A pair of stalwart defensive efforts came forth on Friday night in two state high school football semifinal games as Class A No. 1-seeded Madonna (13-0) defeated Wheeling Central (9-4) by an 18-7 score and in Class AA, No. 6 Bluefield (11-2) took the 232-mile trip to New Martinsville and earned a 13-10 upset of No. 2 Magnolia (12-1).

At Weirton's Jimmy Carey Stadium, the Blue Dons earned their second consecutive Class A championship game berth by holding the Maroon Knights to one third-down conversion through three quarters and intercepting a pass in the waning moments.

This is the second consecutive year Wheeling Central will not be playing in the Class A title game, marking the first time since 1998-99 that has happened.

This is also the first time since 1999 that Wheeling Central and Williamstown are shut out of the Super Six.

Madonna has seven shutouts this season and Wheeling Central was held to its lowest single-game point total of the season.

Class AA

The Beavers -- who have the best playoff winning percentage of any active high school program -- are returning to the Super Six for the first time since 2007 when they completed an undefeated season with the Class AA title.

It was the Bluefield defense that stepped up against Magnolia, which has scored more than 50 points five times this season.