Winds of change for Martinsburg
Saturday, December 2, 2006
By RICK KOZLOWSKI - The Journal

WHEELING — The wind blew in fierce and hard Friday to this Super Six city, bringing about a drastic change in the weather – from spring-like to more typical December temperatures.

Martinsburg is hoping for some winds of change in today’s Class AAA championship game.

The Bulldogs, making their fourth appearance in the title contest in six years, have never won.

Martinsburg hopes to change that fact when the Bulldogs take on undefeated Parkersburg in today’s noon final.

“If we play the way we want to play offense and defense, and we execute, I think there will be a change in history,” said Martinsburg quarterback Dustin Peters, the hood on his sweatshirt tied tightly around his face, allowing him just enough room to see.

The Bulldogs enter the game ranked second, carting a 12-1 record and a 10-game winning streak.

But talk about your changes:

Martinsburg players sat together, battling a brisk wind that earlier in the day brought a few snowflakes with it, on the home side of Wheeling Island Stadium for the Class AA championship game between Tolsia and Wayne and were not cheering for a team dressed in orange.

“They’re not representing our colors,” Martinsburg defensive back Xavier Peters said of Tolsia.

Then again, Wayne wore black, another part of the Bulldogs’ school colors, though accentuated with red.

But there the Bulldogs were, enjoying themselves despite a 25-degree windchill. They chanted “dee-fense,” and broke into choruses of the famous soccer song “Ole, ole, ole ...”

“That’s because this woman,” Peters said pointing to a lady dressed in a Wayne varsity jacket, “gave us this blanket so we can stay warm.”

Though a group of them wrapped in a couple of neutral “white” blankets, their excitement was a sign that the Bulldogs are loose and relaxed in anticipation of their day on center stage.

“All the fans here are getting us hyped, preparing us for tomorrow,” Peters said. “We’re getting into it.”

The team bused to Wheeling on Friday, stopping to practice at Morgantown High School on their journey.

“I think we’re ready,” Martinsburg coach David Walker said. “The kids have been focused and we’ve had a great week of practice.

“We’re as ready as we’re ever going to be.”

Dustin Peters came away pleased from the team’s walk-through session.

“We were really crisp,” he said. “We looked good.”

He was hopeful the wind would dissipate before today’s game.

The weather forecast called for a high temperature of 39 with decreasing winds.

But in watching Friday night’s game, Martinsburg’s players were adapting to the cool temperatures.

“If it’s like this, we should be all right,” defensive lineman Matt Porter said. “It was pretty cold with Jefferson – not like this. We’re used to it.”

The Bulldogs expect to win in a showdown of the top two ranked teams, a game that is also a rematch of Martinsburg’s first championship game experience in 2001.

“Our defense is great,” Porter said. “We have been fast, but haven’t played as a team, only two or three guys making plays.

“This year, everybody flies to the ball. We should be all right.”

In the cold, though, the Bulldogs were warming up to the Super Six environment, all the excitement that comes with it.

Then it would be on to business against the Big Reds today.

“We’re taking it home,” Martinsburg reserve Josh Bowers said of a possible state crown.