Take two: Nitro, Morgantown reprise classic 1998 title game:
Saturday, December 3, 2005
By Rick Ryan - The Charleston Gazette
WHEELING — When Nitro and Morgantown met for the Class AAA state title in 1998, it resulted in the Wildcats’ incomparable 69-52 victory that set or tied 33 state, national or Super Six championship game records.
Well, the same two teams get a chance to scratch that seven-year itch again today when they tangle for another championship at 10,200-seat Wheeling Island Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon.
“You always have a special feeling when you’re going to a state championship game,’’ said Nitro coach Scott Tinsley. “When we accomplished it in ’98, it was a feat no one was sure we’d ever be able to do again at Nitro. After all, they’d never been there before.’’
The chances of an offensive showcase are strong, since both sides can put up yards and points, even if no one expects the score to approach their previous Super Six shootout. Nitro averages 39.7 points and 440 yards, while the Mohigans average 40.5 points and 398.9 yards.
Some of the state’s top players also take the stage today, most of them for the final time in their prep careers.
For third-seeded Nitro (12-1), senior running back Josh Culbertson and senior wide receiver Chris Fulmer head the list. Each has broken several state single-season and career records.
For top-seeded Morgantown (13-0), senior fullback-linebacker Maxwell Anderson, senior tackle Adam Brandt and junior quarterback Charlie Russell are the standouts. Brandt is regarded as a leading candidate for the Hunt Award as the state’s best lineman.
Mohigans coach John Bowers pointed out that for several of his seniors, this marks their third trip to Wheeling for the state finals. Morgantown won titles in 2002 and 2004. In addition, the Mohigans play Wheeling Park every other year at Island Stadium.
“I think there’s some familiarity with these kids who have been up there,’’ Bowers said. “They’ve been through what it’s all about, and they know what a great job Wheeling does holding the event.’’
Morgantown, toting a 27-game winning streak, seeks its fourth championship in six years and its fifth overall.
The Mohigans rely on their offensive and defensive lines to control the game. They average 276.5 yards rushing per game and limit the opposition to 93.3.
“Definitely, the size [advantage] goes to Morgantown,’’ said Woodrow Wilson coach John H. Lilly. “Without a doubt, they’re big and strong and they’re going to have a huge size advantage. But if they underestimate Nitro’s line, they’ll make a very, very big mistake. A fatal mistake. Because they’re a lot better than they look on paper.’’
Nitro’s smallish offensive line features 305-pound junior Chad Snodgrass, but the other five players the Wildcats use average about 210 pounds, considered puny in AAA ranks.
The Wildcats specialize in quick-hitting plays to spring Culbertson, who has run for 3,366 yards and 44 touchdowns this season. Seventeen of his scoring runs have covered at least 35 yards.
“[Tinsley] takes advantage of what you give him,’’ said Lilly, whose team was ranked No. 1 most of the season until an Oct. 28 loss at Nitro.
“If you pull one [defender] out of the box to stop Fulmer, they run it down your throat. If you add one in the box to try and stop Culbertson, Fulmer eats you up. Parkersburg and Beckley both learned that lesson. They put you in a tough spot, they really do, and they execute very well.’’
Bowers has watched a lot of game tapes on the Wildcats and said his team won’t be taken by surprise by Nitro’s smaller, lighter linemen or the Wildcats’ unusual 3-5-3 defensive alignment, in which no players assume a traditional three-point stance.
“A lot of things they do are unconventional,’’ Bowers said, “like lining up in a two-point stance. On offense, you don’t think they’re moving anybody, then you look at the film and they’ve got guys blocking all over the place — the receivers block, the other Culbertson [fullback Jon] blocks, the [Gideon] Casto kid, Snodgrass, they’re all blocking.
“The key to the whole deal is that team plays so hard. They block hard and Culbertson runs hard. To go along with their talent, they have successful effort doing it. It’s one thing to have talent and half-rear-end your way around. I don’t think Coach Tinsley allows them to do that. If they do it, they go full bore. They believe in their system, just like ours do in our style. That’s why both teams are so successful.’’
Culbertson couldn’t think of a better way to culminate his celebrated career, which is expected to end later this month with the Kennedy Award as the state’s top player.
“This is great,’’ he said. “We’ve worked for this since football season was over last year. We ran in the summer, hit the weight program and it’s paying off. We’re really excited. It’s going to be a dogfight, because [Morgantown] is a tough team and it’ll be a tough game. Hopefully, we’ll come out on top.’’
Today’s game will be televised live to Charter Communications cable subscribers and shown on Channel 22.
To contact staff writer Rick Ryan, use e-mail or call 348-5175.
Class AAA finals by the numbers
No. 1 Morgantown (13-0) vs. No. 3 Nitro (12-1)
· Rushing — Morgantown: Maxwell Anderson 151 carries, 1,066 yards, 15 touchdowns; Justin Blankenship 106-954-11, Derek Long 57-624-6, Levi Johnson 35-307-6; Nitro: Josh Culbertson 318-3,366-44, Chris Kirkpatrick 43-207-2
· Passing — Morgantown: Charlie Russell 81-158, 8 interceptions, 1,591 yards, 16 TDs; Nitro: Michael Scott 123-182-7-2,154, 24 TDs
· Receiving — Morgantown: Derek Long 18-412-5, Junius Lewis 11-332-3, Andrew Saab 12-240-2, J.T. Lewis 16-218-1; Nitro: Chris Fulmer 82-1,499-17, Gideon Casto 14-306-3, Jon Culbertson 15-207-2
