Super Six notebook: Past Trips Not Always an Edge
Friday, December 1, 2006
Provided By - The Charleston Gazette

Don’t try telling Wayne coach Tom Harmon that his team enjoys an advantage by making its third trip to the state finals in seven years against championship-game neophyte Tolsia.

He has evidence to the contrary.

Harmon, whose team lines up against its county rival in tonight’s Class AA game in Wheeling, remembers the disparity in performance from the Pioneers’ first two title-game trips — and it wasn’t in the order you’d assume.Wayne played a solid game in 2000, its first championship-game appearance, losing 14-6 to a Bridgeport squad that was in the midst of a 27-game winning streak. But four years later when the Pioneers came calling again, they were buried by a mountain of eight turnovers in a 69-24 loss to Bluefield.

“I’d like to think [the past finals trips] would help,’’ Harmon said, “but I’m afraid to say that the first time we went up there, we played really well and the second time, we made some mistakes. Now a lot of that was brought on by the opponent.

“But we have to understand that the two times we went up there, the experience [factor] didn’t help us and didn’t hurt us. I’m not sure it will make any difference to [Tolsia], either. I think that stuff is overrated. I think it’s more what kind of team you have. When you start looking for advantages, that’s one of the last places we pay attention.’’

Weather or not

After the major winter storm front blows through Wheeling today, temperatures are expected to drop for the Class AAA title game Saturday, but snow is not in the forecast.

After temperatures hovered near 70 in Wheeling Thursday evening, the forecast called for high winds and a temperature of 35 for the noon Saturday kickoff. Snow showers are expected tonight, but not Saturday.

Parkersburg coach Bernie Buttrey and his staff paid close attention to the forecast, but didn’t see it affecting their team’s performance. The Big Reds throw the ball, on average, only eight times a game compared to 19 for Martinsburg, their finals opponent.

“We’re checking that weather pretty closely,’’ Buttrey said earlier in the week. “We’ve had some nice weather the last couple weeks. Of course, with our style of football, the [threat of bad weather] doesn’t concern us too much, as long as it’s on turf and not in the mud. I don’t see that being a huge factor on us, playing in the cold weather.’’

Feeling welcomeTolsia is the only outsider for this year’s Super Six, as each of the other five schools have played in the state finals at least three times since 2000. But that doesn’t mean the Rebels won’t feel welcome on the Island.

Coach Drew Waller and his squad left Thursday in order to take part in all the festivities that come with getting to the championship — including banquets and a trip to the massive Cabella’s outdoors store outside Wheeling.

“We told our kids we wanted them to have the experience of playing in the finals,’’ Waller said. “I’ve talked to some other teams who went up there, played and just turned around and went home. But to me, that’s not what [The Super Six] is all about. We want to make sure our kids experience it all.“A lot of our kids hunt and fish, so they’re excited about going to Cabela’s. We didn’t really know what to expect [about the trip] or how the [hotel] rooms worked or the dinners and so forth. We’re new in this whole process. But we told the kids we wanted to make it easy on them and have it all planned out. The only thing they have to worry about is playing the football game.’’

Will Williamstown do it?

Williamstown’s regular-season winning streak, safe for another year, keeps on climbing. The Yellowjackets have strung together 56 straight regular-season victories, but have yet to take home a Class A title.

Does that work in their favor for Saturday’s showdown with No. 1 Wheeling Central? Yes, said Central coach Mike Young.

“I think it’s to their advantage,’’ Young said. “They’re a very hungry group. I think they’ll be very aggressive and pumped.’’

Williamstown has reached the title game now three times in four years, but has lost previous games to Moorefield (2003) and Central (2005).

The challenge is just as tough this year. Ten of Central’s 13 wins have come by margins of at least 25 points.

“Wheeling Central’s just remarkable,’’ said Yellowjackets coach Terry Smith. “We won’t have anything to lose because we’re the underdog. We’re going to have to play perfect and hopefully our defense can coax some turnovers out of them. We’re used to being the hunted. Now, we’re the hunter.’’

Smith, however, doesn’t think Williamstown is desperate for a title victory to validate its long win streak.“We’re not going to go jump off a bridge if we don’t,’’ he said.

Fuhgedaboudit!

Most of Parkersburg’s key players are used on both offense and defense, so junior Andy Thomas said they have to carry selective memories.Thomas, a quarterback/defensive back, recalled one such moment from the Big Reds’ 42-14 semifinal win over Morgantown. Mohigans quarterback Charlie Russell had just lofted a 42-yard touchdown pass to Derek Long with 13 seconds left before halftime to cut the lead to 20-14.

“P.J. [Polsley] was the one victimized by Charlie Russell, I guess you could say,’’ Thomas said, “but there’s no one else who can run around like that and just heave the ball down into the end zone like he did. That was a big play at the time because we told each to be smart and not give up any points going into the half.

“We all just told P.J. that the most important play of the game is the next play. That’s what our coaches preach to us — preach, preach — all the time.’’

It didn’t take Polsley long to recover. On PHS’ drive to start the third quarter, Thomas threw deep to Polsley, who outwrestled Josh Davis for the ball and a 31-yard gain to the Morgantown 4. The Big Reds scored three plays later, took a 28-14 lead and cruised home.

“After P.J. caught that flag route down there,’’ Thomas said, “we got back in the huddle and I said, ‘OK, everyone, tell P.J. what the most important play is.’ So you know it was a big play that we gave up, but it didn’t matter in the end.’’

Quick kicks

• Network West Virginia (Channel 2 on most Suddenlink cable systems) will air the Super Six games on tape delay — AA at 7 p.m. Saturday, A at 3 p.m. Sunday and AAA Sunday night at 7.
• Kicking edge: Parkersburg’s Tyler Warner has booted seven field goals and averages 36.4 yards per punt. Martinsburg’s Cameron Shelton has one field goal and a 27.2 punting average.
• Martinsburg senior defensive back Xavier Peters has intercepted a dozen passes.