorrow night.”

Central’s Erin Maxwell was named Homecoming Queen at halftime.