WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.700 --> 00:00:05.710 Sports fans, it's time for the Friday Free-for-All. Over the 2 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:08.310 next two hours, we'll bring you all the latest from 3 00:00:08.390 --> 00:00:11.230 across the region in high school and college sports. 4 00:00:11.589 --> 00:00:15.349 It took a long time to get the result from 5 00:00:15.390 --> 00:00:19.589 the most important game of Thursday night, but finally it happened, 6 00:00:20.089 --> 00:00:24.390 and wow, what a game between RCB and Fairmont. senior 7 00:00:24.510 --> 00:00:27.429 Alex Wieterspiel Michael Minnick it's the Friday free-for-all brought to 8 00:00:27.449 --> 00:00:30.769 you by Dan Cavatoda World and we are here we're 9 00:00:30.870 --> 00:00:34.500 back we're ready for week two Mike uh week one 10 00:00:34.520 --> 00:00:36.399 was fun I think week two is going to be 11 00:00:36.439 --> 00:00:38.780 more fun if the weather permits. 12 00:00:38.420 --> 00:00:40.759 It if the weather permits it but I think we 13 00:00:40.780 --> 00:00:43.000 got we got the appetizer well said that you mentioned 14 00:00:43.060 --> 00:00:46.579 I mean Robert C. Bird and Fairmount senior two teams 15 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:48.189 that I think have been that have been fighting for 16 00:00:48.229 --> 00:00:52.259 that number two spot in the The Birds got in 17 00:00:52.280 --> 00:00:54.840 the upper hand now, won a playoff game at East-West, 18 00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:56.659 and now come back and win on their home field 19 00:00:56.679 --> 00:00:57.200 in the regular. 20 00:00:57.039 --> 00:00:57.539 Season this year. 21 00:00:57.920 --> 00:01:00.799 Yeah, I mean, it is funny how this kind of 22 00:01:00.840 --> 00:01:05.980 goes in cycles, right? I think the kick return a 23 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:09.200 couple of years ago in the playoff game when Fairmont 24 00:01:09.219 --> 00:01:12.480 Senior was a 16th seed, that's one of those, like, 25 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:16.000 where were you sort of West Virginia high school football moments, obviously, 26 00:01:16.040 --> 00:01:17.870 and it was a playoff game. And I'm not saying 27 00:01:17.909 --> 00:01:20.030 what has happened in either of these last two games 28 00:01:20.090 --> 00:01:22.680 is more significant than what leads to ultimately winning a 29 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:26.400 state title like Fairmont Senior did that year. But there's 30 00:01:26.420 --> 00:01:28.739 got to be a little bit if you're RCB, if 31 00:01:28.760 --> 00:01:31.439 you're an RCB fan, if you're a lifer, you're feeling 32 00:01:31.480 --> 00:01:33.650 pretty good at the moment after back to back wins 33 00:01:33.689 --> 00:01:34.430 over this program. 34 00:01:34.750 --> 00:01:36.950 Well, especially the way that you won when you you 35 00:01:37.189 --> 00:01:40.599 you wanted to pass by your your. quarterback turned receiver 36 00:01:40.680 --> 00:01:44.739 turned quarterback again, Junior Smith to Isaiah Heflin. And I 37 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:46.420 think the other thing too, was it wasn't just like 38 00:01:46.439 --> 00:01:47.859 you threw it in the end zone and Heflin caught it, 39 00:01:47.859 --> 00:01:50.950 like Heflin caught it, beat a couple of guys and 40 00:01:50.969 --> 00:01:53.069 then went into the end zone after a long weather delay. 41 00:01:53.090 --> 00:01:54.569 I'm sure the legs were a little bit heavy at 42 00:01:54.609 --> 00:01:57.209 that point because he runs as well as throws it, 43 00:01:57.269 --> 00:02:00.469 plays defense. That's a long night for him, but it sure. 44 00:02:00.269 --> 00:02:00.829 Did end well. 45 00:02:02.129 --> 00:02:04.730 I think the extra rest will help. And we'll certainly 46 00:02:04.780 --> 00:02:06.500 talk more about that coming up with Bill Nestor on 47 00:02:06.519 --> 00:02:08.340 the other side of this break. We've got a great 48 00:02:08.419 --> 00:02:11.740 crew coming up today. All of our usuals are going 49 00:02:11.780 --> 00:02:14.090 to join us. Plus we've got a little bit of extra. 50 00:02:14.099 --> 00:02:15.729 So we're going to get to all the Harrison County schools. 51 00:02:16.370 --> 00:02:17.969 One thing I will note, we haven't talked as much 52 00:02:17.990 --> 00:02:20.330 about East Fairmont. We're not going to do it today. 53 00:02:20.710 --> 00:02:22.150 I promise we're going to get a little more East 54 00:02:22.189 --> 00:02:24.870 Fairmont conversation on the air coming in the next couple 55 00:02:24.889 --> 00:02:27.219 of weeks. It's just one of those things where we've 56 00:02:27.240 --> 00:02:30.759 been so packed early in the season that I that's 57 00:02:30.819 --> 00:02:32.740 on me and I will get us some East Fairmont 58 00:02:32.780 --> 00:02:36.250 football coming up soon. Mike, before we go to break, though, 59 00:02:36.710 --> 00:02:39.789 most intriguing thing that happened in week one for you. 60 00:02:40.129 --> 00:02:43.330 Most intriguing thing you're going to be watching for week two. 61 00:02:44.349 --> 00:02:45.810 I think the most intriguing thing for me in week 62 00:02:45.889 --> 00:02:48.650 one locally was was the job that Grafton did, even 63 00:02:48.669 --> 00:02:50.969 in a loss against Philip Barber to make that a game. 64 00:02:51.090 --> 00:02:52.469 I did not think that would be much of a game. 65 00:02:52.509 --> 00:02:53.949 I thought they would be able to compete for a 66 00:02:53.990 --> 00:02:56.310 half like they have in the past. I think Bobby 67 00:02:56.349 --> 00:02:57.889 Butler is going to get that program in the rise, 68 00:02:57.930 --> 00:03:00.680 but it happened faster than I expected. So now looking 69 00:03:00.699 --> 00:03:03.800 at this Grafton team and saying, what is their ceiling? 70 00:03:04.139 --> 00:03:05.439 I think this is a team that could be in 71 00:03:05.460 --> 00:03:07.379 the playoffs where things fall. Well, if they play like 72 00:03:07.400 --> 00:03:08.659 they did in week one. Yeah. 73 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:10.439 And it's going to be, and we'll talk with John 74 00:03:10.500 --> 00:03:13.289 board about this a little bit later. It's really going 75 00:03:13.310 --> 00:03:17.069 to be about how this team, how quickly this team 76 00:03:17.129 --> 00:03:19.750 figures out how to win football games, right? That's, That 77 00:03:19.810 --> 00:03:22.469 is the next step. So we will we will find 78 00:03:22.569 --> 00:03:25.590 out hopefully what John and what his viewpoint is on 79 00:03:25.610 --> 00:03:28.310 that and all of that coming up on an absolutely 80 00:03:28.509 --> 00:03:32.939 packed show today. South Harrison Lincoln, we'll talk about that. 81 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:36.419 Bridgeport Martinsburg, we'll talk about that. We will get to everything. 82 00:03:36.580 --> 00:03:38.580 And we've got a bonus segment coming up with Chris George, 83 00:03:39.099 --> 00:03:40.659 who will join us during the eight o'clock hour. But 84 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:42.909 he's going to spend even more time with us. during 85 00:03:43.050 --> 00:03:45.229 the nine o'clock hours. And don't you go anywhere. This 86 00:03:45.250 --> 00:03:46.750 is the Friday free for all brought to you by 87 00:03:47.030 --> 00:03:49.990 Dan Cabot to the world. He's Michael Minnick. I'm Alex Wiederspiel. 88 00:03:50.009 --> 00:03:50.710 We'll be right back. 89 00:03:52.530 --> 00:03:55.449 Time for more high school sports talk on the Dan Cabot, 90 00:03:55.469 --> 00:03:58.310 Toyota Buick, GMC Friday free for all. 91 00:03:59.780 --> 00:04:02.819 He is a little tired. I think that's to be expected. 92 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:07.139 He's going to have, I hope a restful weekend, a 93 00:04:07.199 --> 00:04:11.069 restful long weekend ahead of him. Bill Nestor is on 94 00:04:11.110 --> 00:04:15.289 the line with us right now to break down, which essentially, 95 00:04:15.629 --> 00:04:17.790 I want to use the term instant classic to talk 96 00:04:17.810 --> 00:04:20.350 about RCB Fairmont Senior, but I don't think anything with 97 00:04:20.370 --> 00:04:23.009 a two-hour lightning delay can be considered instant, right, Bill? 98 00:04:23.670 --> 00:04:26.389 Definitely not. I kept looking for something to eat, couldn't 99 00:04:26.410 --> 00:04:29.069 find anything up there. It just seemed like the two 100 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:30.310 hours took forever. 101 00:04:30.329 --> 00:04:31.639 It was unbelievable. 102 00:04:32.379 --> 00:04:35.040 The longest weather delay I've ever been a part of, 103 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:37.980 and it just seemed like it was a gift that 104 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:38.720 kept on giving. 105 00:04:39.990 --> 00:04:43.290 Couldn't Uber eat something to the press box? They weren't 106 00:04:43.350 --> 00:04:44.810 delivering in the lightning storm? 107 00:04:45.329 --> 00:04:48.230 Mike, it's so funny that you mention that. Someone, I 108 00:04:48.250 --> 00:04:52.209 think it was Mr. Frazier, Zach's dad, who does caller 109 00:04:52.269 --> 00:04:55.360 for Fairmont Senior, had mentioned that. And I thought, why 110 00:04:55.379 --> 00:04:57.639 didn't you mention that about an hour and a half earlier? 111 00:04:57.899 --> 00:05:00.079 But he waited until about five minutes before we came 112 00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:02.639 back on to make that suggestion. 113 00:05:04.100 --> 00:05:05.899 It's a good idea. I don't know what you would 114 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:08.519 have Uber, because also the other problem would have been 115 00:05:09.899 --> 00:05:13.300 I could not believe what I, so I was doing our, 116 00:05:13.500 --> 00:05:16.819 our annual fantasy football draft, which I unfortunately am the 117 00:05:16.839 --> 00:05:20.839 commissioner for 16 years running and we've really customized this thing. 118 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:23.870 So it's a, it's a zoom draft where I have 119 00:05:23.910 --> 00:05:26.560 to manage, you know, 13 other idiots and. And I'm 120 00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:29.300 watching and I'm like, is this game still in a 121 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:33.399 lightning delay? How is this possible? And mercifully, the draft 122 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:35.899 in the game ended at almost the exact same time, 123 00:05:35.939 --> 00:05:39.519 which is wild. So talk about the resiliency, though, Bill, 124 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:43.360 for RCP to battle through everything to come away with 125 00:05:43.399 --> 00:05:43.860 this win. 126 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:46.930 Well, first of all, you look at this game from 127 00:05:46.939 --> 00:05:50.709 the start to how it ends. It starts out as 128 00:05:50.769 --> 00:05:54.220 Robert Seabird with a great opening drive and They end 129 00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:56.379 up getting on the board, and they take a 6-0 130 00:05:56.420 --> 00:06:00.079 lead early with about 521 left in the opening quarter 131 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:02.939 of play. And it was one of those drives where 132 00:06:03.579 --> 00:06:06.430 they just imposed their will, and it looked like they 133 00:06:06.490 --> 00:06:09.410 were going to be in the driver's seat. But Fairmont 134 00:06:09.449 --> 00:06:12.949 Senior says, hey, hold the phone here. They come back, 135 00:06:13.329 --> 00:06:16.990 and they come back in just an amazing way. They 136 00:06:17.029 --> 00:06:20.529 score a couple TDs within a minute and 27 of 137 00:06:20.589 --> 00:06:25.800 each other. within three plays, three offensive plays. I mean, 138 00:06:25.819 --> 00:06:28.540 you want to talk about quick strike ability. That's what 139 00:06:28.579 --> 00:06:31.220 the polar bears had. And they, they jump out to 140 00:06:31.300 --> 00:06:34.459 the 14, six advantage. And then RCB is thinking, okay, 141 00:06:34.899 --> 00:06:35.170 what are. 142 00:06:35.129 --> 00:06:36.889 We going to do now? How do we respond? 143 00:06:36.910 --> 00:06:41.829 And they do, they, they respond as, as Heflin. You 144 00:06:41.850 --> 00:06:42.829 got to give him a lot of credit. 145 00:06:43.269 --> 00:06:44.029 He threw the ball. 146 00:06:44.089 --> 00:06:46.769 Well, had around 200 yards in the first half passing, 147 00:06:46.790 --> 00:06:49.410 but he also scored on a pair of TV runs, 148 00:06:49.829 --> 00:06:53.360 you know, three, three yard run. in the second quarter 149 00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:57.480 of play with 1027 remaining to, to help tie the 150 00:06:57.500 --> 00:07:01.480 game after the two point conversion from junior Smith. And 151 00:07:01.500 --> 00:07:05.899 then they also had a, a touchdown with a five 152 00:07:05.899 --> 00:07:08.879 26 left to give Robert C in the second quarter 153 00:07:08.899 --> 00:07:10.860 to give them the 2014 advantage. 154 00:07:11.399 --> 00:07:14.319 So they, they looked really good. Things were going their way. 155 00:07:14.339 --> 00:07:19.480 And then momentum shifts with, with about three 49 left 156 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:23.120 in the third quarter. When, when, the polar bears get 157 00:07:23.139 --> 00:07:26.899 an interception return about 75 yards to get the score 158 00:07:26.920 --> 00:07:29.720 and go back up 21, 20. And then it just 159 00:07:29.800 --> 00:07:33.370 seems like both teams were running out of gas. And 160 00:07:33.410 --> 00:07:37.410 that's when you get the, the lengthy weather delay. And 161 00:07:37.449 --> 00:07:40.649 then you, you come back with Fairmont senior having the 162 00:07:40.689 --> 00:07:43.949 ball first and Tim from their own 26. And they 163 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:46.779 just go straight to the ground and they just start 164 00:07:47.100 --> 00:07:51.129 pounding the football and picking up big chunks of real estate, 10, 165 00:07:51.129 --> 00:07:54.509 12 yards a carry. And they get themselves all the way. 166 00:07:54.470 --> 00:07:55.290 Down the field. 167 00:07:56.310 --> 00:08:02.040 And then Robert Seabird just remarkably comes back. They get 168 00:08:02.120 --> 00:08:06.040 control of the football. It's a Junior Smith fumble recovery. 169 00:08:06.060 --> 00:08:11.120 And they make their way down the field. And they 170 00:08:11.139 --> 00:08:15.620 get into a fourth down and five. And it just 171 00:08:15.660 --> 00:08:18.439 felt like they're down to their last effort. What's going 172 00:08:18.459 --> 00:08:22.300 to happen? They used all the tricks in their bag. 173 00:08:22.600 --> 00:08:25.139 They turn out to have one more trick left in 174 00:08:25.160 --> 00:08:29.279 the bag as Heflin throws a pass that turned out 175 00:08:29.300 --> 00:08:32.470 to be a lateral to the near side to Junior Smith, 176 00:08:32.509 --> 00:08:35.230 who's played his share of quarterback over his career at 177 00:08:35.250 --> 00:08:39.370 Robert Seabird. He hauls it in. fakes like he's going 178 00:08:39.389 --> 00:08:42.389 to run with it. He avoids a couple would-be tacklers. 179 00:08:42.769 --> 00:08:45.049 And you've got to give Isaiah Heflin credit. He doesn't 180 00:08:45.090 --> 00:08:48.769 just immediately dart down the field. He kind of takes 181 00:08:48.830 --> 00:08:52.120 his time. Then he gets into a route. He throws 182 00:08:52.169 --> 00:08:55.799 in the football at about the 10-yard line. And then 183 00:08:55.860 --> 00:08:58.879 Heflin takes off for the far corner of the end zone, 184 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:02.080 all the way to the far corner, outraces a pair 185 00:09:02.100 --> 00:09:05.440 of polar bears, and gets in for what eventually is 186 00:09:05.460 --> 00:09:08.600 going to be the winning touchdown of But there's still 187 00:09:08.600 --> 00:09:11.899 17 seconds on the clock, guys, and it's a five-point spread. 188 00:09:12.539 --> 00:09:13.529 And if you look back a. 189 00:09:13.549 --> 00:09:17.350 Few years ago, Robert Seabird was in this same position 190 00:09:17.649 --> 00:09:21.049 with a chance to advance in the playoffs, only to 191 00:09:21.169 --> 00:09:23.950 have a kickoff return returned all the way to the 192 00:09:23.990 --> 00:09:28.490 house for the winning touchdown. So you can't just say 193 00:09:28.549 --> 00:09:29.570 the game's over with. 194 00:09:30.289 --> 00:09:32.820 So you're thinking, okay, you've still got to kick it off. 195 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:35.940 Fairmont Senior still has time and a timeout in their 196 00:09:35.980 --> 00:09:40.519 back pocket. Robert Seabird goes to the onside kick, and 197 00:09:40.600 --> 00:09:44.639 Tylan Evans recovers it, and then Robert Seabird runs out 198 00:09:44.679 --> 00:09:47.759 the clock with a couple victory formation plays. And just 199 00:09:47.940 --> 00:09:52.470 what an unbelievable rollercoaster emotional game for this team that 200 00:09:52.570 --> 00:09:54.889 looked like they were dead in the water, but it's 201 00:09:54.909 --> 00:09:59.990 that no-quick attitude that Austin Scott just preaches, and you play... 202 00:10:00.429 --> 00:10:03.909 every play, and you line it back up. You don't 203 00:10:03.950 --> 00:10:06.169 give up. You don't look at the scoreboard. You give 204 00:10:06.220 --> 00:10:08.529 your very best, and that's what this team did from 205 00:10:08.580 --> 00:10:09.279 start to finish. 206 00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:12.779 Hasn't always been on the field or on the court 207 00:10:12.799 --> 00:10:14.860 the last couple years, but when Junior Smith plays, it 208 00:10:14.899 --> 00:10:17.360 seems like he makes plays to win games for teams, 209 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:18.899 whether it's basketball or football. 210 00:10:19.549 --> 00:10:20.590 You're exactly right. 211 00:10:21.169 --> 00:10:24.309 And throughout this game, there were three or four possessions 212 00:10:24.350 --> 00:10:27.750 where Robert Seabird faced the third and long, and he 213 00:10:27.789 --> 00:10:30.889 came up with a big reception. And it wasn't just 214 00:10:31.129 --> 00:10:35.950 to move the chains. It was a 20-, 25-yard reception. 215 00:10:36.029 --> 00:10:38.950 It was an emphatic play, a big play. 216 00:10:39.409 --> 00:10:42.669 And he's that guy that you go to to make 217 00:10:42.710 --> 00:10:45.289 a difference. And you look at the first half for 218 00:10:45.370 --> 00:10:49.850 Robert Seabird, six different players caught passes in the first half. 219 00:10:50.370 --> 00:10:53.409 So it was definitely a total team effort and a 220 00:10:53.450 --> 00:10:57.120 great job by quarterback Isaiah Heflin to find different guys 221 00:10:57.159 --> 00:10:59.919 at the right times, as well as Smith making those 222 00:10:59.960 --> 00:11:02.879 big plays on the third downs when they mattered the most. 223 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:05.759 And you can't say enough about the stoppers. 224 00:11:05.860 --> 00:11:09.929 The defensive unit didn't allow a score after the 152 225 00:11:09.929 --> 00:11:12.330 mark of the first quarter of play. And let me 226 00:11:12.350 --> 00:11:15.750 tell you, the Polar Bears, an extremely talented team. And 227 00:11:15.769 --> 00:11:18.549 they've got a great coaching staff. And you've got some 228 00:11:18.590 --> 00:11:21.830 great play callers up there. You know, Cole Fisher, who 229 00:11:21.870 --> 00:11:23.789 I got a chance to watch, one of my favorite 230 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:26.379 players of all time at Robert C. Bird when his dad, Brian, 231 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:29.539 was coaching. And you got guys like that calling plays. 232 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:32.580 And they've got such great weapons over there. So to 233 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:34.919 be able to hold them to without a score after 234 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:36.919 the first quarter play says a lot about what the 235 00:11:36.990 --> 00:11:38.049 defense did as well. 236 00:11:38.809 --> 00:11:41.110 Bill, do you have college football this weekend? Do you 237 00:11:41.129 --> 00:11:41.730 have Wesleyan? 238 00:11:42.370 --> 00:11:44.110 No, no. So I've got a break. I don't have 239 00:11:44.149 --> 00:11:45.350 anything going on this weekend. 240 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:49.519 I'm happy for you. Also, congrats to Wesleyan on breaking 241 00:11:49.539 --> 00:11:52.419 the losing streak. That's a huge win for Coach Keller. 242 00:11:53.139 --> 00:11:54.759 Oh, yeah, huge win for Coach Keller. 243 00:11:54.779 --> 00:11:57.340 Got a chance to talk to him before the game, 244 00:11:57.360 --> 00:11:59.820 and then we interviewed him afterwards. And you've got to 245 00:11:59.879 --> 00:12:02.730 love that if you don't know him, you meet him, 246 00:12:02.759 --> 00:12:06.230 and he just becomes an instant, like a guy that 247 00:12:06.250 --> 00:12:08.730 you feel like you've known for 20 years, that kind 248 00:12:08.769 --> 00:12:09.110 of guy. 249 00:12:09.529 --> 00:12:10.870 You just want to be around him. You want to 250 00:12:10.889 --> 00:12:11.820 gravitate around him. 251 00:12:12.129 --> 00:12:15.450 And the environment there on game day, The way his 252 00:12:15.490 --> 00:12:17.750 team approached the game going into it, the way they 253 00:12:17.769 --> 00:12:20.720 were prepared, kudos to Coach Keller and his staff for 254 00:12:20.740 --> 00:12:21.340 the way they were. 255 00:12:21.820 --> 00:12:23.379 And it was electric there. 256 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:26.559 And what Kyle Hoffman's done as the athletic director and 257 00:12:26.620 --> 00:12:31.460 President Moore and just the environment and what they did, 258 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:33.879 I think there's going to be some great things coming 259 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:36.100 up for this football program in Buchanan. 260 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:38.779 Very good, Bill. Much appreciated, man. We're going to let 261 00:12:38.820 --> 00:12:41.279 you go rest your voice and have a fantastic long 262 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:42.379 Labor Day weekend. 263 00:12:42.830 --> 00:12:44.779 Guys, as always, thanks for having me on. Have a 264 00:12:44.840 --> 00:12:46.720 great rest of the show and a great weekend as well. 265 00:12:47.019 --> 00:12:49.059 We're going to take a break. We've got so much 266 00:12:49.139 --> 00:12:51.899 more coming your way. It is a packed show today. 267 00:12:52.269 --> 00:12:53.710 Don't go anywhere. 268 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:04.139 Snap in the end zone hand off to lana cartman 269 00:13:04.419 --> 00:13:06.419 he goes off the right side with a burst he's 270 00:13:06.440 --> 00:13:08.120 still going they never called. 271 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:10.500 The play down he's at the 30 there's not a 272 00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:11.860 man in sight he's at. 273 00:13:11.820 --> 00:13:15.230 The 50 he's at the 40 he's at the 30 274 00:13:15.230 --> 00:13:20.679 20 10 5 touchdown philip harbour bring. 275 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:25.240 The bear out of the mountain tower oh my goodness how. 276 00:13:25.220 --> 00:13:29.970 About that play never stopped he never stopped rolled right 277 00:13:30.039 --> 00:13:32.779 over he knew it right away too It was a 278 00:13:32.820 --> 00:13:34.340 Saquon Barkley move. 279 00:13:35.080 --> 00:13:39.889 Landon Carpenter, 97 yards, and Phillip Barber apparently needed every 280 00:13:40.309 --> 00:13:45.409 single inch that he provided them in that game. Welcome in, everybody. Back, 281 00:13:45.629 --> 00:13:48.009 at least. The Friday Free-for-All brought to you by Dan 282 00:13:48.029 --> 00:13:50.850 Cavatier of Buick GMC. I guess, you know, I was 283 00:13:50.889 --> 00:13:53.470 a little surprised, I'll admit, when I saw that Phillip 284 00:13:53.509 --> 00:13:55.519 Barber and Grafton was going to be televised. And I 285 00:13:55.539 --> 00:13:57.419 was like, what does Metro know that I don't? And 286 00:13:57.460 --> 00:13:59.679 the answer is they knew a lot that I didn't. 287 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:02.379 They knew a lot. That was maybe, that was one 288 00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:05.250 of the best regular season high school football games in 289 00:14:05.259 --> 00:14:08.389 a really long time. How much more can you ask for, right? 290 00:14:08.409 --> 00:14:12.070 You got a rivalry game, brand new coach on one side. 291 00:14:12.289 --> 00:14:16.250 You got a team coming off its best performance ever 292 00:14:16.289 --> 00:14:19.289 in program history, and they meet for the opening game 293 00:14:19.330 --> 00:14:21.789 of the season, and it is as good as you 294 00:14:21.809 --> 00:14:24.769 could have possibly hoped for. Came down to the final second, 295 00:14:25.009 --> 00:14:28.889 took every single inch to win a one-point victory for 296 00:14:28.929 --> 00:14:31.970 Phillip Barber. Alex Wiederspiel, Michael Minnick, and now Brian Bybee, 297 00:14:31.990 --> 00:14:34.610 the play-by-play voice, who you just heard of the Phillip 298 00:14:34.629 --> 00:14:39.389 Barber Colts, is with us. Brian, Um, I don't even know, like, 299 00:14:39.450 --> 00:14:41.220 did I, did I do it justice? Cause that is 300 00:14:41.250 --> 00:14:44.259 an insane, that is an insane set of circumstances. I 301 00:14:44.299 --> 00:14:46.840 couldn't believe as I was, I was providing the score 302 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:48.620 updates during halftime and I was like, man, it's a 303 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:51.039 good game. It's a good game. And I, I just, 304 00:14:51.980 --> 00:14:52.740 it was remarkable. 305 00:14:54.200 --> 00:14:56.919 It was an instant classic, uh, Alex and Michael, it 306 00:14:56.940 --> 00:15:00.879 was an instant classic. It's certainly a rivalry game. Um, 307 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:04.019 but so many things happening in that game. And I'm 308 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:07.029 going to tell you right now, Grafton is a much 309 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:10.240 improved football team. They are going to win some ballgames 310 00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:13.700 this year. It's not that Phillip Barber played bad. Grafton 311 00:15:13.740 --> 00:15:16.899 played really, really well. Phillip Barber shot themselves in the 312 00:15:16.919 --> 00:15:18.720 foot a couple times with some turnovers, but let's give 313 00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:22.950 credit where credit's due. Grafton forced those. So it was 314 00:15:23.019 --> 00:15:25.330 a nip and tuck game, man, right down to the wire, 315 00:15:25.370 --> 00:15:28.950 like you said. And, yes, Lane and Karpner, we needed 316 00:15:29.049 --> 00:15:30.769 every one of those 197 yards that he had. 317 00:15:30.690 --> 00:15:31.029 To get. 318 00:15:34.110 --> 00:15:34.629 On the ground. 319 00:15:34.669 --> 00:15:36.610 Plus, you know, we didn't even talk about what he 320 00:15:36.649 --> 00:15:38.750 had in the air. I mean, he had three receptions 321 00:15:38.809 --> 00:15:42.350 for 85 yards and two on that last drive to 322 00:15:42.389 --> 00:15:44.409 set him up for the field goal for Aiden Thorne 323 00:15:44.450 --> 00:15:46.649 and to hit that one and send him home for 324 00:15:46.669 --> 00:15:49.929 the win. If he doesn't have those two catches, we're 325 00:15:49.970 --> 00:15:51.870 talking about a loss on opening night. 326 00:15:53.500 --> 00:15:56.259 Basically, half of Carpenter's yards came on that one run, though. 327 00:15:56.419 --> 00:15:58.580 So it seems like Grafton did a pretty good job 328 00:15:58.620 --> 00:15:59.899 of limiting him, at least on the ground. 329 00:16:00.789 --> 00:16:01.580 Absolutely, Michael. 330 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:03.940 They're big up front. They're very athletic. They put a 331 00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:07.279 lot of pressure up the middle. And I think they'll 332 00:16:07.299 --> 00:16:09.879 do that all season long. And again, you have to 333 00:16:09.899 --> 00:16:12.440 look at Phillip Barber's line. I mean, they're young. You've 334 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:15.179 got four out of the five that really have not 335 00:16:15.299 --> 00:16:18.120 played on the offensive line, or at least in those 336 00:16:18.210 --> 00:16:22.309 type of game situations. So learning curve for them. But 337 00:16:22.690 --> 00:16:23.370 they just kept. 338 00:16:23.289 --> 00:16:23.970 Pounding the rock. 339 00:16:24.029 --> 00:16:28.409 And Landon is so stinking athletic. I mean, that 97-yard 340 00:16:28.450 --> 00:16:28.929 run that he. 341 00:16:30.379 --> 00:16:31.039 He broke off. 342 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:33.799 He plays to the whistle every play, and that's what 343 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:34.720 happens when you do that. 344 00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:37.980 Week one is so hard to judge sometimes. I mean, 345 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:40.590 I think at every level of football, it's the weirdest week. 346 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:43.629 Weird stuff happens in week one. And so I try 347 00:16:43.649 --> 00:16:47.429 not to take anything that happens too seriously until we 348 00:16:47.450 --> 00:16:50.509 get a larger sample size. But I am curious, from 349 00:16:51.110 --> 00:16:53.509 your perspective, and if you've had a chance to talk 350 00:16:53.549 --> 00:16:56.809 with Coach Maley at all, what's the number one thing 351 00:16:56.889 --> 00:16:59.090 that would have to change moving forward, something that they 352 00:16:59.129 --> 00:17:01.529 can't repeat? from that game the rest of the season? 353 00:17:02.500 --> 00:17:05.160 Well, they've got a shorter tackling up. He talked about 354 00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:09.440 that with me last night and offensive line play for sure. 355 00:17:09.500 --> 00:17:09.920 We've got it. 356 00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:12.559 You got to give Robbie Jones a little bit more 357 00:17:12.579 --> 00:17:15.259 time to throw the ball back there. Those are the 358 00:17:15.299 --> 00:17:15.960 two big things. 359 00:17:18.029 --> 00:17:20.369 And I know they run Robbie a little bit by design, 360 00:17:20.410 --> 00:17:22.829 but 14 passes and 12 carries tells me that he 361 00:17:22.849 --> 00:17:24.150 was running for his life a little bit more than 362 00:17:24.190 --> 00:17:24.589 he wanted. 363 00:17:25.450 --> 00:17:27.730 Oh, absolutely. Michael, that was part of the, part of 364 00:17:27.750 --> 00:17:30.440 the issue. you've got wide receivers that can catch the ball, 365 00:17:30.460 --> 00:17:32.980 but if they don't have time to get the ball 366 00:17:33.009 --> 00:17:34.410 to them, it's not going to do you any good. 367 00:17:34.430 --> 00:17:37.049 And that's exactly what Grafton did. They just applied a 368 00:17:37.089 --> 00:17:39.470 lot of pressure and they're very talented. They're a very 369 00:17:39.509 --> 00:17:43.049 athletic group up front there on that defensive front for Grafton. 370 00:17:44.289 --> 00:17:47.779 Obviously very different this week. And it's interesting because I 371 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:50.380 think it's fair to say, you look at the early 372 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:52.779 start to the schedule and you go, oh, it's Grafton 373 00:17:52.799 --> 00:17:55.539 and Buchanan-Upshur at home. This is a good way to 374 00:17:55.579 --> 00:17:58.700 start the season. But Obviously in both cases, you're going 375 00:17:58.859 --> 00:18:02.420 up a classification. Grafton clearly looks much improved compared to 376 00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:04.740 where they were. I call that the John board effect. 377 00:18:04.779 --> 00:18:06.900 You get John board running your weight room. You're obviously 378 00:18:06.940 --> 00:18:10.480 just going to be, you're going to be way better off. I, I, 379 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:13.470 I will say though, Buckhannon Ups, you're obviously coming off 380 00:18:13.509 --> 00:18:16.650 a really tough week themselves, but at the same time, 381 00:18:16.690 --> 00:18:19.329 this is going up to quad a. So there are 382 00:18:19.430 --> 00:18:20.369 some challenges here. 383 00:18:21.490 --> 00:18:22.009 Well, they are. 384 00:18:22.569 --> 00:18:29.089 And one's numbers too, is they, they, present a very 385 00:18:29.410 --> 00:18:32.250 strong vertical passing game. You know, now they didn't get 386 00:18:32.269 --> 00:18:34.670 a chance to do that very often against Bridgeport. And really, 387 00:18:34.690 --> 00:18:38.319 let's be honest, who does? But that's something that's going 388 00:18:38.339 --> 00:18:43.240 to test our young secondary. And Coach Maley and I 389 00:18:43.259 --> 00:18:44.039 talked about that. 390 00:18:44.940 --> 00:18:45.660 He knows that. 391 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:48.119 He said, hey, you know, this is what we've been 392 00:18:48.140 --> 00:18:51.630 practicing for. Let's see what you're made of. And we'll 393 00:18:51.670 --> 00:18:54.029 get tested on the back end Friday night. 394 00:18:55.369 --> 00:18:57.529 Talked about Lennon's great performance but do they need to 395 00:18:57.549 --> 00:18:59.609 maybe get a couple more running backs involved in the 396 00:18:59.650 --> 00:19:01.470 long term to make sure he doesn't wear. 397 00:19:01.430 --> 00:19:04.490 Out well absolutely and that's you know Mason Jones the 398 00:19:04.549 --> 00:19:06.549 other uh the senior running back you know he's more 399 00:19:06.569 --> 00:19:09.589 of a bulldozer type but uh uh he didn't have 400 00:19:09.789 --> 00:19:12.559 uh but but one or two carries there uh against 401 00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:15.440 uh Grafton but it really just the the game flow 402 00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:18.000 just did not dictate that Michael for him to be 403 00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:21.299 involved from that standpoint you know Mason was so active 404 00:19:21.339 --> 00:19:23.140 on the defensive side of the ball there I don't 405 00:19:23.180 --> 00:19:24.960 know if that anything to do with the the play 406 00:19:24.980 --> 00:19:27.450 calling or not, but they were having to do a 407 00:19:27.490 --> 00:19:31.130 lot of stretch plays, you know, stretch zone. And that's 408 00:19:31.190 --> 00:19:33.809 where certainly Landon is going to be your ball carrier 409 00:19:34.630 --> 00:19:35.210 in that regard. 410 00:19:35.690 --> 00:19:38.450 Any positive surprises from week one that you think could 411 00:19:38.470 --> 00:19:41.710 carry over into either week two or further into the season? 412 00:19:42.829 --> 00:19:47.769 Oh, certainly for Phillip Barber, resiliency. Talking with Coach Maley, 413 00:19:47.789 --> 00:19:49.730 he's like, you know, Brian, they never quit. They didn't 414 00:19:49.769 --> 00:19:52.200 quit on me. You know, going back, Alex, you and 415 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:55.079 I talk about this every year. What, four years ago 416 00:19:55.099 --> 00:19:57.859 when we first got together, you know, they probably would 417 00:19:57.900 --> 00:20:00.759 have hung their heads and lost this game. Down by 418 00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:04.250 nine points with, I think, literally like two minutes to go, 419 00:20:05.130 --> 00:20:07.950 whatever it was, they come back and win this ballgame. 420 00:20:08.150 --> 00:20:10.599 You know, who would have thought? They did. 421 00:20:11.059 --> 00:20:13.160 They didn't quit. They thought we're going to get this 422 00:20:13.220 --> 00:20:16.180 ball back. They make the long pass to Tristan Price. 423 00:20:16.569 --> 00:20:18.250 They get the stop on the fourth and one with 424 00:20:18.269 --> 00:20:21.829 the fumble, which was in Colts territory. And if Grafton 425 00:20:21.869 --> 00:20:24.349 gets that first down, you know, they win the ball game. 426 00:20:24.630 --> 00:20:25.490 They kneel and they're done. 427 00:20:26.109 --> 00:20:26.690 They fumble. 428 00:20:27.710 --> 00:20:30.170 We take it over and down the field we go 429 00:20:30.230 --> 00:20:32.390 and set Aiden Thorne up for that, I think it 430 00:20:32.450 --> 00:20:36.019 was a 24-yard field goal, right through the uprights. Time expires, 431 00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:36.579 you walk it off. 432 00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:40.640 Brian, we've talked a lot about Phillip Barber's emphasis on 433 00:20:40.680 --> 00:20:43.359 special teams. This is where that pays off, right, when 434 00:20:43.380 --> 00:20:45.140 you can get yourself in position to kick a field 435 00:20:45.160 --> 00:20:46.720 goal and be confident that you can make it. 436 00:20:47.980 --> 00:20:51.069 Yes, and here's the thing. You know, I'm down there 437 00:20:51.109 --> 00:20:53.529 walking the track July 4th. It's got to be 100 438 00:20:53.529 --> 00:20:56.230 degrees out there. And who's out there kicking field goals 439 00:20:56.289 --> 00:21:00.309 by himself? Aiden Thorne. You know, he's kicking– he can easily, guys, 440 00:21:00.430 --> 00:21:04.759 easily 48, 49-yard field goal every time. And, you know, 441 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:08.059 when you're that dedicated to your craft Good things are 442 00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:10.460 going to happen to you. They feel very confident. If 443 00:21:10.500 --> 00:21:12.180 they get to the 30-yard line, he's going to bang 444 00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:15.480 one through for them. 445 00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:19.200 So Philip Barber gets the win. The Facebook cannon up, sure, 446 00:21:19.259 --> 00:21:21.549 coming up this week. Remind folks where they can catch 447 00:21:21.569 --> 00:21:22.210 the broadcast. 448 00:21:22.930 --> 00:21:23.450 Absolutely. 449 00:21:23.829 --> 00:21:27.210 So 1240 a.m., 99.9 FM, WD & E. That's going 450 00:21:27.230 --> 00:21:30.950 to be locally. And pregame will start at 640, kickoffs 451 00:21:30.990 --> 00:21:33.579 at 7. You can also find us on the World 452 00:21:33.619 --> 00:21:38.380 Wide Web at www.wdnefm.com. And just go to Music & 453 00:21:38.380 --> 00:21:40.549 More and hit the Philip Barber stream. And then I 454 00:21:40.589 --> 00:21:43.849 highly recommend that WBRC Media app. It's pretty cool. Take 455 00:21:43.869 --> 00:21:46.329 that anywhere with you on your phone, your tablet, and 456 00:21:47.150 --> 00:21:49.269 catch us there on the WD & E app. 457 00:21:49.609 --> 00:21:52.029 Brian, you're a man of the 21st century. I love it. 458 00:21:52.970 --> 00:21:55.220 We're going to switch over to Grafton here in just 459 00:21:55.259 --> 00:21:56.660 a moment. John Board will join us. 460 00:21:57.369 --> 00:21:57.890 Momentarily. 461 00:21:57.930 --> 00:21:58.710 Here's the hand off the nest. 462 00:21:58.789 --> 00:21:59.970 It's a foul ball! 463 00:22:00.190 --> 00:22:03.900 The Cokes pick it up! And they're at the 35-yard line. 464 00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:05.980 Holy cow! 465 00:22:06.180 --> 00:22:09.539 Parker Herod bounced right to him, and he was ready. 466 00:22:10.049 --> 00:22:11.670 All right, so we just talked a little bit with 467 00:22:11.730 --> 00:22:15.309 Brian Bybee about the Philip Barber one-point win over their 468 00:22:15.369 --> 00:22:18.549 arch rivals from Grafton. Now John Board is with us 469 00:22:18.730 --> 00:22:21.250 on the line to talk about it from the Grafton perspective. 470 00:22:21.269 --> 00:22:25.410 And John, last week we talked, and you were very 471 00:22:25.490 --> 00:22:29.490 confident about the steps forward taken by this program. It 472 00:22:29.579 --> 00:22:32.359 is hard to ignore the steps forward. I know there's 473 00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:35.140 no such thing as a consolation loss, but it's hard 474 00:22:35.160 --> 00:22:37.740 to ignore the steps forward that Grafton football took last week. 475 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:42.029 And I think you're absolutely right. we knew that these 476 00:22:42.089 --> 00:22:45.130 kids are, these kids are, have been in the weight room. 477 00:22:45.569 --> 00:22:49.519 They're well coached. We made some mistakes as you know, 478 00:22:49.579 --> 00:22:53.400 kids make mistakes. We made two big mistakes at cost. 479 00:22:53.420 --> 00:22:56.440 This ball game, actually three, because we fumbled when it 480 00:22:56.480 --> 00:22:58.859 was fourth down and one. So you have three mistakes here, 481 00:23:00.220 --> 00:23:02.920 a different ball game. I mean, we, we played extremely hard. 482 00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:05.390 Phil Barber's good football team. I'm not going to take 483 00:23:05.430 --> 00:23:09.200 anything away from them. They're good. Um, But it was 484 00:23:09.240 --> 00:23:11.250 just three mistakes cost us the game. 485 00:23:13.789 --> 00:23:15.809 What do you think was the one thing, if there 486 00:23:15.849 --> 00:23:18.509 was one thing, that they did better this year versus 487 00:23:18.549 --> 00:23:19.630 what you saw from them last year? 488 00:23:20.329 --> 00:23:24.329 I think their running attack. Their running game was much better. 489 00:23:29.730 --> 00:23:32.230 They probably have one of the best running backs in 490 00:23:32.250 --> 00:23:36.380 the area. Everybody says that, but they actually have one. 491 00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:37.119 He. 492 00:23:38.170 --> 00:23:42.960 The running back was extremely good and extremely smart. 493 00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:47.859 So I'm curious, from your perspective, I want to talk 494 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:54.029 about the mistakes, especially the one on fourth down late 495 00:23:54.049 --> 00:23:56.569 in the game where Grafton could have iced it. Obviously, 496 00:23:56.589 --> 00:23:59.829 that's a big one. Young football teams, they make those mistakes. 497 00:24:00.549 --> 00:24:01.869 Mike and I have talked about it a lot on 498 00:24:01.890 --> 00:24:05.950 the show today in general. There is a learning process 499 00:24:06.089 --> 00:24:08.250 to winning. But I think what I'm curious about is 500 00:24:08.269 --> 00:24:10.690 you talked about how hard they played. What are some 501 00:24:10.710 --> 00:24:13.410 of the things, especially from your perspective managing the weight room, 502 00:24:13.730 --> 00:24:16.289 what are some of the encouraging signs that you noticed 503 00:24:16.990 --> 00:24:18.670 from a strength and conditioning perspective? 504 00:24:19.150 --> 00:24:22.059 Number one, the team didn't quit. These kids didn't quit. 505 00:24:23.640 --> 00:24:26.640 The closest we've come to beating Phillip Barber in the 506 00:24:26.680 --> 00:24:30.750 last four years is 21 points. They've hung 50 on 507 00:24:30.789 --> 00:24:35.390 us twice. And these kids would not give up. And 508 00:24:35.450 --> 00:24:39.319 as the game wore on, I think you saw our 509 00:24:39.359 --> 00:24:45.380 conditioning was better. They can debate that, but our conditioning 510 00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:49.920 was better. And these kids, there's no quit in them. 511 00:24:52.700 --> 00:24:57.289 They fought the whole game. The first half, they made 512 00:24:57.329 --> 00:25:02.119 some first-half mistakes. But the second half, they played extremely well, 513 00:25:02.819 --> 00:25:06.779 and they kept coming back. It was impressive. I mean, 514 00:25:06.900 --> 00:25:10.500 it was. To see the last four years and then 515 00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:13.299 to watch Friday night, it was impressive. 516 00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:17.500 What did you see from Chase Kenzie, junior, you know, 517 00:25:17.579 --> 00:25:20.460 dual threat guy, threw the ball pretty well, ran for 518 00:25:20.460 --> 00:25:22.119 33 yards as well. What did you kind of see 519 00:25:22.140 --> 00:25:22.779 from him week one? 520 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:30.089 His leadership. He took control. Chase's leadership. He was leading 521 00:25:30.109 --> 00:25:32.930 that team. And he got hit a few times. He 522 00:25:32.970 --> 00:25:35.440 got hit pretty hard a few times. And he'd get 523 00:25:35.480 --> 00:25:41.579 back up, and he was always encouraging. And he was 524 00:25:41.640 --> 00:25:44.900 a sophomore last year, so probably not so much the 525 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:49.809 leadership as I saw this year, at least in the 526 00:25:49.829 --> 00:25:50.269 first game. 527 00:25:51.410 --> 00:25:56.430 So looking ahead now, and this is, I think, the big, 528 00:25:57.009 --> 00:26:01.190 you know, Next step now, Grafton, I think this is 529 00:26:01.569 --> 00:26:04.609 probably a message to the rest of the teams on 530 00:26:04.630 --> 00:26:07.609 their schedule. Hey, I mean, I would hope this would 531 00:26:07.630 --> 00:26:10.210 be a message. If you're a good coach and you 532 00:26:10.250 --> 00:26:15.119 just watched what happened between Grafton and a semifinalist from 533 00:26:15.140 --> 00:26:18.619 AA last season, you should be looking at this and going, okay, 534 00:26:18.859 --> 00:26:22.460 they might not be, and perhaps we cannot treat this 535 00:26:22.500 --> 00:26:25.160 as a pushover game. This is not a gimme. How 536 00:26:25.180 --> 00:26:28.059 do you now approach this next week against an East 537 00:26:28.119 --> 00:26:33.119 Fairmont team who I think showed some defensive proficiency last 538 00:26:33.160 --> 00:26:36.269 week but really labored offensively? What's this one look like 539 00:26:36.289 --> 00:26:36.869 for you guys? 540 00:26:37.029 --> 00:26:41.509 I think that last Friday night, even though they didn't win, 541 00:26:42.009 --> 00:26:45.589 we earned people's respect. I mean, I'm hearing it from 542 00:26:45.609 --> 00:26:48.990 you two. You know, we earned their respect. Now we've 543 00:26:49.009 --> 00:26:50.910 got to win a ball game. And I think that's 544 00:26:50.950 --> 00:26:53.250 what the kids were focused on, been focused on all week, 545 00:26:53.529 --> 00:26:56.660 is winning the game. We proved we could go out 546 00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:59.220 and slug it out with one of the better teams 547 00:26:59.269 --> 00:27:02.410 in the area, a team that's been in the playoffs, 548 00:27:02.829 --> 00:27:04.410 and we slugged it out with them. It was the 549 00:27:04.450 --> 00:27:08.450 last four seconds we lost the game. We won the respect. 550 00:27:09.049 --> 00:27:09.970 Now we've got to win the game. 551 00:27:11.890 --> 00:27:14.259 I imagine the atmosphere around the program is pretty high 552 00:27:14.279 --> 00:27:16.259 this week, even though they lost, just knowing that they 553 00:27:16.279 --> 00:27:18.240 put in that kind of performance and knowing that they 554 00:27:18.259 --> 00:27:18.890 can replicate it. 555 00:27:19.259 --> 00:27:21.339 Well, and I think you're right. I think one of 556 00:27:21.380 --> 00:27:23.819 the things always in the back of their mind, there 557 00:27:23.859 --> 00:27:28.339 was a doubt. Are we competent? Are we that good? 558 00:27:28.460 --> 00:27:33.609 Can we be that good? And I think, again, looking 559 00:27:33.690 --> 00:27:38.779 at it from my perspective, they realized how hard they played. 560 00:27:39.839 --> 00:27:41.839 And like I said, it was the last four seconds 561 00:27:41.859 --> 00:27:42.220 of the game. 562 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:46.269 Is this one of those situations where... it might take 563 00:27:46.329 --> 00:27:48.450 the whole year for these guys to learn how to 564 00:27:48.549 --> 00:27:51.230 close out football games. Or do you think that's something 565 00:27:51.250 --> 00:27:53.410 that can come a little bit faster because they do 566 00:27:53.470 --> 00:27:55.230 have some experience with Bobby Beltner? 567 00:27:55.609 --> 00:27:59.470 I definitely think it's going to happen. I mean, they're 568 00:27:59.490 --> 00:28:03.279 going to close out. And I tell you right now, 569 00:28:03.339 --> 00:28:06.619 don't be surprised they don't close out Friday night. I mean, 570 00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:11.160 they are hungry for a win. They know they can win. 571 00:28:11.180 --> 00:28:15.619 And if you know you can win, that's a, That's 572 00:28:15.660 --> 00:28:17.779 a big deal. The last four years is, you know, 573 00:28:18.200 --> 00:28:20.799 you've got to go back into the 1920s to find 574 00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:24.440 a worse four years than what we had the last four. 575 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:30.740 Back in the 20s, Grafton High School football. And these kids, 576 00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:33.230 these kids see themselves a little bit different now. 577 00:28:34.029 --> 00:28:35.970 As you look at these, these Fairmont team, what do 578 00:28:35.990 --> 00:28:38.250 you think their, their biggest challenges are? A team that's beaten, 579 00:28:38.529 --> 00:28:39.769 beaten Grafton the last five years? 580 00:28:40.250 --> 00:28:43.730 Yeah, I think number one, you look at their size. Um, 581 00:28:45.349 --> 00:28:47.609 They're big up front. They're a lot bigger than us 582 00:28:47.690 --> 00:28:52.609 up front. They've got some talented receivers. They've got a 583 00:28:52.650 --> 00:28:56.710 decent running back. And they've got a quarterback with experience. 584 00:28:57.799 --> 00:29:03.019 It's not going to be a cakewalk. But I just 585 00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:04.400 think our kids are ready for a win. 586 00:29:05.099 --> 00:29:08.160 Remind folks where they can catch the broadcast of East 587 00:29:08.200 --> 00:29:11.740 Fairmont and Grafton. This one is at East West Stadium. 588 00:29:11.779 --> 00:29:14.849 Grafton doesn't open their home stretch until next week. Remind 589 00:29:14.890 --> 00:29:16.329 folks where they can catch tonight's broadcast. 590 00:29:16.670 --> 00:29:19.039 WGIE 92.7. 591 00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:19.339 Very good. 592 00:29:19.400 --> 00:29:21.480 And pregame coverage begins when? 593 00:29:21.700 --> 00:29:22.859 At 645. 594 00:29:22.859 --> 00:29:25.299 John, appreciate it, man. And you'll have to regale us 595 00:29:25.319 --> 00:29:27.960 with more stories from the weight room after East Fairmont, 596 00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:30.880 or excuse me, after Grafton gets their first win, which 597 00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:35.309 could potentially come this week against East Fairmont. And we'll 598 00:29:35.349 --> 00:29:36.029 talk with you next week. 599 00:29:36.230 --> 00:29:36.730 Thank you, sir. 600 00:29:37.029 --> 00:29:39.630 All right, Mike, we've now heard from, we've heard from Brian, 601 00:29:39.730 --> 00:29:42.859 we've heard from John and I, I listen, I want 602 00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:44.299 to be, I want to be really careful here. Cause 603 00:29:44.339 --> 00:29:46.140 it's like, you know, Phillip Barber did win. 604 00:29:46.700 --> 00:29:46.960 Right. 605 00:29:47.160 --> 00:29:50.650 And, and like that is worth remembering. And I think 606 00:29:50.890 --> 00:29:52.750 that's going to look like a really good win. If 607 00:29:52.849 --> 00:29:56.289 Grafton does indeed take a big step forward. What kind 608 00:29:56.329 --> 00:29:58.509 of like we thought they were taking a step forward, 609 00:29:59.029 --> 00:30:01.740 you know, two years ago and then took a, you know, 610 00:30:02.119 --> 00:30:04.799 big step back last year. I think if they take 611 00:30:04.839 --> 00:30:06.200 a big step forward that this is going to look 612 00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:09.400 like a great win for Phillip Barber, but it's, it 613 00:30:09.460 --> 00:30:11.720 is kind of crazy that ultimately the story of this 614 00:30:11.809 --> 00:30:14.109 one is not about who won. It really is about 615 00:30:14.609 --> 00:30:17.589 Grafton hanging with one of the best teams in the 616 00:30:17.609 --> 00:30:20.809 big 10, one of the best teams in class AA. 617 00:30:20.829 --> 00:30:23.269 And I know that's a class down, but you look 618 00:30:23.289 --> 00:30:26.619 at the totals, the last year, you know, three seasons, 619 00:30:26.660 --> 00:30:30.420 last four seasons. I mean, this game hasn't, hadn't been close, uh, 620 00:30:30.730 --> 00:30:34.430 at any stretch. The, the, the closest margin was 35, 621 00:30:34.430 --> 00:30:37.690 14 in 2024. And that year, uh, that was Grafton's 622 00:30:37.730 --> 00:30:40.329 best season, uh, of the last four years, they've won 623 00:30:40.430 --> 00:30:44.269 three games. Uh, so it's, it's, it's really interesting. It's a, 624 00:30:44.289 --> 00:30:46.569 it's a really interesting situation there. And I think they, 625 00:30:46.869 --> 00:30:48.779 you know, one way or another, they still feel like 626 00:30:48.819 --> 00:30:49.430 the big story. 627 00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:52.839 Yeah, I want to see them produce a little bit 628 00:30:52.859 --> 00:30:55.579 more offensively this week. They were able to make some 629 00:30:55.599 --> 00:30:58.089 good plays on defense and special teams and kind of 630 00:30:58.109 --> 00:31:00.269 stay in that game. But they really didn't have a 631 00:31:00.309 --> 00:31:02.410 ton of offensive yards. I think this is an East 632 00:31:02.450 --> 00:31:04.829 Fairmont team that, as you mentioned in the interview with 633 00:31:04.849 --> 00:31:07.829 John Board, played pretty well defensively week one but couldn't 634 00:31:07.849 --> 00:31:09.910 really score. So I feel like Grafton's going to have 635 00:31:09.950 --> 00:31:12.509 a lot of possessions and a lot of chances to 636 00:31:12.549 --> 00:31:14.710 put up numbers. I want to see them do it. 637 00:31:14.730 --> 00:31:16.230 But I do feel like, as I said in the 638 00:31:16.250 --> 00:31:19.480 pre-for-all yesterday, The schedule says that well for them, but 639 00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:21.099 they could win two or three of these next four 640 00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:23.440 or five games and put themselves in a solid position. 641 00:31:23.769 --> 00:31:26.109 Yeah, I'm really interested in this. I mean, if they 642 00:31:26.170 --> 00:31:28.230 if they can beat East Fairmont, I think they have 643 00:31:28.269 --> 00:31:29.650 a real chance to go on a little bit of 644 00:31:29.710 --> 00:31:32.579 run here leading into that Elkins game. The schedule is 645 00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:35.140 not easy, but it's not hard, if that makes sense. 646 00:31:35.180 --> 00:31:37.839 There's it's sort of a. a softer part of the schedule. 647 00:31:37.880 --> 00:31:40.779 And then the second half of the season goes, not 648 00:31:40.859 --> 00:31:41.319 so much. 649 00:31:41.359 --> 00:31:41.619 Yeah. 650 00:31:41.720 --> 00:31:46.140 Elkins, RCB, Bridgeport, North Marion, and then Lewis County, certainly, 651 00:31:46.650 --> 00:31:49.769 you know, not to say anything negative against Lewis County, 652 00:31:49.990 --> 00:31:53.009 but among those five, they're probably the weakest. So you 653 00:31:53.029 --> 00:31:55.789 get four, four, tough teams in a row four teams 654 00:31:55.829 --> 00:31:58.710 who are expecting to be in the playoffs one of 655 00:31:58.769 --> 00:32:01.390 whom is expecting to be competing for a state championship 656 00:32:01.890 --> 00:32:03.829 um and another one who is expecting this to be 657 00:32:03.849 --> 00:32:07.220 their best season in years that is a very tough 658 00:32:07.279 --> 00:32:09.980 stretch so this is if grafton and again i don't 659 00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:12.319 want to throw the p word around right now it's 660 00:32:12.400 --> 00:32:14.880 ridiculous to throw it around this early but if they 661 00:32:14.940 --> 00:32:17.160 do at least want to be in that conversation it 662 00:32:17.259 --> 00:32:19.460 does start with this is the part of the schedule 663 00:32:19.480 --> 00:32:22.130 where they're going to have to pick up some wins Yeah, I. 664 00:32:22.109 --> 00:32:24.589 Think the next four, East Fairmont, Lincoln, Hampshire, Brooklyn Springs, 665 00:32:25.109 --> 00:32:27.569 all winnable games that they played like they did last week. 666 00:32:27.609 --> 00:32:31.630 But again, nothing's guaranteed. You got to continue to bring it. And, 667 00:32:32.210 --> 00:32:34.710 you know, the intensity clear was there. It was a 668 00:32:34.769 --> 00:32:37.269 rivalry game. It was week one. You got to be 669 00:32:37.289 --> 00:32:39.230 able to do that every week. And if Grafton can 670 00:32:39.269 --> 00:32:40.990 do that every week, and I see no reason why 671 00:32:41.009 --> 00:32:42.990 they couldn't, I think they'll be in a decent position 672 00:32:43.309 --> 00:32:45.910 in the first half of the year. And again, this 673 00:32:45.990 --> 00:32:47.990 is one of those things where expanding the playoffs helps 674 00:32:48.029 --> 00:32:50.839 a program like Grafton. When you have 64 making instead 675 00:32:50.880 --> 00:32:53.619 of 48 and you're four and six, five and five, 676 00:32:53.779 --> 00:32:54.940 you're in position where you might make it. 677 00:32:55.359 --> 00:32:55.519 Yeah. 678 00:32:55.640 --> 00:32:57.549 And again, I just go back to year two under 679 00:32:57.609 --> 00:33:00.930 Nick Maley. They went three and seven and their three 680 00:33:00.970 --> 00:33:04.950 wins were blowout wins. So they were clearly a cut 681 00:33:04.990 --> 00:33:08.259 above the three teams they played who were decent. Big 682 00:33:08.299 --> 00:33:12.069 Ten schools, Grafton, Liberty, Harrison, Elkins, and then you look 683 00:33:12.089 --> 00:33:13.829 at the games they lost, and yeah, they lost to 684 00:33:13.869 --> 00:33:16.269 some good teams. They lost to Robert Seabird, but the 685 00:33:16.430 --> 00:33:19.789 four of their seven losses were by one possession, and 686 00:33:20.269 --> 00:33:23.710 one of their losses was by two possessions, by 13 points, 687 00:33:24.289 --> 00:33:26.670 which we know can sometimes be, you know, a little 688 00:33:26.710 --> 00:33:29.299 deceptive in terms of that could have potentially been a 689 00:33:29.380 --> 00:33:31.880 closer game. And sort of my point behind that was, like, 690 00:33:32.019 --> 00:33:35.759 it did take Phillip Barber an entire year, really. I mean, 691 00:33:35.799 --> 00:33:38.859 if you think about it, because they obviously, Nick Maley's 692 00:33:38.900 --> 00:33:41.390 first year, they were even worse, but it took them 693 00:33:41.490 --> 00:33:47.140 that entire season to learn how to be in those games. 694 00:33:47.240 --> 00:33:49.700 And then the next season they turned those close losses 695 00:33:50.299 --> 00:33:53.920 into wins. And a couple of them were really tight. 696 00:33:53.960 --> 00:33:56.630 So like, that's the question for me on graft. And I'm, 697 00:33:56.650 --> 00:33:59.049 you know, we'll have more time. I'm sure next week to, 698 00:33:59.170 --> 00:34:00.910 to get into it. But that, that to me is 699 00:34:00.930 --> 00:34:04.119 the question is, Can you can you accelerate that timeline 700 00:34:04.299 --> 00:34:08.579 at all? Because this is not as big of a rebuild. Again, 701 00:34:08.659 --> 00:34:11.280 the history that Bobby Beltner has with these kids already, 702 00:34:11.590 --> 00:34:13.889 the fact that so many of them already have experience, 703 00:34:13.909 --> 00:34:15.550 like it's not like this is a big group of 704 00:34:15.590 --> 00:34:19.210 freshmen and sophomores, comparatively speaking to what you would normally 705 00:34:19.269 --> 00:34:21.030 see in a first year of a head coach. So 706 00:34:21.449 --> 00:34:22.929 I don't know. These are all questions that are going 707 00:34:22.949 --> 00:34:24.289 to get answered, I think, in the next few weeks. 708 00:34:25.389 --> 00:34:28.010 And then the other side of that equation, Phillip Barber, 709 00:34:28.230 --> 00:34:30.630 this is a big win for them to pull this off, 710 00:34:30.670 --> 00:34:33.849 to come back, to win by one, because you've got 711 00:34:33.889 --> 00:34:36.409 Buchanan up for this week. That's the game you're favored in. 712 00:34:37.010 --> 00:34:39.269 But then you're playing North Merion, Bridgeport, and Elkins after that. 713 00:34:39.929 --> 00:34:44.030 So if you don't win that game against Grafton, one 714 00:34:44.070 --> 00:34:47.030 and four, two and three is a possibility at the 715 00:34:47.070 --> 00:34:49.260 midway point of the season. So winning that game, I think, 716 00:34:49.300 --> 00:34:51.940 is really important to put themselves in a position where 717 00:34:52.329 --> 00:34:54.309 That second half, when things get a little bit easier 718 00:34:54.329 --> 00:34:56.309 and they're playing more in their class, they're in a 719 00:34:56.309 --> 00:34:58.710 position where if they can win four of those five 720 00:34:58.730 --> 00:35:00.809 games or five of those five games, they're hosting a 721 00:35:00.849 --> 00:35:01.349 playoff game. 722 00:35:01.710 --> 00:35:04.050 We're going to go ahead and take a break. We've 723 00:35:04.070 --> 00:35:06.869 got a lot more coming here on the Friday free-for-all. 724 00:35:06.989 --> 00:35:10.409 It's Bridgeport time next, though, and we're back right after this. 725 00:35:10.449 --> 00:35:13.019 Our show brought to you by our friends at Dan Kavitz, 726 00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:16.119 Toyota Buick, GMC. He's Michael Minnick. I'm Alex Wiederspiel. We're 727 00:35:16.139 --> 00:35:16.800 back right after this. 728 00:35:18.340 --> 00:35:21.679 Now, back to the Dan Cava Toyota Buick GMC Friday 729 00:35:21.719 --> 00:35:25.099 free-for-all on 103.3 WKMZ. 730 00:35:25.699 --> 00:35:29.210 Now back, and here comes Gavin around the corner, kick out. 731 00:35:29.110 --> 00:35:34.329 Block, end zone, touchdown. Gavin Williams. 732 00:35:35.510 --> 00:35:39.269 Pays dirt for the 28th time on the ground the 733 00:35:39.329 --> 00:35:40.219 last two seasons. 734 00:35:41.079 --> 00:35:42.519 Four yards out in Bridgeport. 735 00:35:43.679 --> 00:35:46.820 Takes advantage of that excellent starting field position to take 736 00:35:46.880 --> 00:35:48.360 an early 6-0 lead. 737 00:35:48.610 --> 00:35:50.769 Friday Free-for-All rolling on here, brought to you by our 738 00:35:50.809 --> 00:35:54.210 friends at Dan Cava, Toyota Buick, GMC. You just heard 739 00:35:54.409 --> 00:35:59.590 Travis Jones on the call as Bridgeport absolutely dominated Buckhannon Upshur. 740 00:35:59.610 --> 00:36:03.590 And certainly not necessarily anything that we're surprised by. But 741 00:36:03.630 --> 00:36:06.289 there are, I will say, Travis, there are some moments 742 00:36:06.550 --> 00:36:11.269 when I look somehow... the sticker shock of seeing a 68, 743 00:36:11.269 --> 00:36:14.090 nothing score still does take me aback for just a 744 00:36:14.130 --> 00:36:17.130 moment as I'm, as I'm reading it, you know, during, uh, uh, 745 00:36:17.210 --> 00:36:19.570 did a, did a post game score update segment on, 746 00:36:19.780 --> 00:36:22.320 on our South Harrison broadcast. And I did take me 747 00:36:22.360 --> 00:36:24.219 aback for, for just a moment. I mean, it's, it's 748 00:36:24.260 --> 00:36:24.860 a lot of points. 749 00:36:25.760 --> 00:36:28.639 You're right. It's crazy. 750 00:36:28.920 --> 00:36:31.260 I guess that's the advent of offenses, I guess. And 751 00:36:31.280 --> 00:36:36.159 maybe the, um, the advancement in, in the student athletes bodies, because, 752 00:36:36.320 --> 00:36:39.010 you know, you go back and, you know, I'm, uh, 753 00:36:39.769 --> 00:36:42.849 a guy that has kept some historical records on Bridgeport football, 754 00:36:42.869 --> 00:36:44.320 and you go back and look at the scores even 755 00:36:44.360 --> 00:36:48.039 into the 70s, that never happened. Much more ball control 756 00:36:48.059 --> 00:36:51.539 back then. Less spread, I think, has led to more scores. 757 00:36:51.559 --> 00:36:53.760 But you bring up an interesting point. I think there's 758 00:36:53.780 --> 00:36:55.820 probably a case study to be done there as to 759 00:36:55.880 --> 00:36:59.900 why we see such, not even lopsided scores. There's always 760 00:36:59.920 --> 00:37:02.809 been some lopsided scores, but higher scoring averages in high 761 00:37:02.869 --> 00:37:03.389 school football. 762 00:37:04.429 --> 00:37:06.789 But anyway, that's not why you call it. I think 763 00:37:06.849 --> 00:37:10.059 one theory that I have is, One area that's definitely 764 00:37:10.079 --> 00:37:11.559 improved in the state in the last 20, 30 years 765 00:37:11.619 --> 00:37:14.699 is special teams. So take this game as an example. 766 00:37:14.760 --> 00:37:15.559 Bridgeport kicks off. 767 00:37:15.599 --> 00:37:16.320 It's a touchback. 768 00:37:16.380 --> 00:37:18.539 They get a stop. They get the ball in BU territory. 769 00:37:18.559 --> 00:37:19.239 They quickly score. 770 00:37:20.619 --> 00:37:24.139 Yeah, yeah, exactly right. And what, five touchbacks on the night? And, 771 00:37:24.519 --> 00:37:28.340 you know, Jalen had multiple kicks inside the five-yard line. 772 00:37:28.519 --> 00:37:31.280 Gavin Williams with the touchback. So, yeah, that was the 773 00:37:31.320 --> 00:37:33.739 other story of the game was, you know, Buchanan just 774 00:37:33.760 --> 00:37:36.800 did not have very good starting field position and just 775 00:37:36.840 --> 00:37:41.280 had– trouble running the football from the jump, finished with 776 00:37:41.320 --> 00:37:44.239 negative rushing yards on the game and only had two 777 00:37:44.300 --> 00:37:48.559 first downs. So, you know, that makes it tough. But again, guys, 778 00:37:48.719 --> 00:37:52.199 you know, as we went into this last week, not unexpected. 779 00:37:52.219 --> 00:37:55.539 I just, I wonder, and I asked Tyler about this 780 00:37:55.639 --> 00:37:58.239 on Tuesday night, how much do you gain from a 781 00:37:58.260 --> 00:38:01.400 game like that? You know, Bridgeport, I think heading into 782 00:38:01.420 --> 00:38:04.389 the Martinsburg game, that's really not what they wanted. Uh, 783 00:38:04.449 --> 00:38:07.610 they had to pick the positives out of what they got, but, uh, in, 784 00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:10.400 in theory, they would have liked, you know, to at 785 00:38:10.420 --> 00:38:12.539 least had to have played, you know, into the, into 786 00:38:12.559 --> 00:38:13.699 the third quarter with the starters. 787 00:38:14.019 --> 00:38:15.719 That was going to be my question to you. In fact, 788 00:38:15.780 --> 00:38:17.760 it's what, what do you gain out of a game 789 00:38:17.800 --> 00:38:19.719 like this? And, and it's nothing, I mean, it's nothing 790 00:38:19.739 --> 00:38:21.400 to do with the scheduling. I mean, this is a 791 00:38:21.699 --> 00:38:25.119 class quadruple a team. You're, you're thinking in theory that 792 00:38:25.780 --> 00:38:28.179 this is probably not going to happen when teams go 793 00:38:28.219 --> 00:38:32.940 up a classification. Typically there is some level of, of, um, 794 00:38:34.019 --> 00:38:37.440 there is some level of difficulty that changes. If I'm 795 00:38:37.480 --> 00:38:39.980 playing video games and I play on all Madden instead 796 00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:44.539 of on all pro games, harder games, harder, but you know, seriously, 797 00:38:44.619 --> 00:38:45.940 I mean, but this is not the case here. 798 00:38:47.039 --> 00:38:48.860 Yeah. I, in, in. 799 00:38:48.820 --> 00:38:51.280 Terms of what, what you gain, I do think that 800 00:38:51.340 --> 00:38:53.900 anytime you can get out there and, and look at 801 00:38:53.940 --> 00:38:58.500 some lineups and, and look at matchups and, and assignments 802 00:38:58.599 --> 00:39:01.460 and get some film and, You know, those type of things. 803 00:39:01.500 --> 00:39:05.119 Certainly getting your young kids out there, there's benefit to that. But, 804 00:39:06.239 --> 00:39:10.610 you know, quite frankly, it probably ends there. Things get real. But, 805 00:39:10.840 --> 00:39:14.650 you know, conversely, Martinsburg had about the same situation with 806 00:39:14.670 --> 00:39:18.630 Hedgesville Friday night as well. So I think, you know, 807 00:39:19.269 --> 00:39:22.090 from a level standpoint, both teams are on about common 808 00:39:22.130 --> 00:39:23.190 ground coming into Friday. 809 00:39:24.610 --> 00:39:25.550 I think, too, Travis, we. 810 00:39:25.489 --> 00:39:28.369 Saw Buchanan try and throw it a decent amount, 16 811 00:39:28.369 --> 00:39:30.940 passing attempts. They hit a couple. but a lot of 812 00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:33.699 them were just kind of underneath. Long was 13 yards, 813 00:39:33.780 --> 00:39:35.820 so it felt like when they tried to go deeper, 814 00:39:35.840 --> 00:39:37.760 which is something Bridgeport, I know, wants to work on, 815 00:39:37.900 --> 00:39:39.969 they didn't have a lot of success. Bridgeport covered them well. 816 00:39:40.110 --> 00:39:43.309 Yeah, you're right, and I was impressed with Proney McDaniel's 817 00:39:43.369 --> 00:39:46.889 arm strength from Buchanan. I mean, when he missed, he 818 00:39:46.969 --> 00:39:50.739 overthrew receivers, and these were You know, they went early, 819 00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:52.920 no question. First play of the game, they go right 820 00:39:53.119 --> 00:39:57.059 at Bridgeport's new starting corner, Carson Bastien. So, yeah, so 821 00:39:57.079 --> 00:40:00.380 good point, Mike. That was good to get the secondary 822 00:40:00.400 --> 00:40:03.900 a little bit of a look. Of course, you know, 823 00:40:04.199 --> 00:40:08.059 tonight the game picks up a lot, lot faster with 824 00:40:08.099 --> 00:40:11.349 Martinsburg's speed than what you saw last Friday night. But 825 00:40:11.389 --> 00:40:14.030 it did give them an opportunity to kind of see 826 00:40:14.070 --> 00:40:17.210 all that work with the back-end coverage and trying to get, 827 00:40:17.989 --> 00:40:20.449 you know, a pass rush. Tonight's a little bit different. 828 00:40:20.630 --> 00:40:22.619 You know, you've got to have a controlled pass rush 829 00:40:22.659 --> 00:40:25.099 because Brian Dix certainly can hurt you with his feet. 830 00:40:25.599 --> 00:40:28.199 According to Four Seasons Football, this is the first regular 831 00:40:28.239 --> 00:40:30.780 season matchup between these two since 1952? 832 00:40:30.780 --> 00:40:31.239 That's correct. 833 00:40:31.380 --> 00:40:31.619 Wow. 834 00:40:31.980 --> 00:40:32.519 That is correct. 835 00:40:32.619 --> 00:40:32.840 Okay. 836 00:40:33.119 --> 00:40:37.010 All postseason since then. And again, it's been a long 837 00:40:37.070 --> 00:40:42.110 time coming, this series. There's been conversations previously about getting 838 00:40:42.130 --> 00:40:44.789 this game on the schedule, and the weeks just didn't 839 00:40:44.849 --> 00:40:47.800 match up. one way or the other, you know, Martinsburg 840 00:40:47.820 --> 00:40:51.400 typically it had more openings, uh, than Bridgeport. You know, we, 841 00:40:51.440 --> 00:40:54.079 we talk about how difficult it's been for the Indians 842 00:40:54.119 --> 00:40:56.440 here in the last 10 years, you know, finishing out 843 00:40:56.480 --> 00:40:59.340 their schedule with the non-conference portion of the schedule, you know, 844 00:40:59.400 --> 00:41:02.219 amplify that about 10 for Martinsburg. Uh, you know, they 845 00:41:02.260 --> 00:41:04.139 only have nine games right now. They're still looking for 846 00:41:04.179 --> 00:41:06.179 a 10th, you know, they're having to go to upstate 847 00:41:06.260 --> 00:41:08.739 or not go to, they're having teams from upstate New 848 00:41:08.780 --> 00:41:11.159 York and a team from Canada come in this year. 849 00:41:11.789 --> 00:41:15.579 They've had to go down to Iron, Ohio. I think 850 00:41:15.599 --> 00:41:20.760 they've played a team from Canada before. So yeah, when 851 00:41:20.800 --> 00:41:25.809 Bridgeport talks about difficulty filling out the non-conference schedule, Martinsburg 852 00:41:25.849 --> 00:41:28.969 is sitting there yawning because it's a problem that they've 853 00:41:29.010 --> 00:41:30.039 had for a long, long time. 854 00:41:31.070 --> 00:41:33.090 Had to play Highland Springs home and away, too, and Richmond. 855 00:41:33.110 --> 00:41:35.289 That's not an easy trip either, Don, 81 and 95, 856 00:41:35.289 --> 00:41:37.230 to play one of the best teams in Virginia, too. 857 00:41:37.489 --> 00:41:40.269 Yeah, no doubt about it. So, you know, I don't 858 00:41:40.289 --> 00:41:44.269 know what the future of this contract is. Bridgeport goes 859 00:41:44.289 --> 00:41:48.440 to Martinsburg next year. We'll see what happens after that. 860 00:41:48.860 --> 00:41:51.860 But certainly I think that any time you can get 861 00:41:51.900 --> 00:41:54.619 a matchup like this, it only benefits the fans, and 862 00:41:54.659 --> 00:41:56.789 really it only benefits the team. I mean, let's face it, 863 00:41:57.380 --> 00:42:00.730 Martinsburg's the favorite in this game. From Bridgeport's standpoint, even 864 00:42:00.769 --> 00:42:02.929 if they lose the game, you know, with the new, 865 00:42:03.369 --> 00:42:06.230 the way the rating is set up, with the strength 866 00:42:06.269 --> 00:42:09.320 of schedule, this will still be a very beneficial game 867 00:42:09.340 --> 00:42:12.840 for Bridgeport, as opposed to playing maybe a two-win team 868 00:42:12.880 --> 00:42:14.519 in Week 2. 869 00:42:14.519 --> 00:42:19.019 Right, and I do think, looking at the way this 870 00:42:19.119 --> 00:42:22.000 is set up for Bridgeport, like, again, I know you 871 00:42:22.039 --> 00:42:24.480 don't want to lose and you go into every game 872 00:42:24.519 --> 00:42:26.719 thinking that a, you want to win and you want 873 00:42:26.739 --> 00:42:29.159 to have some level of pressure on you, but it 874 00:42:29.219 --> 00:42:31.920 actually feels like there's less pressure than there would be 875 00:42:31.980 --> 00:42:34.699 because this will not, they're not going to see them again. 876 00:42:34.719 --> 00:42:37.679 This does not matter long-term. It's really about who are 877 00:42:37.719 --> 00:42:40.380 we right now in this moment? And let's, let's test 878 00:42:40.420 --> 00:42:41.480 ourselves against the very best. 879 00:42:41.679 --> 00:42:44.019 Well, I think the coaching staff and Tyler has said 880 00:42:44.079 --> 00:42:47.440 continuously that this team needs this. Uh, they need this 881 00:42:47.480 --> 00:42:51.769 type of competition. They need to see, uh, This speed, 882 00:42:52.150 --> 00:42:54.650 this physicality that they'll see later in the season. 883 00:42:54.710 --> 00:42:55.199 I'll say this. 884 00:42:55.429 --> 00:42:58.260 I think it falls in a good spot for Bridgeport 885 00:42:58.300 --> 00:43:01.579 in terms of getting Martinsburg early in the year. They're very, 886 00:43:01.619 --> 00:43:03.940 very good in the skill position. If they have any questions, 887 00:43:04.400 --> 00:43:07.579 it's along the offensive line. They're replacing a ton of 888 00:43:07.599 --> 00:43:10.239 starters there. They only have one starter back in Zion 889 00:43:10.300 --> 00:43:13.269 Reeves at right tackle along the offensive line. So they're 890 00:43:13.309 --> 00:43:16.000 only going to get better. But conversely, I think Bridgeport's 891 00:43:16.019 --> 00:43:18.880 only going to get better as well. So, but if 892 00:43:18.980 --> 00:43:21.340 it's a, you know, if you're going to play Martinsburg 893 00:43:21.360 --> 00:43:24.420 anytime this season, I think you certainly want to play 894 00:43:24.460 --> 00:43:27.739 them early, if at all, you know, if at all. 895 00:43:29.110 --> 00:43:30.849 We've talked a lot about Gavin Williams kind of being 896 00:43:30.869 --> 00:43:33.449 the headline guy on this team, but how important in 897 00:43:33.469 --> 00:43:36.429 this game are Gabe Martin, Eli Knight, two guys that 898 00:43:36.449 --> 00:43:38.099 are a little bit more physical runners to kind of, 899 00:43:38.389 --> 00:43:40.130 because I figure Bridgeport's hope, I mean, they'd love to 900 00:43:40.150 --> 00:43:41.750 score on the first play, but they're going to have 901 00:43:41.769 --> 00:43:43.329 to sustain some drives to win this game. 902 00:43:43.570 --> 00:43:46.510 Yeah, I think you're exactly right, Mike, because, you know, again, 903 00:43:46.550 --> 00:43:48.820 I just go back to the last two meetings with Martinsburg. 904 00:43:49.659 --> 00:43:52.699 Each were a handful of years ago in the playoffs. 905 00:43:53.579 --> 00:43:56.400 Saw what Martinsburg did against this offense. You know, they 906 00:43:56.519 --> 00:44:00.239 really loaded up the middle, forced Bridgeport to run outside, 907 00:44:00.539 --> 00:44:03.119 and then they had the speed outside to chase it 908 00:44:03.139 --> 00:44:06.940 all down, right? When Bridgeport lost to Morgantown in the 909 00:44:06.980 --> 00:44:10.679 regular season a few years ago at home, same thing. Very, 910 00:44:10.739 --> 00:44:16.019 very good free safety from Morgantown. Chased everything down. So 911 00:44:16.480 --> 00:44:17.980 that's going to be the game plan for them. They'll 912 00:44:18.000 --> 00:44:20.869 put Boston Todd kind of in center field and let 913 00:44:20.909 --> 00:44:23.510 him try to control the outside. So as you mentioned, 914 00:44:23.829 --> 00:44:25.730 it comes back, I think, a lot to Eli Knight 915 00:44:25.750 --> 00:44:27.690 and Gabe Martin. And are they able to muscle it 916 00:44:27.789 --> 00:44:30.690 up and kind of pound it in the middle and 917 00:44:30.750 --> 00:44:34.210 get the 3.5, 4 yards per carry advantage? that Bridgeport 918 00:44:34.269 --> 00:44:37.550 is looking for to keep the drive alive. Last time 919 00:44:37.590 --> 00:44:40.179 we were in Martinsburg, I thought Bridgeport moved the ball 920 00:44:41.019 --> 00:44:44.360 between the 20s, just bogged down, and I think they 921 00:44:44.380 --> 00:44:46.860 went 0-3 on fourth down conversions in the red zone 922 00:44:46.960 --> 00:44:49.880 in that game, and that was the difference in the game. 923 00:44:49.960 --> 00:44:51.989 So there's no question about it, and I even asked 924 00:44:52.010 --> 00:44:55.570 Tyler last night, In a perfect world, yeah, you would 925 00:44:55.610 --> 00:44:59.309 like to have about five 80-yard drive, time-killing drives, keep 926 00:44:59.349 --> 00:45:02.030 Martinsburg's offense off the field. But you get into these 927 00:45:02.070 --> 00:45:05.769 type of games where you think they're going to score 928 00:45:05.809 --> 00:45:07.929 a lot. You've got to try to keep up. You've 929 00:45:07.949 --> 00:45:09.469 got to take points whenever you can get them in 930 00:45:09.539 --> 00:45:10.840 any way you can get them. So if you break 931 00:45:10.900 --> 00:45:13.059 a long one, you break a long one. Certainly, you're 932 00:45:13.079 --> 00:45:15.420 going to take it. But I think if you're talking 933 00:45:15.460 --> 00:45:17.760 about the way that Martinsburg would like this game to 934 00:45:17.800 --> 00:45:19.300 play out and the way Bridgeport would like it to 935 00:45:19.320 --> 00:45:22.070 play out, Bridgeport certainly would like to win the time 936 00:45:22.090 --> 00:45:26.349 of possession. roll up some first downs, keep Martinsburg's offense 937 00:45:26.409 --> 00:45:29.409 on the sideline, and cash in with points on those drives. 938 00:45:31.449 --> 00:45:33.929 As you look at Martinsburg's offense, what do you feel 939 00:45:33.969 --> 00:45:36.889 like maybe their best matchup is against Bridgeport? 940 00:45:36.949 --> 00:45:39.050 Well, I think they're going to put Boston Todd, they're 941 00:45:39.070 --> 00:45:40.710 going to get Boston Todd the ball, whether they have 942 00:45:40.750 --> 00:45:43.489 to hand it to him, screen it to him, throw 943 00:45:43.550 --> 00:45:45.539 it to him, slant it to him, go route it. 944 00:45:45.590 --> 00:45:47.849 I mean, they'll get him the football. They'll try to 945 00:45:47.889 --> 00:45:52.440 get Bridgeport's linebackers safeties and corners in space that's what 946 00:45:52.460 --> 00:45:54.820 they do to everybody because they feel like they've got 947 00:45:55.219 --> 00:45:58.889 you know superior athletes you know top to bottom than 948 00:45:58.949 --> 00:46:01.309 everybody else in the state so I don't think there's 949 00:46:01.349 --> 00:46:03.269 any question about that you know they're going to try 950 00:46:03.289 --> 00:46:06.349 to run the ball some Bridgeport shuts that down and 951 00:46:06.610 --> 00:46:10.039 holds McDonald Gibson you know under control then they'll run 952 00:46:10.059 --> 00:46:12.519 the quarterback Brian Dixon and they're going to find ways 953 00:46:12.559 --> 00:46:15.630 to get the ball into their playmakers hands and you know, 954 00:46:15.670 --> 00:46:18.190 like a Boston Todd and a Ty Ricketts. And, you know, 955 00:46:18.210 --> 00:46:20.150 I'll tell you what, the other kid that nobody really 956 00:46:20.190 --> 00:46:23.519 talks about is Christian Irving. He's a sophomore. Watched him 957 00:46:23.619 --> 00:46:26.300 on film, saw him last year in his freshman year. 958 00:46:26.639 --> 00:46:29.099 You know, he's the next big star for Martinsburg. So he's, 959 00:46:29.340 --> 00:46:31.199 you know, he's the type of kid that any time 960 00:46:31.840 --> 00:46:35.219 you pay and give too much attention to Boston Todd 961 00:46:35.260 --> 00:46:37.369 and put him on one-on-one, you know, he's going to 962 00:46:37.389 --> 00:46:39.510 hurt you. So they've just got, they've got a ton 963 00:46:39.550 --> 00:46:41.989 of weapons, you know, offensively. We saw it last year 964 00:46:42.010 --> 00:46:45.289 in the state championship game. And all those guys are 965 00:46:45.329 --> 00:46:48.269 back for the most part with a year of seasoning. 966 00:46:48.690 --> 00:46:52.389 So yeah, I mean, Bridgeport, any team Martinsburg plays, the 967 00:46:52.409 --> 00:46:54.550 Indians included this year, they're going to have their hands 968 00:46:54.570 --> 00:46:56.329 full with this offense. There's no question about that. 969 00:46:56.510 --> 00:46:59.380 Travis, go ahead. And as is tradition, remind us where 970 00:46:59.409 --> 00:47:00.760 we can catch tonight's broadcast. 971 00:47:01.010 --> 00:47:04.360 All right, 6.06 tonight, right here on 103.3 KMZ. You 972 00:47:04.380 --> 00:47:07.539 can also listen on the Bridgeport Sports Radio app. And 973 00:47:07.559 --> 00:47:10.340 of course, this is also the Metro News Game of 974 00:47:10.360 --> 00:47:13.079 the Week. So the television broadcast will be there For 975 00:47:13.119 --> 00:47:16.039 you as well, Eli Brady and Coach Nick Bartik on 976 00:47:16.059 --> 00:47:19.800 the call. If you're a Bridgeport fan, come out first 977 00:47:19.860 --> 00:47:23.320 and foremost. Had a great crowd last week. Hopefully the 978 00:47:23.449 --> 00:47:26.190 stands are packed. I anticipate it will be. You'll get 979 00:47:26.230 --> 00:47:29.630 Bridgeport fans there. You'll get Martinsburg fans there tonight. I 980 00:47:29.650 --> 00:47:32.650 think you're going to get just the common football fan 981 00:47:32.690 --> 00:47:34.190 who wants to come out and watch a great game. 982 00:47:34.469 --> 00:47:36.130 And then you'll also get the fans that want to 983 00:47:36.150 --> 00:47:38.170 come out and watch Bridgeport lose. So you always get 984 00:47:38.210 --> 00:47:39.090 that as well. 985 00:47:39.769 --> 00:47:40.789 Very good. Thanks, Travis. 986 00:47:40.809 --> 00:47:41.090 All right. 987 00:47:41.110 --> 00:47:45.320 Thanks, guys. Here's Graham. Back to pass. Looking wide open. Duran, 15, 10, 5. 988 00:47:45.320 --> 00:47:56.019 In zone. Touchdown. They brought the wing in motion. 989 00:47:56.039 --> 00:47:58.260 They had run that play earlier in the drive, and 990 00:47:58.280 --> 00:48:00.590 that set up the fake. And then Graham Benson with 991 00:48:00.630 --> 00:48:04.889 a beautiful strike right in stride to Brody Duran, the senior. 992 00:48:05.530 --> 00:48:08.719 And he pulls it in and scores a receiving touchdown, 993 00:48:08.739 --> 00:48:14.079 and Bridgeport builds the lead to 13-0. Coach Ferris on 994 00:48:14.139 --> 00:48:16.480 his coach's show this week says, we like the pass, 995 00:48:16.519 --> 00:48:17.360 we want to score. 996 00:48:17.380 --> 00:48:19.960 That's exactly what happened on the first pass attempt of 997 00:48:19.980 --> 00:48:23.900 the night for Grant Benson. This is the Friday Free-for-All 998 00:48:23.920 --> 00:48:26.639 brought to you by Dan Cava, Toyota World, Alex Wiederspiel. 999 00:48:27.219 --> 00:48:30.500 and Michael Minnick still with you. You just heard the sultry, 1000 00:48:30.659 --> 00:48:32.840 I don't know if anyone's ever actually described Travis's sultry, 1001 00:48:32.860 --> 00:48:35.070 but you just heard the dulcet tones. You just heard 1002 00:48:35.090 --> 00:48:35.760 Travis Jones. 1003 00:48:35.780 --> 00:48:38.590 The sultry tones of Travis Jones, it even rhymed. 1004 00:48:38.670 --> 00:48:41.769 Yeah, yeah. You just heard the play-by-play call of Travis Jones, 1005 00:48:41.809 --> 00:48:44.769 a couple of touchdown calls from that Buckhannon-Upshur game. There were, 1006 00:48:44.789 --> 00:48:47.630 of course, several touchdowns to go around in that game. 1007 00:48:48.010 --> 00:48:50.429 Chris George is now with us to have sort of 1008 00:48:50.449 --> 00:48:54.630 the final word on Bridgeport-Buckhannon-Upshur and give us his thoughts 1009 00:48:54.690 --> 00:48:56.429 on Bridgeport-Martinsburg. What's up, Chris? 1010 00:48:57.159 --> 00:48:59.219 How you guys doing? 1011 00:48:59.280 --> 00:49:01.920 Man, just working through what a start to the high 1012 00:49:01.940 --> 00:49:07.639 school football second week. And hopefully Bridgeport Martinsburg has the 1013 00:49:07.699 --> 00:49:10.670 potential to live up to this. I don't want to 1014 00:49:10.690 --> 00:49:13.210 say the hype because I think there are plenty of 1015 00:49:13.269 --> 00:49:15.909 reasons why this could not be a good game. But 1016 00:49:16.130 --> 00:49:18.809 I mean, there's a lot of intrigue behind it. So 1017 00:49:18.849 --> 00:49:19.630 I'm excited for it. 1018 00:49:20.659 --> 00:49:22.780 Yeah, I think everybody is. I think this is a 1019 00:49:22.800 --> 00:49:24.699 matchup that people have been wanting to see for a 1020 00:49:24.699 --> 00:49:27.039 long time. I mean, we got to see a sample 1021 00:49:27.079 --> 00:49:29.400 size of it in the playoffs back in the early 1022 00:49:29.460 --> 00:49:33.320 2020s here. And, you know, we we knew how good Martinsburg, 1023 00:49:33.460 --> 00:49:36.260 you know, is. Obviously, they're one of the winningest programs 1024 00:49:36.280 --> 00:49:38.829 in the last five. you know, 15, 20 years than anybody, 1025 00:49:38.889 --> 00:49:42.309 and Bridgeport's right there with them. You know, and I 1026 00:49:42.329 --> 00:49:46.150 think it's funny. Everyone, when they think Martinsburg, they think 1027 00:49:46.389 --> 00:49:49.130 high-flying offense, which, yeah, it's true. They can score a 1028 00:49:49.150 --> 00:49:51.389 ton of points. They can throw it. They can run it. 1029 00:49:51.429 --> 00:49:54.880 They've got all the skill. But what people that are 1030 00:49:54.940 --> 00:49:58.079 unfamiliar with Martinsburg don't understand is how good their line 1031 00:49:58.119 --> 00:50:02.219 of scrimmage is. And, you know, any football guru understands that, 1032 00:50:02.239 --> 00:50:04.530 you know, this team's scoring well. as many points as 1033 00:50:04.570 --> 00:50:06.449 they are per game and doing what they do on 1034 00:50:06.489 --> 00:50:09.389 balance with offense, their line of scrimmage is pretty good, 1035 00:50:09.429 --> 00:50:11.639 which means their defensive line is pretty good too. And 1036 00:50:11.659 --> 00:50:14.360 that's been the difference in the two playoff games when 1037 00:50:14.400 --> 00:50:17.860 Bridgeport played Martinsburg in the playoffs at the time, then 1038 00:50:17.880 --> 00:50:21.320 it was quite a Bridgeport Indian football team. And, you know, 1039 00:50:21.340 --> 00:50:24.449 that was the one team that was kind of Bridgeport's kryptonite. 1040 00:50:24.469 --> 00:50:26.170 They couldn't really move the ball. I mean, they could 1041 00:50:26.210 --> 00:50:28.909 move up between the twenties. They get inside the red 1042 00:50:28.949 --> 00:50:31.489 zone and bog down. Now, Since then, I think we've 1043 00:50:31.530 --> 00:50:33.769 had a couple of Bridgeport teams that were more talented 1044 00:50:34.130 --> 00:50:36.429 offensively than some of those teams in the playoffs, but 1045 00:50:36.489 --> 00:50:41.070 we'll see. Big test is tonight, Martinsburg, probably, in my opinion, 1046 00:50:41.110 --> 00:50:45.239 the best team in Class 4A against Bridgeport, who could 1047 00:50:45.280 --> 00:50:47.559 be the top team in Class AAA. We'll find out 1048 00:50:47.639 --> 00:50:49.559 right now, you know, while this is going to be 1049 00:50:49.619 --> 00:50:52.619 answered tomorrow or tonight, and it should be fun. 1050 00:50:54.340 --> 00:50:56.889 Asked Travis this question too, but how important is the 1051 00:50:56.929 --> 00:50:58.570 power running game going to be? We know what Gavin 1052 00:50:58.590 --> 00:51:00.349 Williams can do, but being able to kind of get 1053 00:51:00.389 --> 00:51:02.789 a little bit between the tackles, especially in a third 1054 00:51:02.829 --> 00:51:03.889 and short or a fourth and short. 1055 00:51:04.269 --> 00:51:06.349 I think it's important. I think you want to sustain 1056 00:51:06.389 --> 00:51:08.929 drives against this Martinsburg team to kind of keep their 1057 00:51:08.969 --> 00:51:11.570 offense off the field. But, you know, single wing's a 1058 00:51:11.610 --> 00:51:13.880 different type of offense. It's a big, you know, the 1059 00:51:13.929 --> 00:51:18.239 single wing is like the spread in the passing game. 1060 00:51:18.280 --> 00:51:20.739 You know, single wing is built to, you know, run 1061 00:51:20.760 --> 00:51:22.579 the football a ton. We understand that, but it's a 1062 00:51:22.599 --> 00:51:25.659 big play offense. And everyone's like, well, how can you 1063 00:51:25.679 --> 00:51:28.300 run the ball 98% of the time and have a 1064 00:51:28.340 --> 00:51:31.179 big playoff offense? Well, the single wing is designed to 1065 00:51:31.219 --> 00:51:33.719 score almost every time you touch it. Because if you 1066 00:51:33.739 --> 00:51:36.300 block everything up, how in the hat, you know, do 1067 00:51:36.340 --> 00:51:38.840 everything right, you can score a touchdown almost every time. 1068 00:51:38.900 --> 00:51:42.039 And we've seen Bridgeport score a ton of touchdowns on 1069 00:51:42.079 --> 00:51:45.079 long runs over the years, big plays, two and three 1070 00:51:45.119 --> 00:51:47.940 yard drives. But, you know, they have that this year. 1071 00:51:47.960 --> 00:51:50.880 They have the interior threat with a healthy Gabe Martin who, 1072 00:51:51.510 --> 00:51:54.199 provided that last year you know first half of the 1073 00:51:54.219 --> 00:51:56.639 year before he suffered that injury and we lost it 1074 00:51:56.719 --> 00:51:58.219 in the second half and I think it was the 1075 00:51:58.260 --> 00:52:01.099 difference in that team down the stretch so I think 1076 00:52:01.139 --> 00:52:04.199 it's very important tomorrow because if you want to run 1077 00:52:04.239 --> 00:52:06.079 to the perimeter you've got to you've got to be 1078 00:52:06.119 --> 00:52:07.880 able to run a little bit on the inside so 1079 00:52:07.920 --> 00:52:10.800 you've got to make them take away that inside running 1080 00:52:10.840 --> 00:52:13.800 game if if running backs like Gavin Williams and Graham 1081 00:52:13.820 --> 00:52:17.090 Benson and whomever it might be even even Gabe can 1082 00:52:17.110 --> 00:52:19.050 get outside if you want to get the outside run 1083 00:52:19.090 --> 00:52:21.860 game going but All in all, it starts up front, guys, 1084 00:52:21.960 --> 00:52:24.340 you know, and this is a huge test for this 1085 00:52:24.400 --> 00:52:28.900 Bridgeport front. You know, it's an experienced front that got their, 1086 00:52:29.119 --> 00:52:31.119 you know, feet wet last week. A lot of them 1087 00:52:32.010 --> 00:52:34.429 in roles as varsity starters for the first time are 1088 00:52:34.449 --> 00:52:37.449 guys who started a year ago, like Tristan Noble, who 1089 00:52:37.510 --> 00:52:40.550 played right side tight end on the strong side. Now 1090 00:52:40.590 --> 00:52:42.949 he's moved the inside tackle on the right side. So yeah, 1091 00:52:43.369 --> 00:52:45.929 he's got plenty of experience, but he's playing a different position. 1092 00:52:45.989 --> 00:52:48.059 So this ought to be fun. It's going to be 1093 00:52:48.079 --> 00:52:50.360 a good test. And, uh, boy, we could talk, we 1094 00:52:50.380 --> 00:52:51.860 could talk for an hour on this one. I think. 1095 00:52:52.320 --> 00:52:52.480 Yeah. 1096 00:52:52.519 --> 00:52:57.030 Real quick before we, we, uh, move on. Um, cause we're, 1097 00:52:57.139 --> 00:53:00.110 we're low on, we're low on time here. I am, uh, 1098 00:53:00.289 --> 00:53:03.309 I am kind of curious about your perspective on what 1099 00:53:03.329 --> 00:53:06.190 this game means for sort of the, the totality of 1100 00:53:06.230 --> 00:53:08.090 the season, like a day's end is the most important 1101 00:53:08.130 --> 00:53:10.590 thing they can do. Just not get hurt. Or is 1102 00:53:10.630 --> 00:53:12.349 there something to prove here for Bridgeport? 1103 00:53:13.699 --> 00:53:16.099 I think every time you play, there's something to prove. 1104 00:53:16.139 --> 00:53:18.980 And I think Tyler Ferris understands that this year, some 1105 00:53:19.019 --> 00:53:22.599 inexperience up front. So every time out, this team has 1106 00:53:22.639 --> 00:53:25.639 something to prove. They want to be better every game. 1107 00:53:26.179 --> 00:53:28.389 You know, we talked about this a few weeks ago, 1108 00:53:28.449 --> 00:53:31.190 and Tyler was right. He felt last year's team did 1109 00:53:31.250 --> 00:53:33.929 not get better as the year went on. He felt 1110 00:53:33.969 --> 00:53:36.510 they peaked early. And this year he wants to get 1111 00:53:36.570 --> 00:53:39.269 back to that, you know, Bridgeport football where they get 1112 00:53:39.309 --> 00:53:42.409 better every game. So this is game number two. Next 1113 00:53:42.469 --> 00:53:44.599 week is step number three. Then we've got step number 1114 00:53:44.659 --> 00:53:46.980 four and so on. So, yeah, ultimately you don't want 1115 00:53:47.000 --> 00:53:48.960 to get anybody hurt. Ultimately you don't want to get 1116 00:53:49.000 --> 00:53:51.519 blown out, which I don't think they will. Ultimately you 1117 00:53:51.539 --> 00:53:53.199 want to win the game. Can they win the game? 1118 00:53:53.420 --> 00:53:55.460 Sure they can win the game. Will they lose the game? Yeah, 1119 00:53:55.500 --> 00:53:58.219 it's possible. You know, it's a tough matchup. You want 1120 00:53:58.239 --> 00:53:59.769 to break it down X and O's. I think there's 1121 00:53:59.809 --> 00:54:02.070 a lot of advantages that go to Martinsburg's way. But 1122 00:54:02.489 --> 00:54:05.150 Bridgeport playing at home, they're physical, and we'll see how 1123 00:54:05.190 --> 00:54:07.110 Martinsburg handles it in week two. I know one thing. 1124 00:54:07.610 --> 00:54:09.969 I talked to Dave Walker earlier this week. He's concerned 1125 00:54:10.190 --> 00:54:13.110 because– He knows his teams don't play their best football 1126 00:54:13.150 --> 00:54:15.690 early in the season. That's his biggest concern, and he 1127 00:54:15.730 --> 00:54:19.190 knows how physical and how well Bridgeport executes what they 1128 00:54:19.230 --> 00:54:21.630 do offensively, and he knows it's going to be difficult 1129 00:54:21.650 --> 00:54:23.670 to stop. I think he'd rather play this game week 1130 00:54:23.730 --> 00:54:26.030 eight or nine. I think Bridgeport would rather play this 1131 00:54:26.070 --> 00:54:28.869 game week eight or nine. However, it's week two, and 1132 00:54:28.889 --> 00:54:29.869 it will be played tonight. 1133 00:54:31.349 --> 00:54:33.429 Seeing that Martin's routine a couple years ago, it was 1134 00:54:33.869 --> 00:54:36.389 Ezra Bajent, the younger brother of Tyson Bajent, the current 1135 00:54:36.550 --> 00:54:39.110 Bears backup quarterback, And he could run it a little bit, 1136 00:54:39.179 --> 00:54:40.880 but I feel like with Dick, it's much more of 1137 00:54:40.920 --> 00:54:42.679 a dual threat sort of thing, and he can do 1138 00:54:42.719 --> 00:54:43.900 both really well. 1139 00:54:44.039 --> 00:54:47.960 He's unbelievable. And that's what concerns me tomorrow is him. 1140 00:54:48.579 --> 00:54:50.739 He is a guy that can throw it, and he 1141 00:54:50.760 --> 00:54:55.019 can run it, and he's 210, 215 pounds, and he 1142 00:54:55.059 --> 00:54:57.340 can run you over, he can run around you, and 1143 00:54:57.360 --> 00:54:59.760 he's just a weapon. And I think Brian Dick, being 1144 00:54:59.800 --> 00:55:04.159 as good as he is offensively, puts a big– it's 1145 00:55:04.199 --> 00:55:07.150 a big issue for this game coming up because– You 1146 00:55:07.170 --> 00:55:10.780 take a look at it, all in all, who is 1147 00:55:10.820 --> 00:55:13.679 going to– you've got to be very disciplined tonight. You've 1148 00:55:13.699 --> 00:55:16.260 got to be very disciplined in how you play the 1149 00:55:16.360 --> 00:55:18.519 RPO and the zone read because he can pull it, 1150 00:55:19.039 --> 00:55:20.639 then he can throw it, he can pull it, then 1151 00:55:20.659 --> 00:55:22.170 he can run it, or he can just hand it off. 1152 00:55:22.250 --> 00:55:25.130 So you've got to be disciplined. You can't over-pursue the 1153 00:55:25.170 --> 00:55:27.869 football or they'll hurt you. 1154 00:55:28.010 --> 00:55:31.210 One last quick note. Thoughts on the potential for– we 1155 00:55:31.250 --> 00:55:33.679 obviously saw what it did last night with the inclement weather. 1156 00:55:34.480 --> 00:55:36.380 Any concerns about what the weather could do to this game? 1157 00:55:36.780 --> 00:55:39.139 Yeah, there's concerns. You know, I was driving home from 1158 00:55:39.179 --> 00:55:43.079 Fairmont last night, back to Elkins after the Fairmont State broadcast, 1159 00:55:43.139 --> 00:55:46.360 and it was a humongous, wonderful, beautiful lightning show. And 1160 00:55:46.380 --> 00:55:48.519 all the way back to Elkins, it was dry. Everything 1161 00:55:48.539 --> 00:55:50.880 was north of us. But, you know, as soon as 1162 00:55:50.900 --> 00:55:52.260 we got back to Elkins, we got out of the 1163 00:55:52.280 --> 00:55:55.420 shower about 11.45, the rain hit, the storm hit. So, yeah, 1164 00:55:55.460 --> 00:55:58.940 it's possible. You worry about it. In this situation last year, 1165 00:55:58.960 --> 00:56:01.019 it got us in a heritage game. Bridgeport was on 1166 00:56:01.039 --> 00:56:03.539 the winning side of things when the game ultimately was called. 1167 00:56:04.480 --> 00:56:06.150 You know, I think this game, if it gets in 1168 00:56:06.159 --> 00:56:08.030 that situation, I think both teams are going to wait 1169 00:56:08.090 --> 00:56:09.610 out as long as they can to get it done. 1170 00:56:09.650 --> 00:56:12.230 So hopefully we don't have that issue. There are scattered 1171 00:56:12.269 --> 00:56:15.090 thunderstorms in the forecast for today, but it looks like, 1172 00:56:15.110 --> 00:56:18.889 according to the forecast, by later evening, nighttime, it should 1173 00:56:18.909 --> 00:56:21.500 start to dissipate a little bit. But man, you just 1174 00:56:21.519 --> 00:56:23.400 never know if the weather and the hot, humid weather 1175 00:56:23.420 --> 00:56:25.920 in the month of September in West Virginia. 1176 00:56:26.460 --> 00:56:28.000 Oh, that is the truth. All right, we're going to 1177 00:56:28.039 --> 00:56:30.389 take a quick break here and come back. We've got 1178 00:56:30.489 --> 00:56:32.849 much more to go here. Chris is going to rejoin 1179 00:56:32.889 --> 00:56:35.409 us during the 9 o'clock hour, so if you want 1180 00:56:35.429 --> 00:56:36.969 to hear a little bit more, and we're going to 1181 00:56:36.989 --> 00:56:39.610 get a lot deeper into some other teams around the state, 1182 00:56:39.690 --> 00:56:41.949 stick with us. We've got lots more high school football 1183 00:56:41.989 --> 00:56:44.469 to talk here on the Friday Free-for-All, brought to you 1184 00:56:44.489 --> 00:56:46.070 by Dan Cava, Toyota World. 1185 00:56:47.130 --> 00:56:50.510 Back to the WKMZ locker room for more high school 1186 00:56:50.550 --> 00:56:55.340 sports on the Dan Cava Toyota Buick GMC Friday free-for-all. 1187 00:56:55.820 --> 00:57:03.239 Maxwell takes a knee. It was not always pretty. South 1188 00:57:03.280 --> 00:57:06.579 Harrison led 14-7 when this game went into a lightning delay. 1189 00:57:08.559 --> 00:57:12.389 They will finish with a 20-19 win and improve to 1190 00:57:12.409 --> 00:57:14.849 2-0 on the season. That was the final call from 1191 00:57:15.090 --> 00:57:18.110 South Harrison's victory over Lincoln last season. I don't know 1192 00:57:18.130 --> 00:57:20.469 if you guys remember that one. It took multiple days 1193 00:57:20.530 --> 00:57:23.599 to complete. So you're going to hear these two teams 1194 00:57:23.800 --> 00:57:27.519 in the same segment a lot this year. And coincidentally, 1195 00:57:27.539 --> 00:57:30.659 they happen to also play uh this week and and 1196 00:57:30.699 --> 00:57:33.639 of course uh last year it was a kind of 1197 00:57:33.679 --> 00:57:36.079 do or die game which we didn't really realize at 1198 00:57:36.099 --> 00:57:38.239 the time but it was do or die for south 1199 00:57:38.280 --> 00:57:40.579 harrison they had to get the win if you look 1200 00:57:40.619 --> 00:57:42.579 back uh kind of at the way the season went 1201 00:57:42.619 --> 00:57:45.619 down uh over the course of two different days thanks 1202 00:57:45.679 --> 00:57:48.119 to some stormy weather that we could see a repeat 1203 00:57:48.239 --> 00:57:51.099 of today the hawks managed to hold off lincoln and 1204 00:57:51.139 --> 00:57:55.019 win 20 to 19 over the lincoln cougars now lincoln 1205 00:57:55.059 --> 00:57:57.829 of course has a much tougher schedule As a result, 1206 00:57:58.269 --> 00:58:01.510 the Cougars probably didn't need that game. In fact, as 1207 00:58:01.550 --> 00:58:03.599 we now know, they did not need that game. They 1208 00:58:03.619 --> 00:58:07.860 still finished ahead of South Harrison in the playoff ratings. 1209 00:58:08.599 --> 00:58:10.829 We have Craig Dutton with us, the play-by-play voice of 1210 00:58:10.869 --> 00:58:13.769 the Lincoln Cougars. And that makes for an interesting dynamic 1211 00:58:14.369 --> 00:58:17.570 in this, Craig, in that for Lincoln, they have sort 1212 00:58:17.590 --> 00:58:21.190 of a lot of different options for a game like 1213 00:58:21.230 --> 00:58:23.550 this and for a path into the playoffs. And I 1214 00:58:23.570 --> 00:58:25.469 think this kind of makes this a must win for 1215 00:58:25.530 --> 00:58:29.139 South Harrison. And it's definitely a game Lincoln would like 1216 00:58:29.199 --> 00:58:31.010 to have. I don't know if this is a must 1217 00:58:31.050 --> 00:58:31.780 win for them, though. 1218 00:58:33.820 --> 00:58:36.019 I'm not too sure the way the season's going about. 1219 00:58:36.480 --> 00:58:38.340 It may not be a must win for them, the 1220 00:58:38.380 --> 00:58:41.619 way things are going. especially the way their season started 1221 00:58:41.659 --> 00:58:45.219 last year. Four wins most likely can get Lincoln in 1222 00:58:45.260 --> 00:58:48.889 in Class AA with their schedule in Class AAA. But 1223 00:58:49.139 --> 00:58:51.610 it's hard to say with the way these two teams 1224 00:58:51.630 --> 00:58:53.349 have been playing at the start of the season. I 1225 00:58:53.610 --> 00:58:56.230 think the key right now is wondering how good South 1226 00:58:56.250 --> 00:59:00.190 Harrison's defense is versus Lincoln, how structured they're going to 1227 00:59:00.230 --> 00:59:02.469 be with their offense. They're going to have a different 1228 00:59:02.610 --> 00:59:05.780 starting quarterback this week. They start with Jacob Bart last 1229 00:59:05.840 --> 00:59:09.219 week with Bear Saab. Bear Saab is going to get 1230 00:59:09.239 --> 00:59:11.199 the nod to start for Lincoln. They're going to move 1231 00:59:11.219 --> 00:59:15.139 Jacob Bart back as a second and third option there 1232 00:59:15.179 --> 00:59:16.880 in the receiving for Lincoln now. 1233 00:59:19.260 --> 00:59:21.239 So Bart throws for about 200 yards and they have 1234 00:59:21.260 --> 00:59:22.909 a better option. That's a very good sign for the 1235 00:59:22.949 --> 00:59:23.590 Lincoln offense. 1236 00:59:24.650 --> 00:59:27.070 That's how Coach Hawkins is looking at it. Bear Saab 1237 00:59:27.110 --> 00:59:29.820 came to Lincoln and And he's been on a few 1238 00:59:29.860 --> 00:59:32.639 flag football teams in the past through the bridge and 1239 00:59:32.679 --> 00:59:34.980 has had a lot of success and can toss the 1240 00:59:35.000 --> 00:59:37.059 ball a good bit. And they feel very confident with 1241 00:59:37.099 --> 00:59:40.070 him running the offense and with all the pieces around them. 1242 00:59:40.110 --> 00:59:41.989 They feel that Jacob Bart would be better suited to 1243 00:59:42.030 --> 00:59:44.909 be the flanker for the Cougars and then move back 1244 00:59:45.690 --> 00:59:48.090 and allow Cypher to be in that backup role again. 1245 00:59:48.469 --> 00:59:51.750 Last week, he did a great job. Chase and Cypher 1246 00:59:51.769 --> 00:59:54.519 gained like four inches of height and he played pretty 1247 00:59:54.539 --> 00:59:58.530 well versus Elkins last week. Still, Colton Edwards as a 1248 00:59:58.550 --> 01:00:01.150 guy was the main target for Jacob Bart. I think 1249 01:00:01.190 --> 01:00:03.219 it will continue to be that way for Bear Saab. 1250 01:00:03.260 --> 01:00:06.139 It'll be either Colton Edwards or Jacob Bart. On any 1251 01:00:06.239 --> 01:00:09.340 one night, we'll have a great evening for the Cougars receiving. 1252 01:00:10.079 --> 01:00:12.219 I'm kind of curious, how do you grade the way 1253 01:00:12.320 --> 01:00:16.139 Lincoln looked? I think that scoreline probably doesn't do justice 1254 01:00:16.179 --> 01:00:19.260 to how well Lincoln played in parts of that game, 1255 01:00:19.300 --> 01:00:20.780 but how do you grade them? How do you think 1256 01:00:20.800 --> 01:00:23.130 the coaching staff is grading them after the loss to Elkins? 1257 01:00:24.530 --> 01:00:25.190 After that loss. 1258 01:00:25.840 --> 01:00:30.230 They're kicking themselves again because on consecutive years now, they've 1259 01:00:30.250 --> 01:00:32.710 allowed a team to set the single game rushing record. 1260 01:00:33.090 --> 01:00:36.909 They did versus Devin Nash at Nicholas County last year, 1261 01:00:37.489 --> 01:00:40.639 about midway through the season. And then Seth Robinson, I 1262 01:00:40.699 --> 01:00:42.320 did not realize that. I thought there was a few 1263 01:00:42.360 --> 01:00:45.760 teams under when Greg Haught was coach in the 2000s. 1264 01:00:45.780 --> 01:00:48.400 There was a few kids that may have set that record, 1265 01:00:48.420 --> 01:00:51.510 but it wasn't. It was set by Seth Robinson last 1266 01:00:51.550 --> 01:00:55.320 week with 326 yards. That's a single-game record in Elkins' 1267 01:00:55.360 --> 01:00:57.940 history for rushing in one game. A lot of that 1268 01:00:57.980 --> 01:01:00.679 came in the fourth quarter. It was 21-21 after three 1269 01:01:00.719 --> 01:01:04.739 quarters of play. It just felt like Lincoln dominated some 1270 01:01:04.760 --> 01:01:08.179 of the field possession early on versus the Tigers, and 1271 01:01:08.219 --> 01:01:11.119 then towards the second half, they just got a bit 1272 01:01:11.179 --> 01:01:14.780 tired trying to stop the same thing over and over again. 1273 01:01:14.800 --> 01:01:17.309 That was Seth Robinson up the gut. I don't know 1274 01:01:17.329 --> 01:01:19.710 if they'll be able to run Robinson like that all season, 1275 01:01:20.210 --> 01:01:22.429 if Jaden Hatfield's going to come back, but they also 1276 01:01:22.469 --> 01:01:27.280 found a quality back in Tony Sylvester, which the words 1277 01:01:27.320 --> 01:01:28.960 of Mike Wolf, he could just rip the top off 1278 01:01:29.000 --> 01:01:31.639 of any game and give that fast option out of 1279 01:01:31.659 --> 01:01:34.340 the backfield for the Tigers. So they're going to be 1280 01:01:34.420 --> 01:01:36.510 pretty good as the season goes on. Lincoln really needs 1281 01:01:36.530 --> 01:01:39.670 to sure that up. They could expect somewhat of the 1282 01:01:39.750 --> 01:01:44.030 same versus South Harrison this week with the stick eye, 1283 01:01:44.090 --> 01:01:46.630 but it's going to be a lot more consistent trying 1284 01:01:46.670 --> 01:01:50.210 to focus on stopping them around the corners and and 1285 01:01:50.250 --> 01:01:52.170 not let anything up the gut again. It's going to 1286 01:01:52.190 --> 01:01:55.210 be exactly the same thing, and they just don't want 1287 01:01:55.269 --> 01:01:57.349 the Hawks to try to dominate the clock. They want 1288 01:01:57.369 --> 01:01:59.769 to have as many opportunities as they had last week 1289 01:02:00.449 --> 01:02:01.230 versus Elkins. 1290 01:02:02.570 --> 01:02:04.510 Connor Rice had a 62-yard run in this game. That 1291 01:02:04.550 --> 01:02:06.570 was half of his yards in this game. How do 1292 01:02:06.590 --> 01:02:08.530 you feel like the run game shaped up last week? 1293 01:02:09.650 --> 01:02:10.170 Really good. 1294 01:02:10.210 --> 01:02:12.409 We haven't seen Trent Moore yet, and that was something 1295 01:02:12.429 --> 01:02:14.949 we really expected to see. Maybe they're holding him for 1296 01:02:14.989 --> 01:02:18.519 another game. But Connor Rice held his own, did really good. 1297 01:02:18.539 --> 01:02:20.760 He ran him most of the drive. That's why Cade 1298 01:02:20.800 --> 01:02:24.119 Mooney had one touchdown because his helmet got ripped off 1299 01:02:24.320 --> 01:02:26.940 and then Mooney just finished a job. Mooney did an 1300 01:02:27.059 --> 01:02:30.920 outstanding job on defense and special teams for the Cougars 1301 01:02:30.980 --> 01:02:32.800 as well. We're going to be mentioning his name a 1302 01:02:32.840 --> 01:02:36.460 lot more this year and next year. But Rice did 1303 01:02:36.519 --> 01:02:39.219 outstanding in terms of the run game. Even Jacob Bart 1304 01:02:39.239 --> 01:02:41.409 did a good job in trying to manage it and 1305 01:02:41.449 --> 01:02:43.780 watch what was going on in the field. I think 1306 01:02:43.820 --> 01:02:45.599 that was the big win is that they know they're 1307 01:02:45.659 --> 01:02:49.480 pretty confident in the quarterback game, but they're really happy 1308 01:02:49.519 --> 01:02:51.650 with what Connor Rice can do and pull out a 1309 01:02:51.659 --> 01:02:54.469 couple yards per play. I think he's going to continue 1310 01:02:54.510 --> 01:02:56.550 to tote the load, and if they feel it's a 1311 01:02:56.610 --> 01:02:58.469 night where they could run the ball even more, they're 1312 01:02:58.489 --> 01:03:00.389 going to give him some breaks and allow Caden Mooney 1313 01:03:00.869 --> 01:03:03.409 and hopefully Trent Moore some opportunities on offense. 1314 01:03:04.280 --> 01:03:05.780 Do you want to talk a little bit about what 1315 01:03:05.840 --> 01:03:09.440 Lincoln can do potentially better on either side of the ball, really? 1316 01:03:09.460 --> 01:03:11.800 But I guess the biggest things to take forward, not 1317 01:03:11.840 --> 01:03:14.030 just in this South Harrison game, but through the rest 1318 01:03:14.070 --> 01:03:14.710 of this season. 1319 01:03:16.650 --> 01:03:19.090 Through the rest of the season, it's got to be 1320 01:03:19.130 --> 01:03:21.150 stopping the run game. I mean, most of their teams 1321 01:03:21.210 --> 01:03:26.369 on their schedule now all run a run primarily offense. 1322 01:03:26.429 --> 01:03:29.530 Coach Hawkins and I were talking about it. based on 1323 01:03:29.590 --> 01:03:33.059 what everyone does, it's primary run with everyone. No one 1324 01:03:33.099 --> 01:03:35.840 runs a spread locally. And, again, that goes to the 1325 01:03:35.860 --> 01:03:38.079 roots in traditionalism. You know, it's in the north, central, 1326 01:03:38.099 --> 01:03:40.960 west Virginia area when it comes to a running sort 1327 01:03:40.980 --> 01:03:44.980 of game. So your defense is preparing for something completely different, 1328 01:03:45.000 --> 01:03:48.000 what your own offense runs from time to time. I 1329 01:03:48.059 --> 01:03:50.840 feel the balance is there. That's been a success on offense. 1330 01:03:51.239 --> 01:03:53.440 They just need to extend drives. They can't have three 1331 01:03:53.460 --> 01:03:55.780 and outs and just give the ball right back. And 1332 01:03:55.860 --> 01:03:58.579 on defense, you've got to get teams off the field quickly. 1333 01:03:59.480 --> 01:04:02.500 especially in the run game. Even if it's just a 1334 01:04:02.539 --> 01:04:06.409 couple first downs, you're trying to stop a run game consistently. 1335 01:04:06.429 --> 01:04:09.110 That's going to be tough. Elkins went to the air 1336 01:04:09.130 --> 01:04:12.710 a lot more than was expected last week. This week, 1337 01:04:12.789 --> 01:04:15.469 you just know what South Harrison's going to do. They're 1338 01:04:15.489 --> 01:04:16.750 not going to put the ball in the air about 1339 01:04:16.809 --> 01:04:19.389 eight or nine times like Elkins did, maybe two or three, 1340 01:04:19.800 --> 01:04:21.719 and I hope to convert on those and really try 1341 01:04:21.739 --> 01:04:23.900 to pull the Lincoln defense in on the box if 1342 01:04:23.920 --> 01:04:26.010 they can. So they just got to be ready to 1343 01:04:26.050 --> 01:04:28.250 stop the run at any one moment, even if they 1344 01:04:28.269 --> 01:04:31.190 have to sell out and get away from the pass 1345 01:04:31.289 --> 01:04:34.909 defense and focus fully on the run because there are 1346 01:04:34.929 --> 01:04:37.309 some athletes there. Mooney had a great job on defense. 1347 01:04:37.329 --> 01:04:39.380 I have to confirm he had close to 20 tackles. 1348 01:04:40.760 --> 01:04:42.719 You just got to be able to get your line 1349 01:04:42.739 --> 01:04:44.940 to sync up with what the linebackers are trying to do. 1350 01:04:46.860 --> 01:04:50.139 Talked about what Elkins was able to do last week. Obviously, 1351 01:04:50.179 --> 01:04:53.000 South Harrison comes off a win. Grafton lost. That's the 1352 01:04:53.019 --> 01:04:55.599 week three opponent, but they look good. Nicholas has a win. 1353 01:04:55.780 --> 01:04:58.119 North Marion has a win. So the first five teams 1354 01:04:58.159 --> 01:05:00.340 Lincoln are playing are four and one. So again, that 1355 01:05:00.360 --> 01:05:01.619 speaks to the strength of the schedule. 1356 01:05:02.880 --> 01:05:03.219 It is. 1357 01:05:03.320 --> 01:05:06.630 And that's why I think four wins on a AAA-dominated 1358 01:05:06.690 --> 01:05:09.710 schedule would do enough. And there are some winnable games 1359 01:05:09.730 --> 01:05:10.949 in the middle of the season, but you don't want 1360 01:05:10.969 --> 01:05:14.309 to depend upon those right now. Lincoln's got to be 1361 01:05:14.349 --> 01:05:16.849 able to try to focus in and get a few 1362 01:05:16.869 --> 01:05:18.429 of these in the early part of the season. They 1363 01:05:18.469 --> 01:05:21.449 did that with Grafton last year before that middle stretch. 1364 01:05:22.130 --> 01:05:23.389 It's going to be harder to tell if they can 1365 01:05:23.409 --> 01:05:25.489 do that versus the Bearcats on the road. So this 1366 01:05:25.550 --> 01:05:28.449 week they're fully focused on this home opener in hopes 1367 01:05:28.469 --> 01:05:31.710 that they could try to steal back a game that 1368 01:05:31.730 --> 01:05:34.550 was hard fought between South Harrison and Lincoln last year. 1369 01:05:34.590 --> 01:05:37.690 Both teams did a really good job about holding their own. 1370 01:05:37.730 --> 01:05:40.610 A few mistakes on both sides. I would say right 1371 01:05:40.659 --> 01:05:43.719 now the biggest key, and you look at everything, is 1372 01:05:44.539 --> 01:05:47.860 honestly I think it's South Harrison's defense. I think that's 1373 01:05:47.960 --> 01:05:50.260 the opportunity we're really going to see. Are they for real? 1374 01:05:50.670 --> 01:05:53.750 They did really good in their scrimmage versus Elkins, and 1375 01:05:53.769 --> 01:05:56.590 they shut out Braxton County last week on their home opener. 1376 01:05:57.070 --> 01:05:59.610 So it's dependent on what South Harrison, I think, can 1377 01:05:59.630 --> 01:06:02.269 do defensively. That's where either they're going to force enough 1378 01:06:02.329 --> 01:06:06.110 mistakes to cause Lincoln trouble, or they're just going to 1379 01:06:06.139 --> 01:06:07.639 put it all on their offense one way or the 1380 01:06:07.699 --> 01:06:09.559 other to try to determine the outcome of the game. 1381 01:06:09.619 --> 01:06:11.380 And Lincoln doesn't want to do that. They want their 1382 01:06:11.460 --> 01:06:13.980 offense to try to dominate and pick up first downs, 1383 01:06:14.159 --> 01:06:15.219 control the pace of the game. 1384 01:06:15.659 --> 01:06:17.789 Yeah, I will say, and we'll talk more about South 1385 01:06:17.809 --> 01:06:20.170 Harrison coming up here in a moment, but I can 1386 01:06:20.190 --> 01:06:23.050 certainly say that's a Hawks defense. They're really excited and 1387 01:06:23.110 --> 01:06:25.670 happy about the 11 guys they have on the field. 1388 01:06:26.210 --> 01:06:28.179 As with every instance with South Harrison, they're trying to 1389 01:06:28.219 --> 01:06:30.840 figure out, okay, when we need to get a 12th 1390 01:06:30.880 --> 01:06:34.619 guy out there to sub in, 13th guy, when we're 1391 01:06:34.679 --> 01:06:38.519 subbing in and out, how can we develop these guys 1392 01:06:38.579 --> 01:06:40.099 over the course of the season so that we feel 1393 01:06:40.119 --> 01:06:41.989 good about that? Because These guys are going to have 1394 01:06:42.010 --> 01:06:45.190 to get a break eventually. Hey, Craig, remind folks if 1395 01:06:45.210 --> 01:06:48.210 they are looking for the Lincoln Home broadcast where they 1396 01:06:48.230 --> 01:06:49.090 can catch that tonight. 1397 01:06:50.349 --> 01:06:55.460 It'll be on 93.5 FM, WFBY.com, the new WVRC media app. 1398 01:06:56.019 --> 01:06:59.500 And then our audio will run via the Harrison County 1399 01:06:59.539 --> 01:07:02.579 Board of Education's free huddle feed as well. We'll run 1400 01:07:02.599 --> 01:07:04.760 that on there as well for the broadcast. 1401 01:07:05.829 --> 01:07:09.420 Very good. Thanks, Craig. And let's play a quick clip 1402 01:07:09.460 --> 01:07:12.840 from the last game and we'll switch over to South 1403 01:07:12.860 --> 01:07:13.809 Harrison in just a moment. 1404 01:07:14.400 --> 01:07:17.840 Bart back at quarterback. Again, he'll bring Cypher onto the field. 1405 01:07:17.909 --> 01:07:21.269 A handoff to Connor Rice. Breaks around one tackler. Second 1406 01:07:21.289 --> 01:07:24.150 tackler breaks around a third at midfield. That's a 45. 1407 01:07:24.130 --> 01:07:26.090 Changes to the right side. It's a foot race to 1408 01:07:26.110 --> 01:07:30.869 the 30, 20, 10, 5, and push to the end zone. No, 1409 01:07:30.909 --> 01:07:33.010 they're going to say he's out at the 2. It 1410 01:07:33.030 --> 01:07:35.230 looked like he went out over the pylon, but they're 1411 01:07:35.250 --> 01:07:37.510 going to mark him down to 2, and that will 1412 01:07:37.550 --> 01:07:42.030 be a 63-yard run by the senior Connor Rice. 1413 01:07:42.550 --> 01:07:45.829 So obviously a really big game this week in Class AA. 1414 01:07:45.869 --> 01:07:49.139 We just heard from Craig Dutton about the Lincoln Cougars. 1415 01:07:49.489 --> 01:07:53.320 A year ago, South Harrison had to take on Lincoln twice, 1416 01:07:54.300 --> 01:07:57.199 sort of. I guess two halves, if you will. They 1417 01:07:57.219 --> 01:08:00.300 played basically the first half of football on Friday night. 1418 01:08:00.360 --> 01:08:02.280 Game got suspended due to weather. It was the only 1419 01:08:02.320 --> 01:08:05.500 game in the state that was actually outright suspended and 1420 01:08:05.519 --> 01:08:08.539 then resumed on Monday. And boy, Lincoln had the better 1421 01:08:08.599 --> 01:08:11.210 of it in the back half of that one. And ultimately, 1422 01:08:11.389 --> 01:08:15.590 South Harrison gets the win 20-19, a real tight game, 1423 01:08:16.100 --> 01:08:18.020 and made a real difference. I don't know that South 1424 01:08:18.060 --> 01:08:22.239 Harrison's a playoff team without that win, that one-point margin 1425 01:08:22.359 --> 01:08:25.279 over a Lincoln Cougar team who, unfortunately for South Harrison, 1426 01:08:25.800 --> 01:08:28.039 is quite battle-tested but doesn't give them any of those 1427 01:08:28.100 --> 01:08:31.970 bonus points you might get from up the rankings, Mike. 1428 01:08:32.729 --> 01:08:36.010 This feels like this is a very early swing game 1429 01:08:36.069 --> 01:08:38.729 for both of these teams, but in particular for South Harrison. 1430 01:08:39.569 --> 01:08:41.310 Yeah, and I think when you have two teams in 1431 01:08:41.329 --> 01:08:43.619 the same class, in the same county, you're going to 1432 01:08:43.640 --> 01:08:45.739 build a rivalry. You know, these two teams did not 1433 01:08:45.779 --> 01:08:48.260 play a ton when Lincoln was in AAA or in 1434 01:08:48.300 --> 01:08:50.359 a higher classification and South Arizona was in single A 1435 01:08:50.359 --> 01:08:52.100 and Lincoln was in AA. Now that they're in the 1436 01:08:52.140 --> 01:08:54.430 same class, it has a lot of meaning. It's an 1437 01:08:54.510 --> 01:08:56.670 easy trip for both teams, obviously, and it's a competitive 1438 01:08:56.689 --> 01:08:58.869 trip for both teams. So it checks a lot of boxes. 1439 01:08:59.569 --> 01:09:02.020 And yeah, i do feel like lincoln because of the 1440 01:09:02.039 --> 01:09:05.279 strength of their schedule needs this needs the points less 1441 01:09:05.619 --> 01:09:07.560 than south harrison does but i do feel like the 1442 01:09:07.579 --> 01:09:09.699 hawks with that win last week are in good shape 1443 01:09:09.739 --> 01:09:10.539 even if they lose this. 1444 01:09:10.500 --> 01:09:12.739 Game yeah i just i got to see more from 1445 01:09:12.779 --> 01:09:15.899 the hawks offensively i think that the defense was was 1446 01:09:16.000 --> 01:09:19.010 pretty good granted braxton county is funny we were talking 1447 01:09:19.069 --> 01:09:21.500 about sort of the importance of special teams with Brian 1448 01:09:21.539 --> 01:09:23.640 Bybee when we were talking about the Philip Barber-Grafton game. 1449 01:09:23.659 --> 01:09:26.460 And special teams was really, really, really important in this game. 1450 01:09:26.500 --> 01:09:30.380 Braxton County twice tried to attempt a field goal. The 1451 01:09:30.539 --> 01:09:35.560 first one was just well wide, just not even close. 1452 01:09:35.619 --> 01:09:39.310 And then the second one, I believe, though I did 1453 01:09:39.350 --> 01:09:43.170 not get this confirmed, live, it just looked like a 1454 01:09:43.229 --> 01:09:46.390 bad snap. And then they had to just make do 1455 01:09:46.409 --> 01:09:49.289 with that. I don't think it was an intentional fake. Um, 1456 01:09:49.529 --> 01:09:51.689 but so in both those cases, both trips to the 1457 01:09:51.729 --> 01:09:54.090 red zone for Braxton County, they come away with no 1458 01:09:54.170 --> 01:09:56.289 points and South Harrison's able to win that game. I 1459 01:09:56.329 --> 01:09:58.189 don't know that 14 is going to get it done 1460 01:09:58.409 --> 01:09:59.010 against Lincoln. 1461 01:09:59.149 --> 01:09:59.350 Yeah. 1462 01:09:59.890 --> 01:10:02.590 Yeah. And I think the lack of explosive plays to 1463 01:10:03.189 --> 01:10:06.560 longest run they had was 11 yards. That's not going 1464 01:10:06.569 --> 01:10:07.770 to get it done in a lot of games where 1465 01:10:07.800 --> 01:10:09.279 you're going to kind of need to hit a home run, 1466 01:10:09.539 --> 01:10:12.180 especially when you have a lot of kids to play 1467 01:10:12.199 --> 01:10:14.880 two way. Because, yes, you're grinding the other team with 1468 01:10:14.899 --> 01:10:16.739 these long drives, but you're also grinding your own guys. 1469 01:10:17.220 --> 01:10:18.800 So if you can have a guy just sprint 60 1470 01:10:18.800 --> 01:10:22.239 yards and get you points, that's preferable than having a 12-play, 1471 01:10:22.260 --> 01:10:23.140 60-yard drive. 1472 01:10:23.720 --> 01:10:27.989 Well, there were also four fumbles in this game. Although, curious, 1473 01:10:28.350 --> 01:10:30.390 I'm going to have to go back and double-check this. 1474 01:10:30.630 --> 01:10:34.069 I only listed three, but Max Preps has four. I'll 1475 01:10:34.090 --> 01:10:36.609 double-check with Coach on that. But the real key was 1476 01:10:36.630 --> 01:10:40.689 there were three fumbles in the first quarter alone, right? 1477 01:10:41.340 --> 01:10:43.760 And as I had it on my sheet, I had 1478 01:10:43.979 --> 01:10:47.340 one for each running back, Paul Ross and Harlow. Harlow 1479 01:10:47.380 --> 01:10:49.279 was the one who wound up losing it. And I 1480 01:10:49.300 --> 01:10:51.699 think that's an, that's another element of it right there. 1481 01:10:51.739 --> 01:10:54.140 When you, when you look at the way South Harrison 1482 01:10:54.159 --> 01:10:57.300 wants to distribute their running game, I think their preference 1483 01:10:57.479 --> 01:11:00.520 is to run Harlow more than shepherd Paul, but in 1484 01:11:00.560 --> 01:11:03.460 that game and with the concerns about granted, again, they 1485 01:11:03.479 --> 01:11:06.159 had three different running backs, you know, uh, put the 1486 01:11:06.199 --> 01:11:08.300 ball on the ground. They were fortunate only to lose 1487 01:11:08.340 --> 01:11:10.560 at the one time. They had to run a much 1488 01:11:10.619 --> 01:11:13.460 more evenly distributed system, but one that Paul still was 1489 01:11:13.500 --> 01:11:15.500 the lead horse on. So for a guy that they 1490 01:11:15.539 --> 01:11:18.729 really want to conserve defensively, he carried the ball 17 1491 01:11:18.729 --> 01:11:21.369 times on a night when they had five different running 1492 01:11:21.390 --> 01:11:24.359 backs carry it 51 times. So he led the way. 1493 01:11:26.130 --> 01:11:27.869 Yeah, I think you're happy with maybe him getting a 1494 01:11:27.890 --> 01:11:31.250 30-year carries, but not when there's 51 carries. That's a 1495 01:11:31.270 --> 01:11:32.840 little bit of a load on Shepard Paul. 1496 01:11:33.489 --> 01:11:37.220 Yeah, for a guy who obviously dealt with numerous injuries 1497 01:11:37.279 --> 01:11:40.119 last year, and I say numerous, really. I actually talked 1498 01:11:40.140 --> 01:11:41.680 with Coach about this. He said it was pretty much 1499 01:11:41.720 --> 01:11:44.439 the same injury all year. It just never had a chance. 1500 01:11:44.479 --> 01:11:47.300 There were maybe two separate injuries. One was really short-lived, 1501 01:11:47.319 --> 01:11:48.890 and then there was one that was pretty much lasting 1502 01:11:48.899 --> 01:11:50.649 the whole year, and it just it just didn't get 1503 01:11:50.689 --> 01:11:52.649 a good opportunity to heal and they had to pull 1504 01:11:52.670 --> 01:11:54.630 them for a couple of weeks. And, and yeah, so 1505 01:11:55.189 --> 01:11:58.039 I don't think that that's, that's ultimately going to be the, 1506 01:11:58.970 --> 01:12:01.850 the method. I know that the game night crew got 1507 01:12:01.880 --> 01:12:05.220 a kick out of cause they asked me specifically, they said, so, 1508 01:12:05.300 --> 01:12:07.800 so South Harrison through one pass, what, what happened on 1509 01:12:07.819 --> 01:12:09.979 that one pass? That's it. That was, that was, it 1510 01:12:10.020 --> 01:12:13.399 was 51 carries one attempt. And there was one other 1511 01:12:13.539 --> 01:12:16.489 called passing play on a two point conversion that Lucas 1512 01:12:16.550 --> 01:12:19.100 not pulled down and tried to run instead. So that 1513 01:12:19.119 --> 01:12:21.300 wouldn't even have counted as a pass attempt. So this 1514 01:12:21.340 --> 01:12:25.619 felt pretty vintage South Harrison from, from, from, you know, 1515 01:12:25.699 --> 01:12:28.010 my experience and your experience. I think this is pretty 1516 01:12:28.020 --> 01:12:28.810 much Hawks football. 1517 01:12:30.270 --> 01:12:30.510 Yeah. 1518 01:12:30.560 --> 01:12:32.109 I think that's the way they want to play in 1519 01:12:32.149 --> 01:12:34.770 terms of, in terms of being run heavy. Obviously, again, 1520 01:12:34.810 --> 01:12:36.350 you don't want to run 51 plays and only get 1521 01:12:36.390 --> 01:12:38.829 short of three, 53 yards on the ground. You'd love 1522 01:12:38.850 --> 01:12:41.510 to have a couple of kids break runs, but you know, 1523 01:12:41.529 --> 01:12:44.430 I think it also, you know, the flip side of 1524 01:12:44.449 --> 01:12:46.289 that is you do control the ball. I think two 1525 01:12:46.329 --> 01:12:48.649 thirds of the game, they had the ball. So, give 1526 01:12:48.670 --> 01:12:50.630 the other team's offense out the field. That's key to. 1527 01:12:50.449 --> 01:12:55.500 19 minutes of possession in the second half. So, um, 1528 01:12:55.489 --> 01:12:58.130 24 minutes total in, in, uh, uh, in the second 1529 01:12:58.149 --> 01:13:00.250 half and they held it for 19. So that's, that's 1530 01:13:00.329 --> 01:13:02.899 pretty good. I guess the, the, the challenge I think 1531 01:13:02.949 --> 01:13:05.029 this week is I feel like Lincoln is going to be, 1532 01:13:05.520 --> 01:13:08.180 is going to be hungry. If that Lincoln and I, I, I, 1533 01:13:08.420 --> 01:13:10.640 you know, this is, it's always going to be tough 1534 01:13:10.659 --> 01:13:13.300 to tell until you see it in person, but if 1535 01:13:13.319 --> 01:13:16.390 that Lincoln run defense is, can at least limit the 1536 01:13:16.430 --> 01:13:19.050 big plays, something they could not do a year ago, 1537 01:13:19.149 --> 01:13:21.930 seemingly against anybody. That might actually be what flips the 1538 01:13:21.949 --> 01:13:22.489 script in this. 1539 01:13:23.729 --> 01:13:25.829 Yeah, and I think Lincoln, you know, they didn't win, 1540 01:13:26.010 --> 01:13:28.329 were better against the run against Elkins than they had 1541 01:13:28.350 --> 01:13:31.010 the last couple years. So I think that's progress. And 1542 01:13:31.409 --> 01:13:33.050 I do feel like this is a game, I mean, 1543 01:13:33.069 --> 01:13:35.170 I think that's true for most South Harrison games. It's 1544 01:13:35.270 --> 01:13:37.029 going to be won or lost up front. You know, 1545 01:13:37.050 --> 01:13:39.029 whoever's line controls this game, I think wins this game. 1546 01:13:39.829 --> 01:13:41.689 All right, on that note, we're going to go ahead 1547 01:13:41.909 --> 01:13:45.720 and take another break when we come back. We're going 1548 01:13:45.729 --> 01:13:49.060 to talk with Sean McNamara about North Marion. Obviously, we 1549 01:13:49.100 --> 01:13:50.819 got a chance to talk to him last week after 1550 01:13:50.859 --> 01:13:54.119 the game. Now, we're in preview mode, which is exactly 1551 01:13:54.159 --> 01:13:56.800 what we'll do on the other side of this break. 1552 01:13:57.020 --> 01:13:59.680 Don't go anywhere. Fred Persinger still to come as well. 1553 01:13:59.939 --> 01:14:02.920 Our final segment of the show here during the 8 1554 01:14:02.920 --> 01:14:05.310 o'clock hour. This is the Friday Free-for-All brought to you 1555 01:14:05.319 --> 01:14:08.029 by Dan Caviteo to Buick GMC. He's Michael Minnick. I'm 1556 01:14:08.069 --> 01:14:11.250 Alex Wiederspiel. We're back after this. They are going for 1557 01:14:11.270 --> 01:14:14.510 this here. Stick eye, and I got to think. This 1558 01:14:14.520 --> 01:14:16.949 is either a bootleg or Shepard here. They're going to 1559 01:14:16.970 --> 01:14:17.470 go Shepard. 1560 01:14:17.609 --> 01:14:20.210 Off the left side, Shepard barreling his way in, and 1561 01:14:20.329 --> 01:14:24.149 Shepard Paul has the first points of the new season. 1562 01:14:24.229 --> 01:14:29.010 South Harrison takes a 6-0 lead, 7-48 to go in 1563 01:14:29.029 --> 01:14:29.789 the second quarter. 1564 01:14:31.109 --> 01:14:33.750 Time for more high school sports talk on the Dan 1565 01:14:33.770 --> 01:14:36.829 Cava Toyota Buick GMC Friday Free-for-All. 1566 01:14:38.319 --> 01:14:40.319 This is the Friday Free-for-All brought to you by Dan 1567 01:14:40.340 --> 01:14:44.539 Caviteo to Buick GMC. And our penultimate segment brings us 1568 01:14:45.039 --> 01:14:48.819 to North Marion, to Rachel, if you will. And the 1569 01:14:49.220 --> 01:14:51.859 Huskies 1-0 on the season. Of course, we got a 1570 01:14:51.899 --> 01:14:55.279 chance to talk with Sean after their victory over East 1571 01:14:55.359 --> 01:14:58.739 Fairmont a week ago. And the Huskies on the road 1572 01:14:58.970 --> 01:15:01.529 once again. Not an easy place to play as they 1573 01:15:01.569 --> 01:15:04.359 head to Preston County. Uh, Preston of course is always 1574 01:15:04.399 --> 01:15:07.079 kind of a weird quad a school where they're never, 1575 01:15:07.279 --> 01:15:10.699 they're never great, but they're not exactly the easiest team 1576 01:15:10.739 --> 01:15:13.189 to play and they're not the easiest place to play. Uh, 1577 01:15:13.229 --> 01:15:15.039 so this is going to be an interesting challenge. Uh, 1578 01:15:15.149 --> 01:15:17.750 Alex Wiederspiel here, Michael Minnick with you as well. And 1579 01:15:17.789 --> 01:15:19.949 Sean McNamara joins us now. Sean, what's up, man? 1580 01:15:20.729 --> 01:15:21.210 Hey, how we doing? 1581 01:15:22.010 --> 01:15:26.210 Fantastic. All right, that's the end of the segment, guys. 1582 01:15:26.250 --> 01:15:28.770 We're good. I think that's it, right? We don't need 1583 01:15:28.789 --> 01:15:31.689 to do anything else. Hey, so seriously, what do you 1584 01:15:31.729 --> 01:15:34.180 make of this? Preston had a, they're coming off a 1585 01:15:34.300 --> 01:15:38.899 hard-fought loss last week. Lost by five to Hampshire, one 1586 01:15:38.920 --> 01:15:42.739 of their arch rivals. And that's a game that's most 1587 01:15:42.779 --> 01:15:44.279 years going to be tied, I think, three out of 1588 01:15:44.300 --> 01:15:47.279 the last four years. Maybe even going back further than 1589 01:15:47.329 --> 01:15:52.109 that has been a one-possession game. What do you like 1590 01:15:52.369 --> 01:15:55.920 about This for North Marion matchup wise, what concerns you? 1591 01:15:56.899 --> 01:16:00.319 So there's a lot going into this one tonight. Weather, 1592 01:16:00.640 --> 01:16:04.500 weather concerns, potentially playing on natural grass is an issue. 1593 01:16:04.539 --> 01:16:07.579 North Marion had some fumbles last week, particularly on the snaps. 1594 01:16:08.159 --> 01:16:10.930 So trying to get that cleaned up, I think it's 1595 01:16:10.939 --> 01:16:13.710 going to be important. Teams don't play on natural grass 1596 01:16:13.750 --> 01:16:16.789 very often. It's a beautiful facility up there in Kingwood 1597 01:16:16.829 --> 01:16:19.170 overlooking the mountains, but that's a big challenge. In the 1598 01:16:19.210 --> 01:16:22.220 second consecutive week, that service will have been played on. 1599 01:16:22.659 --> 01:16:24.859 So that raises a little bit of a challenge there. 1600 01:16:25.619 --> 01:16:32.119 North Marion typically has done pretty well with Preston. 17-8 1601 01:16:32.140 --> 01:16:34.720 all-time versus them. They've won 11 in a row by 1602 01:16:34.760 --> 01:16:40.119 an average margin of victory of 29 points, 41-12. Last 1603 01:16:40.149 --> 01:16:42.310 year's game, and this won't look quite like last year 1604 01:16:42.319 --> 01:16:44.649 due to some of the graduations Preston had, but it 1605 01:16:44.670 --> 01:16:47.170 was a great one last year up in Rachel. There 1606 01:16:47.210 --> 01:16:50.510 was 80 points combined, 994 yards of offense a year 1607 01:16:50.550 --> 01:16:52.819 ago when these two teams played. So that was a 1608 01:16:52.859 --> 01:16:55.500 fun one. And now North Merion comes in with a 1609 01:16:55.659 --> 01:16:59.449 different looking team than they had last year. You look 1610 01:16:59.489 --> 01:17:02.949 at Preston and what jumps out to me is they 1611 01:17:02.970 --> 01:17:05.270 got some size up front right there in the middle, 1612 01:17:05.369 --> 01:17:08.130 particularly on the defensive end with Hayden Cole and Max Huggins. 1613 01:17:08.590 --> 01:17:11.989 So I look for Brian Poindexter and the rest of 1614 01:17:12.010 --> 01:17:13.869 the North Merion offense, try and get to the edges, 1615 01:17:13.930 --> 01:17:16.750 try and get to the outside because the middle is 1616 01:17:16.810 --> 01:17:20.090 going to be plugged up. And then for Preston offensively, 1617 01:17:20.109 --> 01:17:23.560 you got those guys on offense and then um, against Hampshire, 1618 01:17:23.600 --> 01:17:26.479 saw some good plays out of touchdown out of Rowan Kramer, 1619 01:17:26.920 --> 01:17:32.039 Rowan Kramer back in 2024, the starting quarterback for East Fairmont. 1620 01:17:32.279 --> 01:17:36.140 And he competed, completed seven of 18 for 134 against 1621 01:17:36.220 --> 01:17:38.939 North Marion, uh, a couple of years ago. So a 1622 01:17:39.159 --> 01:17:42.359 small bit of familiarity there. So both teams familiar with 1623 01:17:42.399 --> 01:17:46.189 each other. Um, they've played quite a bit. I had 1624 01:17:46.229 --> 01:17:51.430 that stat somewhere every year since 2002. Um, So two 1625 01:17:51.449 --> 01:17:53.409 very familiar schools should be a fun one out there tonight. 1626 01:17:54.560 --> 01:17:57.119 Sean, you mentioned the winning streak. North Merion scored 31 1627 01:17:57.119 --> 01:18:00.000 or more in all of those games. In order to 1628 01:18:00.060 --> 01:18:01.720 do that this week, what do they have to do 1629 01:18:01.760 --> 01:18:02.760 better than they did last week? 1630 01:18:03.439 --> 01:18:05.920 So I think we talked about it last week. I 1631 01:18:05.939 --> 01:18:09.979 think the big play eluded them against East Fairmont. And 1632 01:18:10.390 --> 01:18:12.989 North Merion only put up 24. And, you know, you 1633 01:18:13.010 --> 01:18:16.779 look at that, and that's something that they– got from 1634 01:18:16.800 --> 01:18:19.539 the newspaper, talked to Coach Hayes about, and he said, well, yeah, 1635 01:18:19.579 --> 01:18:22.100 last year we only put up 27 against East, and 1636 01:18:22.520 --> 01:18:25.140 we ended up, you know, going 10-2 on the season. 1637 01:18:25.560 --> 01:18:29.699 So last year, North Marion won some lower scoring. 1638 01:18:29.800 --> 01:18:31.000 Games that they had. 1639 01:18:32.100 --> 01:18:34.229 I think they picked up two wins where they scored 1640 01:18:34.229 --> 01:18:38.470 21 points or less. So getting that big playback and 1641 01:18:38.550 --> 01:18:41.829 getting back to what's making them what they've been over 1642 01:18:41.850 --> 01:18:43.789 the last few years is crucial, and I do think 1643 01:18:43.829 --> 01:18:46.890 it all starts right there. And this slow start in 1644 01:18:46.909 --> 01:18:50.609 game one offensively leading to better things. Um, the road 1645 01:18:50.859 --> 01:18:52.840 is kind of a common theme that they've had. 1646 01:18:52.859 --> 01:18:56.840 I think everyone would be happy if we could avoid 1647 01:18:56.859 --> 01:19:01.279 another round of thunderstorms and lightning delays, but no promises 1648 01:19:01.340 --> 01:19:05.340 based on the weather forecast for Friday night in West Virginia. 1649 01:19:05.359 --> 01:19:07.479 It looks like it's certainly a possibility there could be 1650 01:19:07.520 --> 01:19:10.770 more delays. I would actually imagine, in one respect, as 1651 01:19:10.850 --> 01:19:13.529 frustrating as it would be, North Marion might be a 1652 01:19:13.550 --> 01:19:15.810 little better prepared than everybody else in the state to 1653 01:19:15.869 --> 01:19:18.590 handle that right now, having gone through it a week ago. 1654 01:19:19.770 --> 01:19:22.189 Yeah, having that Thursday game, because there was only a 1655 01:19:22.210 --> 01:19:26.220 handful of them, yeah, due to the familiarity, I think 1656 01:19:26.239 --> 01:19:29.880 that it raises such a different challenge when you have 1657 01:19:29.899 --> 01:19:31.840 those delays, then you factor in your playing on grass. 1658 01:19:31.859 --> 01:19:34.500 It really does change everything. So I know Coach Hayes 1659 01:19:34.539 --> 01:19:38.350 and those guys up there are hoping that, they could 1660 01:19:38.390 --> 01:19:40.630 avoid that for the second straight week. 1661 01:19:40.649 --> 01:19:43.869 Where do you feel like this team has room to 1662 01:19:43.890 --> 01:19:46.270 grow defensively? Obviously had a shutout last week, but where 1663 01:19:46.289 --> 01:19:47.569 do you see that they can improve on that side 1664 01:19:47.590 --> 01:19:50.350 of the ball? You know, it's really tough to say 1665 01:19:50.390 --> 01:19:53.600 right now. I think that, you know, you look at 1666 01:19:53.640 --> 01:19:58.180 that East Fairmont game and statistically, they only gave up 1667 01:19:58.180 --> 01:20:00.920 96 yards and 52 of them came on a busted 1668 01:20:00.960 --> 01:20:05.460 play on a boxed punt where Logan Echol for East 1669 01:20:05.479 --> 01:20:07.300 Fairmont kind of threw it up in the air. and 1670 01:20:07.340 --> 01:20:10.000 found one of his guys under it. So if you 1671 01:20:10.060 --> 01:20:11.779 take that away, which you can't because they got it, 1672 01:20:11.779 --> 01:20:14.579 but you take that away, and they were holding East 1673 01:20:14.640 --> 01:20:18.739 Fairmont to like a yard of play. And they forced 1674 01:20:18.760 --> 01:20:22.350 four turnovers, four interceptions. So really tough to say right now. 1675 01:20:23.369 --> 01:20:25.430 I think it's going to continue to see guys get 1676 01:20:25.489 --> 01:20:29.970 into new roles, especially with some injuries and stuff going on. So, yeah, 1677 01:20:30.010 --> 01:20:33.510 I think seeing continued growth right now, but nothing stuck 1678 01:20:33.630 --> 01:20:37.300 out that they can really improve upon. after that East 1679 01:20:37.340 --> 01:20:37.899 Fairmont game. 1680 01:20:38.159 --> 01:20:40.229 By the way, I did pull up the numbers while 1681 01:20:40.270 --> 01:20:43.130 we were talking, and you had mentioned, so they've won, what, 1682 01:20:43.130 --> 01:20:46.949 11 straight? I think I have them at now against 1683 01:20:47.149 --> 01:20:51.630 Preston County and the all-time series, which outside of the 1684 01:20:51.789 --> 01:20:56.000 one game in 1991, all 24 games have been played 1685 01:20:56.300 --> 01:21:01.159 in the last, you know, 20, 24 years. 17-8 all-time 1686 01:21:01.220 --> 01:21:04.340 North Merion. Preston had the better of it early in this, 1687 01:21:04.359 --> 01:21:06.109 and then, yeah, as you pointed out, since that North 1688 01:21:06.149 --> 01:21:10.899 Merion Never less than 31 points in that stretch. So 1689 01:21:11.800 --> 01:21:14.010 this has been North Marion's to lose, essentially. 1690 01:21:14.970 --> 01:21:17.909 Yeah, and they've done a good job with taking care 1691 01:21:17.930 --> 01:21:20.510 of business in those games. And it's a 4A team, 1692 01:21:20.890 --> 01:21:24.609 so that's obviously important for playoff standings and getting those 1693 01:21:24.670 --> 01:21:28.460 bonus points there. A couple other oddities from this game. 1694 01:21:28.479 --> 01:21:31.180 This is the third time in school history North Marion 1695 01:21:31.199 --> 01:21:34.939 will be opening with three games on the road. which 1696 01:21:35.020 --> 01:21:37.739 is very, very strange. They did it in 2024, so recently, 1697 01:21:38.060 --> 01:21:42.039 then not again until 1981. So three consecutive, and this 1698 01:21:42.079 --> 01:21:43.300 game is a big one. They want to get the 1699 01:21:43.340 --> 01:21:46.439 win here because then you go to Phillip Barber next week, 1700 01:21:46.619 --> 01:21:49.020 a team that's given them a hard time in the past. 1701 01:21:49.159 --> 01:21:52.529 After that, Fairmont Senior, Lincoln, Elkins. Lincoln a big rival. 1702 01:21:52.630 --> 01:21:55.609 Elkins a really good team. So it gets tough for 1703 01:21:55.649 --> 01:21:57.649 North Marion, and this game very important tonight. 1704 01:21:57.649 --> 01:22:00.779 81 and 24 are two pretty good years for North Merion, 1705 01:22:00.800 --> 01:22:03.000 so it didn't seem like it affected those teams. 1706 01:22:03.739 --> 01:22:04.520 No, no. 1707 01:22:04.960 --> 01:22:08.600 And you're right. Those were good teams. I tried to 1708 01:22:08.640 --> 01:22:12.279 piece together a good stat from that. In 24, they 1709 01:22:12.319 --> 01:22:15.390 lost on the road at Princeton in the playoffs. And 1710 01:22:15.399 --> 01:22:17.810 you look back at 81, they won the title over 1711 01:22:17.850 --> 01:22:21.210 Fairmont Senior 21-6 down at Wadley Field. So you are 1712 01:22:21.250 --> 01:22:21.829 correct in that. 1713 01:22:23.409 --> 01:22:27.949 Looking ahead a little bit, obviously the test after this 1714 01:22:28.029 --> 01:22:30.689 is going to get, we think, significantly more difficult. A 1715 01:22:31.640 --> 01:22:34.359 lot of us are kind of pegging that Philip Arbor-Grafton 1716 01:22:34.399 --> 01:22:34.800 game as. 1717 01:22:36.329 --> 01:22:40.220 Phillip Barber, obviously coming off of one of their best 1718 01:22:40.229 --> 01:22:44.420 season in program history, beat a much improved Grafton team, 1719 01:22:44.479 --> 01:22:46.640 even though it was narrow. But I think that says 1720 01:22:46.680 --> 01:22:49.359 more about Grafton than maybe it does about Phillip Barber. 1721 01:22:49.659 --> 01:22:52.020 How important is it for North Merion not to get 1722 01:22:52.119 --> 01:22:54.560 caught looking ahead with that one coming up? 1723 01:22:55.850 --> 01:22:58.909 I think very important. Fortunately for North Merion, I don't 1724 01:22:58.930 --> 01:23:01.670 think they're particularly happy with how they played against East Fairmont. 1725 01:23:02.250 --> 01:23:04.899 So I don't think they're in a position where they're 1726 01:23:04.909 --> 01:23:07.470 doing that. You know, they played good enough to win, 1727 01:23:07.869 --> 01:23:09.649 and that's not the style of football that they want 1728 01:23:09.680 --> 01:23:12.340 to play there. So I don't think that that would 1729 01:23:12.380 --> 01:23:14.979 be a concern. Now, if they had gone out and 1730 01:23:15.000 --> 01:23:16.979 put up a 50-point win in week one, then, yeah, 1731 01:23:17.020 --> 01:23:19.180 maybe I could see that. But for right now, I 1732 01:23:19.220 --> 01:23:20.260 don't think that'll be an issue. 1733 01:23:22.619 --> 01:23:25.659 What do you think is the thing that North Mary 1734 01:23:25.680 --> 01:23:27.439 needs to get better at as the season goes on 1735 01:23:27.859 --> 01:23:30.260 to be a second-round semifinal playoff team? 1736 01:23:30.739 --> 01:23:33.140 Getting their players in space. Didn't see it at all 1737 01:23:33.180 --> 01:23:36.250 against East Fairmont. Didn't get anyone. broken away only a 1738 01:23:36.289 --> 01:23:40.060 couple double-digit plays. So getting their ball handlers and their 1739 01:23:40.079 --> 01:23:42.960 skill guys, the ball in space, whether it's Blake Johnson, 1740 01:23:43.319 --> 01:23:46.000 Jacob Kucic, Brian Poindexter, they got guys that can really 1741 01:23:46.039 --> 01:23:49.409 make things happen and have that breakaway speed. They're an 1742 01:23:49.470 --> 01:23:52.029 extremely dynamic team. It's going to be all about getting 1743 01:23:52.069 --> 01:23:54.449 the guys in the position to make plays. 1744 01:23:55.229 --> 01:23:57.789 Sean, remind folks where they can catch tonight's broadcast if 1745 01:23:57.810 --> 01:23:58.350 they're interested. 1746 01:23:59.319 --> 01:24:02.180 Huddle TV, search North Marion. You can find the pay-per-view there. 1747 01:24:02.300 --> 01:24:05.260 And then my broadcast partner, Stephen Harbert, has a YouTube channel. 1748 01:24:06.399 --> 01:24:08.640 You search his name, Stephen Harbert, and you can find 1749 01:24:09.020 --> 01:24:10.930 the audio of the broadcast on YouTube. 1750 01:24:11.229 --> 01:24:11.600 Very good. 1751 01:24:11.619 --> 01:24:14.170 We're going to leave you all with a thick six. 1752 01:24:15.029 --> 01:24:18.670 They got called North Marion, a pick six late in 1753 01:24:18.689 --> 01:24:22.380 the game. to seal the deal 24-0. Fred Persinger will 1754 01:24:22.399 --> 01:24:24.239 join us on the other side of this next break. 1755 01:24:24.399 --> 01:24:26.890 Colby VanGilder fires off the side as Echo looks to pass. 1756 01:24:26.909 --> 01:24:27.489 That's a hold. 1757 01:24:27.529 --> 01:24:28.350 Throwback screen. 1758 01:24:28.670 --> 01:24:33.350 This one is intercepted. And returning it down the sidelines, 1759 01:24:34.029 --> 01:24:36.470 Zach J.D. Baker steps out of a tackle. 1760 01:24:38.149 --> 01:24:38.810 Look at that. 1761 01:24:38.850 --> 01:24:40.319 And going into the end zone. 1762 01:24:40.439 --> 01:24:43.380 Go get it, big man. It is. 1763 01:24:43.460 --> 01:24:43.840 It is. 1764 01:24:43.920 --> 01:24:44.380 J.D. 1765 01:24:44.439 --> 01:24:44.859 Baker. 1766 01:24:45.960 --> 01:24:48.199 Give him 60 yards on the IND return. 1767 01:24:49.680 --> 01:24:52.300 Time for more high school sports talk on the Dan 1768 01:24:52.340 --> 01:24:55.479 Cava Toyota Buick GMC Friday Free-for-All. 1769 01:24:57.000 --> 01:24:59.729 As always, we reach our final segment on the Friday Free-for-All, 1770 01:24:59.850 --> 01:25:02.869 and Fred Persinger is here to join us, the long-running 1771 01:25:02.909 --> 01:25:06.510 host of High School Game Night. Not as long as 1772 01:25:06.710 --> 01:25:10.550 I had guessed last week, but hopefully Fred won't hold 1773 01:25:10.569 --> 01:25:11.130 that against me. 1774 01:25:11.869 --> 01:25:12.609 No, no, no. 1775 01:25:12.630 --> 01:25:13.170 You were close. 1776 01:25:13.590 --> 01:25:14.090 You were close. 1777 01:25:14.170 --> 01:25:16.590 I was close. I was close. As they say, though, 1778 01:25:16.609 --> 01:25:19.649 that only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. So what 1779 01:25:19.689 --> 01:25:22.520 good is close? How did it feel to be back 1780 01:25:22.579 --> 01:25:25.439 behind the mic for year 25? It was good. 1781 01:25:25.500 --> 01:25:28.300 I mean, we had a great show. And, you know, again, 1782 01:25:28.720 --> 01:25:31.119 I'll say it until there is no show no more, 1783 01:25:31.140 --> 01:25:33.279 at least not for me, is the fact that it's 1784 01:25:33.319 --> 01:25:35.859 not me, it's not Dave. It's what we do, and 1785 01:25:35.899 --> 01:25:39.989 that's high school football and the four– Young men and 1786 01:25:40.029 --> 01:25:43.229 women that get our scores for us across town and 1787 01:25:43.270 --> 01:25:46.619 make sure I have them, those are really the winners 1788 01:25:46.680 --> 01:25:49.779 in game night. So it was a good show, went well, and, 1789 01:25:50.739 --> 01:25:53.600 you know, won behind us. And we've got, how many 1790 01:25:53.619 --> 01:25:56.439 more we got? 13 more this year. Not that I'm 1791 01:25:56.470 --> 01:25:58.210 counting right now. That's why we have them. 1792 01:25:58.779 --> 01:26:00.439 Fred wants to know when he's got his Friday nights 1793 01:26:00.520 --> 01:26:03.600 free again. Uh, uh, we have, so for the first time, 1794 01:26:03.640 --> 01:26:06.560 by the way, this is a really nice, obviously, um, 1795 01:26:07.119 --> 01:26:08.949 you know, Michael Minnick is here with us, my, my 1796 01:26:08.970 --> 01:26:10.590 new co-host for the Friday free for all. So I 1797 01:26:10.630 --> 01:26:12.750 know you guys weren't able to connect last week on 1798 01:26:12.789 --> 01:26:15.149 this segment, but, uh, here now. So, uh, this is 1799 01:26:15.170 --> 01:26:16.470 the first time the three of us get to do 1800 01:26:16.510 --> 01:26:18.489 this together and we'll get to go through pretty much 1801 01:26:18.529 --> 01:26:20.739 the whole state and, and I'll start us off and 1802 01:26:20.760 --> 01:26:22.380 then we can kind of just go class by class, 1803 01:26:22.420 --> 01:26:24.300 but why don't we start in quad a, as we 1804 01:26:24.319 --> 01:26:27.100 kind of traditionally do Fred and, uh, Obviously, game of 1805 01:26:27.119 --> 01:26:30.479 the week is Spring Mills and Wheeling Park. There are 1806 01:26:30.539 --> 01:26:33.920 some other intriguing games in Quad A, but I see 1807 01:26:33.979 --> 01:26:36.199 why that would obviously be near the top of the list. 1808 01:26:37.050 --> 01:26:40.529 Yeah, we could have gone... University of Parkersburg South, I think, 1809 01:26:40.590 --> 01:26:43.850 can be a really good one. Not sure about Hurricane. 1810 01:26:43.890 --> 01:26:45.869 I know they lost a lot. They didn't open up 1811 01:26:45.930 --> 01:26:48.170 last week. This will be their first game of the season. 1812 01:26:48.210 --> 01:26:53.810 So GW is awfully strong, awfully good. Anytime you can get... 1813 01:26:54.680 --> 01:26:58.630 two Eastern Panhandle teams going against each other, Washington and Hedgesville. 1814 01:26:58.989 --> 01:27:00.449 I know both are going to struggle this year a 1815 01:27:00.470 --> 01:27:04.670 little bit, but sometimes that's where you get your better games. But, again, 1816 01:27:04.810 --> 01:27:07.949 went with Spring Mills and Wheeling Park. You know, both 1817 01:27:08.029 --> 01:27:10.939 of them had impressive wins, I thought, last week. So 1818 01:27:11.270 --> 01:27:14.020 Spring Mills on the road to the Northern Panhandle, and 1819 01:27:14.039 --> 01:27:15.560 we'll see what happens tomorrow night. 1820 01:27:16.859 --> 01:27:19.239 Only four, again, that has two teams that are 1-0 1821 01:27:19.279 --> 01:27:23.279 as well. So that certainly helps with the decision. Is 1822 01:27:23.319 --> 01:27:25.739 there a team that lost last week that you think 1823 01:27:26.220 --> 01:27:27.180 is going to have a good year? 1824 01:27:28.659 --> 01:27:29.350 In Quad A? 1825 01:27:29.890 --> 01:27:31.979 Yes. 1826 01:27:32.310 --> 01:27:32.560 Wow. 1827 01:27:32.970 --> 01:27:36.310 Good question. You know, it is tough to tell. It 1828 01:27:36.369 --> 01:27:41.649 is so early. I thought Parkersburg South is supposed to 1829 01:27:41.689 --> 01:27:44.649 have a really, really good season. And then, you know, 1830 01:27:45.069 --> 01:27:47.649 they get beat, but they get beat, you know, by 1831 01:27:47.689 --> 01:27:49.770 Wheeling Park. And it was a close ball game. So 1832 01:27:50.310 --> 01:27:52.750 they could still have a good year. Other than that, 1833 01:27:53.279 --> 01:27:56.670 I think just way too early to tell in Class 1834 01:27:56.750 --> 01:27:59.350 Quad A. You know, there's only a few, a handful 1835 01:27:59.390 --> 01:28:02.770 of teams, so it's tough to say. But I think 1836 01:28:02.789 --> 01:28:06.189 Parkersburg South losing last week, even though, you know, they 1837 01:28:06.210 --> 01:28:08.140 played a good Wheeling Park team. Well, we'll see what 1838 01:28:08.180 --> 01:28:09.409 happens with them the rest of the year. 1839 01:28:09.880 --> 01:28:12.720 Bridgeport and Martinsburg winds up being the Class AAA game 1840 01:28:12.760 --> 01:28:15.460 of the week. And, of course, it's an, what is it, 1841 01:28:15.539 --> 01:28:18.979 intra or inter game? classification i never i never remember 1842 01:28:19.039 --> 01:28:20.659 which one's the correct one but they're not in the 1843 01:28:20.699 --> 01:28:22.880 same classification as the is the simple way of putting 1844 01:28:22.920 --> 01:28:24.680 it but it is the class triple a game of 1845 01:28:24.699 --> 01:28:26.859 the weekend and we've talked about it obviously a lot 1846 01:28:26.899 --> 01:28:28.579 we had travis jones we had chris george on the 1847 01:28:28.600 --> 01:28:30.729 show today and i think the the thing that i 1848 01:28:30.729 --> 01:28:33.930 i still love about this is that it is this 1849 01:28:34.010 --> 01:28:36.470 does feel kind of perfect for the fans as long 1850 01:28:36.569 --> 01:28:38.750 as nobody gets as long as there are no like 1851 01:28:38.850 --> 01:28:41.739 season defining in in a game like this, this is 1852 01:28:41.779 --> 01:28:43.699 the type of game you actually really live for as 1853 01:28:43.739 --> 01:28:47.260 a neutral fan, because there's not really like a ton 1854 01:28:47.279 --> 01:28:49.239 at stake. And yet there also is a ton at 1855 01:28:49.260 --> 01:28:51.359 stake at the same time, because these are teams in 1856 01:28:51.399 --> 01:28:54.750 particular Bridgeport. This is a, they are trying to test themselves. 1857 01:28:54.770 --> 01:28:57.369 They're trying to battle ready themselves in a game that 1858 01:28:57.489 --> 01:29:01.420 ultimately won't have, a ton of impact long-term on sort 1859 01:29:01.439 --> 01:29:03.520 of the playoff ratings. It'll help them on strength of schedule. 1860 01:29:03.859 --> 01:29:06.020 But this is helpful for them when they get to 1861 01:29:06.039 --> 01:29:06.699 playoff time. 1862 01:29:07.560 --> 01:29:10.340 I think it's going to be helpful for both teams. Honestly, 1863 01:29:10.479 --> 01:29:13.239 I talked with Dave Walker this past Wednesday night and 1864 01:29:13.300 --> 01:29:16.619 Tyler Ferris on High School Sportsline, and both agree, this 1865 01:29:16.720 --> 01:29:20.819 early in the season, if you can play a quality opponent... 1866 01:29:20.680 --> 01:29:23.000 That's going to test you, and I think Bridgeport will 1867 01:29:23.039 --> 01:29:27.060 test Martinsburg. Certainly Martinsburg will test Bridgeport. But find out 1868 01:29:27.159 --> 01:29:29.350 what you have early so you can work on it 1869 01:29:29.430 --> 01:29:31.689 and get it taken care of before you get to 1870 01:29:31.710 --> 01:29:35.489 the playoffs when the games really count. Bridgeport has to 1871 01:29:35.529 --> 01:29:39.510 hope for some long, sustained drives, in my opinion. I 1872 01:29:39.550 --> 01:29:42.090 think that will be the key for them because Martinsburg 1873 01:29:42.149 --> 01:29:47.119 is such a quick-strike offense. And they have so many weapons. 1874 01:29:47.239 --> 01:29:50.500 Tyler Ferris was saying he thought they were a lot 1875 01:29:50.539 --> 01:29:54.300 like them. I'm not sure I agree with Tyler on that. 1876 01:29:55.039 --> 01:29:58.090 I just think for Bridgeport to make this a game, 1877 01:29:58.109 --> 01:30:01.510 a close game. They've had close games before. They've played 1878 01:30:01.569 --> 01:30:04.050 five times. This is only the second time they've played 1879 01:30:04.069 --> 01:30:07.149 in the regular season. This will be the fifth time 1880 01:30:07.189 --> 01:30:11.229 they've played. And certainly Martinsburg has the edge. They only... 1881 01:30:11.739 --> 01:30:15.220 Bridgeport's only won one time, and that was 25-12 back 1882 01:30:15.310 --> 01:30:19.130 in 1952 or something like that, something way long ago. 1883 01:30:19.449 --> 01:30:22.090 But anyway, I think both teams will be tested. I 1884 01:30:22.130 --> 01:30:25.189 think Bridgeport has to control the ball as long as 1885 01:30:25.229 --> 01:30:27.609 they can with those sustained drives they're so famous for. 1886 01:30:27.930 --> 01:30:30.609 And like I said, Martinsburg, they've got so many outside 1887 01:30:30.689 --> 01:30:32.380 weapons that they can get the ball to, and when 1888 01:30:32.399 --> 01:30:35.680 they do that, they usually score quickly. So see how 1889 01:30:35.699 --> 01:30:37.619 it goes. I think it's going to be really, though, 1890 01:30:37.840 --> 01:30:39.199 a great, great football game. 1891 01:30:40.329 --> 01:30:42.850 Fred, I was surprised looking into this series that the 1892 01:30:42.949 --> 01:30:45.750 winning team, the most points they've ever scored is 31. 1893 01:30:45.750 --> 01:30:48.550 So that sounds like the kind of game Bridgeport wants 1894 01:30:48.590 --> 01:30:49.729 to play where it's going to be a little bit 1895 01:30:49.750 --> 01:30:52.010 more low scoring. Do you think that will happen again, 1896 01:30:52.470 --> 01:30:55.369 that the winning team will have less than 31? 1897 01:30:55.369 --> 01:31:01.199 I think it's a good chance, Michael. Again, if Bridgeport 1898 01:31:01.300 --> 01:31:05.140 can control the ball and get some sustained drives, then yeah, 1899 01:31:05.180 --> 01:31:08.000 what they cannot do is they can't go three and 1900 01:31:08.140 --> 01:31:12.189 outs four or five times martin's word will score on 1901 01:31:12.199 --> 01:31:14.409 you i mean there's no doubt about that and i 1902 01:31:14.449 --> 01:31:17.250 think right now and talking with dave walker on wednesday 1903 01:31:17.289 --> 01:31:21.810 night he feels so good about that defense secondary that 1904 01:31:21.970 --> 01:31:25.149 he's probably going to play eight nine maybe even ten 1905 01:31:25.189 --> 01:31:29.470 on the box and just keeping stop that bruising run 1906 01:31:29.510 --> 01:31:33.840 attack that bridgeport so famous for if martin's birds defense 1907 01:31:33.880 --> 01:31:36.180 can come to play like we've seen them play in 1908 01:31:36.199 --> 01:31:39.149 the past then it may not be as close a 1909 01:31:39.189 --> 01:31:41.890 ball game as I'm hoping for. But I still think 1910 01:31:41.930 --> 01:31:44.970 both teams are total quality teams. Both of them are. 1911 01:31:45.229 --> 01:31:48.409 And this may be, whoever loses this game, let's be fair, 1912 01:31:48.470 --> 01:31:51.710 whoever loses this game, let's say it's Bridgeport. Say Bridgeport 1913 01:31:51.729 --> 01:31:53.770 gets beat. That may be the only loss they have 1914 01:31:53.829 --> 01:31:57.399 this regular season. Martinsburg, boy, they've got a tough schedule. 1915 01:31:57.420 --> 01:31:59.850 They've got a schedule. They've got some teams coming up. 1916 01:31:59.989 --> 01:32:01.939 They've got a team from Canisius, New York, coming up. 1917 01:32:02.170 --> 01:32:04.779 They play a team from Ontario, Canada, coming up. So, 1918 01:32:04.819 --> 01:32:07.159 I mean, they play a heck of a schedule just 1919 01:32:07.199 --> 01:32:09.800 because they can't get anyone else in West Virginia to 1920 01:32:09.840 --> 01:32:14.029 play them. Kudos to Tyler Ferris. He was the one 1921 01:32:14.069 --> 01:32:16.590 that made the call to Martinsburg saying, hey, we need 1922 01:32:16.609 --> 01:32:19.909 a game. Let's play. And Dave Walker said, yes, let's play. 1923 01:32:20.010 --> 01:32:20.649 He was ready for it. 1924 01:32:21.369 --> 01:32:23.449 I'm, uh, I'm kind of, I'm kind of curious, you know, 1925 01:32:23.510 --> 01:32:25.890 Mike mentioning the, the, the points is funny. Cause you know, 1926 01:32:25.949 --> 01:32:27.949 once upon a time we'd be talking about 31 and 1927 01:32:27.979 --> 01:32:30.439 we'd be considering that, you know, a high scoring, high 1928 01:32:30.460 --> 01:32:33.560 scoring game. And, and I wonder how much sticker shock 1929 01:32:33.579 --> 01:32:35.100 there were. There were a couple of scores like this, 1930 01:32:35.159 --> 01:32:37.649 but the, the 67, where's it? 1931 01:32:37.640 --> 01:32:37.779 68. 1932 01:32:37.779 --> 01:32:40.619 No, I think it was 67. Nothing lost for nitro 1933 01:32:40.640 --> 01:32:43.560 last week. You know, the score itself is one thing, 1934 01:32:43.680 --> 01:32:46.800 but how lopsided, how much sticker shock for you around 1935 01:32:46.840 --> 01:32:48.600 a team that obviously went on a deep run a 1936 01:32:48.619 --> 01:32:49.000 year ago? 1937 01:32:50.149 --> 01:32:53.170 Well, what you have to remind yourself, though, they lost everyone. 1938 01:32:53.189 --> 01:32:56.020 I mean, they had a bunch of transfers that came 1939 01:32:56.079 --> 01:32:58.859 in that were all seniors. They all left at one time. 1940 01:32:58.880 --> 01:33:02.779 They lost 15 seniors. Boone McKinney did. Not only did 1941 01:33:02.920 --> 01:33:06.279 they lose that, they lost Boone McKinney as he retired. 1942 01:33:06.689 --> 01:33:09.829 So they've got a brand-new coach. They've got a brand-new team. 1943 01:33:09.850 --> 01:33:12.710 I did not know how strong Donnie Mays at South 1944 01:33:12.750 --> 01:33:17.350 Charleston would be. Obviously, he's got a pretty solid ball club. 1945 01:33:17.789 --> 01:33:19.890 I mean, any time you put 67 points on, and 1946 01:33:19.909 --> 01:33:21.770 they did have a running clock in the second half. 1947 01:33:22.329 --> 01:33:24.989 And it was eight-minute quarters, by the way, in addition 1948 01:33:25.020 --> 01:33:27.739 to being a running clock. So any time you can 1949 01:33:27.819 --> 01:33:31.000 do that in that shortened amount of time, that's very, 1950 01:33:31.060 --> 01:33:34.220 very impressive. I think, though, Nitro is just going to 1951 01:33:34.260 --> 01:33:36.479 be very, very weak this year just because of what 1952 01:33:36.500 --> 01:33:38.979 they lost and what they went through. But, hey, remember 1953 01:33:39.600 --> 01:33:46.220 last Friday night, Martinsburg outscored Hedgesville 74-0. We had some 1954 01:33:46.260 --> 01:33:50.470 runaways last week. Bridgeport won 68-0. So there were a 1955 01:33:50.510 --> 01:33:52.050 few blowouts last week. 1956 01:33:53.069 --> 01:33:55.829 We talked just now about South Charleston. Really intriguing game, 1957 01:33:55.869 --> 01:33:57.829 I think, for them this week going to Chapmanville. What 1958 01:33:57.850 --> 01:33:58.590 do you make of that one? 1959 01:33:59.369 --> 01:34:01.979 Yeah, I agree with you, Mike. We talked with Zach 1960 01:34:02.000 --> 01:34:06.380 Belcher on Wednesday night as well, and he's very, very 1961 01:34:06.439 --> 01:34:09.340 much aware of what South Charleston can do. But I'll 1962 01:34:09.359 --> 01:34:12.560 tell you, Chapmanville is a good ball club. Make no mistake. 1963 01:34:12.699 --> 01:34:16.029 I think Chapmanville... can be very good again this year. 1964 01:34:16.100 --> 01:34:18.399 They'd love to take it one step further than they 1965 01:34:18.439 --> 01:34:22.100 did last year, but Chapmanville is solid. They've got a 1966 01:34:22.260 --> 01:34:26.319 program all of a sudden, and I think South Charleston, 1967 01:34:26.560 --> 01:34:30.840 we'll find out more about South Charleston tonight against Chapmanville 1968 01:34:30.859 --> 01:34:32.399 than we did last week, that's for certain. 1969 01:34:33.100 --> 01:34:36.130 Princeton and Bluefield is the Metro News Class AA game 1970 01:34:36.350 --> 01:34:40.810 of the week, and I feel like, honestly, that may 1971 01:34:40.850 --> 01:34:44.359 have been sort of the choice choice running away at 1972 01:34:44.420 --> 01:34:46.720 this point, and Bluefield only lost last week by a 1973 01:34:46.760 --> 01:34:50.859 touchdown to the G-men of Graham, Virginia. Now, it's another 1974 01:34:51.270 --> 01:34:56.390 one of these non- or intra-classification games. I've got to 1975 01:34:56.430 --> 01:34:57.489 make sure I'm saying that correctly. 1976 01:34:57.510 --> 01:34:58.210 You're going to figure that out. 1977 01:34:58.250 --> 01:35:00.069 Yeah, I'm going to look this up while you answer. 1978 01:35:00.350 --> 01:35:03.289 But Bluefield-Princeton, give me some of your thoughts on this one. 1979 01:35:04.069 --> 01:35:07.550 Well, let's take Princeton, for example. There's Nathan Tanner, came 1980 01:35:07.590 --> 01:35:10.409 over from Parkersburg South, head coach now. He's not lost 1981 01:35:10.930 --> 01:35:13.739 since he's been at Princeton. Went 14-0 last year, won 1982 01:35:13.760 --> 01:35:16.800 a state championship, and he's 1-0 this season. Going to 1983 01:35:16.819 --> 01:35:19.699 get tested. Going to get tested at Mitchell Stadium tonight 1984 01:35:19.840 --> 01:35:24.119 against the Bluefield Beavers. No doubt about it. Bluefield, that 1985 01:35:24.340 --> 01:35:27.939 rival game against Graham, you have no idea which way 1986 01:35:27.960 --> 01:35:29.420 it's going to go. I did not expect it to 1987 01:35:29.439 --> 01:35:31.699 be as high-scoring a fair as it was, and I 1988 01:35:31.760 --> 01:35:34.180 thought Bluefield would win. But as you mentioned, they got 1989 01:35:34.220 --> 01:35:38.500 beat barely by the G-men. Bluefield, to me, is as 1990 01:35:38.640 --> 01:35:41.119 good a team as we're going to see tonight. in 1991 01:35:41.140 --> 01:35:44.140 Class AA this year. I promise you that. Just because 1992 01:35:44.159 --> 01:35:46.640 of the fact they were in the championship game last year, 1993 01:35:46.680 --> 01:35:49.239 they lost in the last few seconds to Frankfurt on 1994 01:35:49.279 --> 01:35:53.670 that trick play that Kevin Whiteman ran to perfection with 1995 01:35:53.689 --> 01:35:57.449 the halfback pass. Bluefield, though, had a lot coming back. 1996 01:35:57.649 --> 01:36:00.210 I said for the first time in a long time, 1997 01:36:00.270 --> 01:36:03.689 I saw a pregame interview with with Freddie Simon at Bluefield. 1998 01:36:03.729 --> 01:36:05.890 He looked giddy to me. He was so happy about 1999 01:36:06.170 --> 01:36:08.430 the kids he had back and the talent he's got back. 2000 01:36:08.550 --> 01:36:10.449 They've got a couple of new assistant coaches on the 2001 01:36:10.470 --> 01:36:13.350 staff now. So I thought they were ready to go, 2002 01:36:13.670 --> 01:36:15.789 and I'm sure they are. They just ran into a 2003 01:36:15.829 --> 01:36:19.369 very good, obviously very good, Graham G-man team. I think 2004 01:36:19.409 --> 01:36:21.630 that's going to be a really, really good ball game 2005 01:36:21.949 --> 01:36:24.819 coming up down at Mitchell Stadium tonight between Princeton and Bluefield. 2006 01:36:25.039 --> 01:36:28.220 I'm not sure that Nathan Tanner doesn't get his first 2007 01:36:28.279 --> 01:36:29.760 loss as a head coach at Princeton. 2008 01:36:31.350 --> 01:36:32.930 Independence, I think, is going to be tough to get 2009 01:36:32.970 --> 01:36:34.909 a read on this year because of the out-of-state games 2010 01:36:34.930 --> 01:36:37.449 they play to begin the year. What do you make 2011 01:36:37.489 --> 01:36:39.029 of that team so far, a team that's been near 2012 01:36:39.069 --> 01:36:41.180 the top in that classification for several years? 2013 01:36:41.859 --> 01:36:44.720 John H. Lilly, he's done a great job. He really has. 2014 01:36:44.739 --> 01:36:47.159 He's got a program going now. Kids want to play. 2015 01:36:47.199 --> 01:36:50.260 They've got a very good theater school in the middle 2016 01:36:50.300 --> 01:36:53.600 school that they have there in Cole City. Going to Charlotte, 2017 01:36:53.640 --> 01:36:56.859 North Carolina tonight to play a team that, by the way, 2018 01:36:57.289 --> 01:37:01.720 had a really away game last week. This Ambassador Christian Academy, 2019 01:37:02.000 --> 01:37:07.050 they played in Dublin, Ireland last week. Dublin, Ireland. I mean, 2020 01:37:07.489 --> 01:37:10.069 you talk about jet lag, and John, I sure hope 2021 01:37:10.109 --> 01:37:12.289 they still have some of that jet lag because they've 2022 01:37:12.329 --> 01:37:15.729 got three guys that are already signed to Division I schools. 2023 01:37:16.029 --> 01:37:20.520 They're legit. It's a private academy team. They're good, no 2024 01:37:20.560 --> 01:37:23.800 doubt about it. And they beat a team from Texas 2025 01:37:24.199 --> 01:37:26.600 last week in Dublin, Ireland in one of those games. 2026 01:37:26.989 --> 01:37:30.289 you know, showcase types of things they do over there. So, 2027 01:37:30.909 --> 01:37:34.600 but I think John Lilley is going to be good, 2028 01:37:34.800 --> 01:37:36.119 but is he going to be, is he going to 2029 01:37:36.159 --> 01:37:38.260 get beat up? And I think that's the one thing 2030 01:37:38.300 --> 01:37:40.119 you got to be concerned about. They played the team 2031 01:37:40.159 --> 01:37:44.300 from Armstrong, Pennsylvania last week. One, they trailed 21 to 2032 01:37:44.579 --> 01:37:47.470 seven in the fourth quarter and scored 21 points in 2033 01:37:47.489 --> 01:37:49.390 the fourth quarter to come back and win that game. 2034 01:37:49.810 --> 01:37:52.649 Now that says something about that ball club, but out 2035 01:37:52.689 --> 01:37:54.430 of the frying pan into the fire and you got 2036 01:37:54.449 --> 01:37:57.479 to travel all the way to Charlotte, North Carolina. and 2037 01:37:57.579 --> 01:38:01.800 play a very, very good team tonight. So it'll be 2038 01:38:01.819 --> 01:38:05.520 interesting to see how they hold up against this Ambassador 2039 01:38:05.560 --> 01:38:08.710 Christian team, and we'll go from there. They've still got 2040 01:38:08.729 --> 01:38:11.390 a couple. How about this? Nine games is all he has. 2041 01:38:12.050 --> 01:38:15.229 Seven of them are on the road. They play their 2042 01:38:15.289 --> 01:38:19.529 last home game of the season October 2nd. They'll have 2043 01:38:19.829 --> 01:38:22.949 homecoming and senior night the same night. 2044 01:38:22.949 --> 01:38:23.420 Crazy. 2045 01:38:23.420 --> 01:38:27.340 Yeah, that's unfortunate. Hey, uh pendleton county east hardy it's 2046 01:38:27.350 --> 01:38:30.060 our metro news class single a game of the week 2047 01:38:30.079 --> 01:38:32.760 both these teams won a week ago pendleton county really 2048 01:38:32.800 --> 01:38:37.100 nice win uh over petersburg east hardy blew out madonna 2049 01:38:37.659 --> 01:38:40.840 um these are two really good teams uh and uh 2050 01:38:40.920 --> 01:38:43.100 i i think you're in for a good one potentially 2051 01:38:43.119 --> 01:38:45.079 with this no no doubt. 2052 01:38:44.960 --> 01:38:47.100 They always play well when they meet each other it's 2053 01:38:47.119 --> 01:38:50.069 two quality programs in single a and That's why we 2054 01:38:50.109 --> 01:38:53.149 chose it as our single-A game of the week. Early 2055 01:38:53.189 --> 01:38:55.529 in the season again, I like to see these types 2056 01:38:55.609 --> 01:38:57.949 of games played early in the season, find out what 2057 01:38:57.970 --> 01:39:00.479 you've got, and I think both teams will be better 2058 01:39:01.180 --> 01:39:04.479 after the game tonight, regardless of who wins or loses. 2059 01:39:04.539 --> 01:39:07.640 They'll be better because quality opponents make you better. 2060 01:39:09.359 --> 01:39:12.260 Oconis County getting an impressive win over Tuckery last week. 2061 01:39:12.279 --> 01:39:14.880 They'll play a Meadow Bridge team that also won last week. 2062 01:39:14.899 --> 01:39:17.300 That's an interesting kind of under-the-radar single-A game to me. 2063 01:39:18.109 --> 01:39:20.609 Yeah, that kind of surprised me too with Tucker, you know, 2064 01:39:20.649 --> 01:39:24.170 getting beat last week by Pocahontas County. That doesn't happen 2065 01:39:24.390 --> 01:39:27.270 that often. I mean, they got beat by 15, 31-16, 2066 01:39:27.630 --> 01:39:30.189 and it was at Tucker County. So Tucker's got to 2067 01:39:30.250 --> 01:39:33.020 prove are they going to be a team that, you know, always, 2068 01:39:33.380 --> 01:39:36.600 always close into the playoffs. They don't go too far, 2069 01:39:36.659 --> 01:39:39.840 but they're usually right around there. But Tigers Valley should 2070 01:39:39.880 --> 01:39:42.720 be a win for them. We'll see. It's going to 2071 01:39:42.739 --> 01:39:45.220 be interesting. You know, Tigers Valley is a ball club 2072 01:39:45.239 --> 01:39:48.130 that has struggled hard heavily over the last few years, 2073 01:39:48.250 --> 01:39:50.430 and we'll see if Tucker can bounce back, and they 2074 01:39:50.470 --> 01:39:53.609 have to because we've got East Hardy coming up next week, 2075 01:39:53.649 --> 01:39:55.590 so this is a win they really need to get 2076 01:39:55.630 --> 01:39:56.170 over Tigers. 2077 01:39:56.750 --> 01:39:58.829 Fred, go ahead and remind folks where they can catch 2078 01:39:59.189 --> 01:40:00.590 high school game night tonight. 2079 01:40:01.949 --> 01:40:05.859 All over the state, and the radio station just down 2080 01:40:05.880 --> 01:40:11.560 the street from you, I promise, especially you. We're very fortunate. 2081 01:40:11.579 --> 01:40:13.979 We've got 51 radio stations around the state to carry 2082 01:40:14.000 --> 01:40:17.479 the show, plus we're live on YouTube and on our 2083 01:40:17.500 --> 01:40:22.170 Facebook page and on Metro News Television. So if you 2084 01:40:22.210 --> 01:40:23.489 want to find us, we're there. 2085 01:40:24.409 --> 01:40:28.850 Including this station right here. There you go. When the 2086 01:40:28.869 --> 01:40:32.489 Bridgeport-Martinsburg game ends, folks, don't go anywhere. You'll hear Fred 2087 01:40:32.529 --> 01:40:34.069 and Dave. Fred, always appreciate it, man. 2088 01:40:34.729 --> 01:40:35.949 Thank you, guys. Appreciate you. 2089 01:40:36.130 --> 01:40:39.050 Well, that'll just about wrap it up for the Friday Free-for-All. Now, 2090 01:40:39.170 --> 01:40:41.409 I will say, if you're looking for some bonus content, 2091 01:40:41.470 --> 01:40:43.090 I have good news for you. We'll have a little 2092 01:40:43.130 --> 01:40:46.300 bit of that coming your way. Chris George, going to 2093 01:40:46.319 --> 01:40:51.140 hang around, talk a little extra football content during the 2094 01:40:51.220 --> 01:40:53.159 nine o'clock hour. And you can also catch that in 2095 01:40:53.180 --> 01:40:56.560 the podcast form. And I have to apologize. I may 2096 01:40:56.579 --> 01:41:00.020 have accidentally loaded that in the morning spiel last week 2097 01:41:00.100 --> 01:41:03.579 instead of in the correct spot. So the extra content 2098 01:41:03.619 --> 01:41:07.060 about Tucker and Elkins and some of those Mountain County schools, 2099 01:41:07.479 --> 01:41:09.020 I might've put it in the wrong spot last week. 2100 01:41:09.220 --> 01:41:13.340 That's on me. That won't happen again. Mike, it's exciting. 2101 01:41:13.500 --> 01:41:15.680 I just hope We stay dry tonight. Actually, I don't 2102 01:41:15.699 --> 01:41:18.140 even care about staying dry. Let's avoid the lightning. That's 2103 01:41:18.159 --> 01:41:18.579 my preference. 2104 01:41:18.600 --> 01:41:18.939 That's right. 2105 01:41:18.960 --> 01:41:22.520 Don't get struck by lightning. Always a good suggestion and 2106 01:41:22.579 --> 01:41:25.220 maxim to live by, but hopefully we can stay out 2107 01:41:25.239 --> 01:41:27.399 of there today. And again, I think with a lot 2108 01:41:27.439 --> 01:41:30.460 of kind of intra-regional games going on tonight, we really 2109 01:41:30.479 --> 01:41:32.380 want to make sure that weather's good because it can 2110 01:41:32.399 --> 01:41:34.850 be harder to finish these on a Saturday or make 2111 01:41:34.859 --> 01:41:35.390 them up later. 2112 01:41:35.729 --> 01:41:38.250 Most important thing Bridgeport can accomplish tonight in your mind? 2113 01:41:39.710 --> 01:41:42.310 I do feel like ball control is big, but at 2114 01:41:42.329 --> 01:41:45.220 the same time, Gavin Williams is someone who can break 2115 01:41:45.260 --> 01:41:47.300 some runs. So if you can get a 30, 40-yard 2116 01:41:47.319 --> 01:41:49.319 touchdown run from Gavin Williams and get a lead, I 2117 01:41:49.880 --> 01:41:52.319 think that's important. And again, I think Bridgeport has been 2118 01:41:52.359 --> 01:41:54.659 close with Martinsburg, but they've also had to chase them. 2119 01:41:55.159 --> 01:41:57.010 So if they can get the lead early and make 2120 01:41:57.029 --> 01:41:58.649 Martinsburg kind of come to them, I think that's a 2121 01:41:58.649 --> 01:41:59.029 good thing. 2122 01:41:59.170 --> 01:42:01.829 Yeah, I'd like to see them stay healthy. It's pretty 2123 01:42:01.869 --> 01:42:03.930 much the only thing that I think matters. Don't get 2124 01:42:03.970 --> 01:42:08.189 blown out and stay healthy. And I'm sure they have 2125 01:42:08.260 --> 01:42:11.060 higher expectations than that. I'm just thinking about it. I'm 2126 01:42:11.079 --> 01:42:14.020 a media guy, so I get to have the easy takes. 2127 01:42:14.800 --> 01:42:18.609 All right, folks. We'll see you all next week for 2128 01:42:18.909 --> 01:42:20.489 more of the main show. Again, if you want to 2129 01:42:20.510 --> 01:42:23.130 stick around for the bonus content, that'll come up during 2130 01:42:23.149 --> 01:42:26.810 the 9 o'clock hour. But the primary show is over. 2131 01:42:27.210 --> 01:42:29.229 Friday Free For All is brought to you by Dan Cava, 2132 01:42:29.270 --> 01:42:31.180 Toyota Buick, GMC. 2133 01:42:44.310 --> 01:42:47.109 You've been listening to the Dan Cava Toyota Buick GMC 2134 01:42:47.170 --> 01:42:50.310 Friday Free-for-All. Be sure to tune in every Friday as 2135 01:42:50.380 --> 01:42:53.609 we review and preview local high school sports. This has 2136 01:42:53.680 --> 01:43:02.819 been a special presentation of WVRC Media and 103.3 WKMZ. Now, 2137 01:43:03.060 --> 01:43:05.699 back to the morning spiel. Brought to you by Royal 2138 01:43:05.760 --> 01:43:07.079 Water on WKMZ. 2139 01:43:09.140 --> 01:43:12.859 This is the Morning Spiel presented by Royal Water Treatment, 103.3 WKMZ. 2140 01:43:12.960 --> 01:43:16.050 But this is also our Friday Free-for-All bonus segment. Michael 2141 01:43:16.090 --> 01:43:18.670 Minnick is still with us from the Friday Free-for-All. Chris 2142 01:43:18.710 --> 01:43:23.270 George is back with us from, of course, all many 2143 01:43:23.630 --> 01:43:29.000 WKMZ contributions, including Bridgeport football and this show. Let's talk, guys. 2144 01:43:29.279 --> 01:43:31.640 First of all, and Mike, maybe I'll start you off 2145 01:43:31.659 --> 01:43:33.020 with this. Is there anything else we want to get 2146 01:43:33.079 --> 01:43:35.000 out on Bridgeport before we kind of open up to 2147 01:43:35.020 --> 01:43:37.520 the rest of where we wanted to hit with Chris? 2148 01:43:38.630 --> 01:43:40.380 Yeah, I think we talked about it a little bit 2149 01:43:40.600 --> 01:43:45.159 with Fred Persinger, but these two teams are explosive offenses 2150 01:43:45.340 --> 01:43:47.960 over the years, but their matchups have been low-scoring games. 2151 01:43:48.699 --> 01:43:51.239 And I think we're going to– if it's a low-scoring game, 2152 01:43:51.279 --> 01:43:53.109 I think that favors Bridgeport. I don't think they're going 2153 01:43:53.130 --> 01:43:57.409 to win a 42-35 shootout. They could win a 21-14 game. 2154 01:43:57.710 --> 01:43:59.970 I think that's much more the pace and score that 2155 01:43:59.989 --> 01:44:00.810 they want in this game. 2156 01:44:01.829 --> 01:44:04.449 Very good points, and I'm afraid that they might be 2157 01:44:04.479 --> 01:44:06.859 a little bit in between both. I really do. As 2158 01:44:06.880 --> 01:44:08.739 crazy as that sounds, I think if this game was 2159 01:44:08.800 --> 01:44:10.579 played week eight or week nine, it might be an 2160 01:44:10.640 --> 01:44:12.939 offensive shootout. I really do, because I think both offenses 2161 01:44:12.979 --> 01:44:17.140 will be so much better by year's end. But Bridgeport's defense, 2162 01:44:17.319 --> 01:44:19.979 I will say this, and this is something we haven't 2163 01:44:20.020 --> 01:44:23.260 talked a ton about, but it's been mentioned before. Bridgeport 2164 01:44:23.340 --> 01:44:26.399 plays in a lot of 7-on-7 tournaments during the summer. Well, 2165 01:44:26.439 --> 01:44:28.479 they went to Columbus and finished in the top five 2166 01:44:28.579 --> 01:44:31.119 up there. They went to WVU, and they won the 2167 01:44:31.140 --> 01:44:33.899 7-on-7 tournament there. And they get in these 7-on-7 tournaments 2168 01:44:33.930 --> 01:44:36.239 not because– They're going to throw the ball 30 or 2169 01:44:36.239 --> 01:44:39.199 40 times a year. That may give everybody a heart attack, 2170 01:44:39.479 --> 01:44:41.979 but it's for their defense, and it's how they want 2171 01:44:42.000 --> 01:44:44.460 to cover spread teams because they know being in AAA 2172 01:44:44.920 --> 01:44:46.689 and playing some quad A schools, you're going to play 2173 01:44:46.729 --> 01:44:49.350 a ton of spread offenses every single year, and they do. 2174 01:44:49.930 --> 01:44:53.069 So this gets them a little bit of an advantage 2175 01:44:53.090 --> 01:44:55.409 by playing these 707 terms against some of the best 2176 01:44:55.449 --> 01:44:58.060 skill in the state and some of the states surrounding 2177 01:44:58.079 --> 01:45:00.479 West Virginia as well. They play these. to give their 2178 01:45:00.520 --> 01:45:03.039 corners and safeties and you just give them the ball 2179 01:45:03.079 --> 01:45:05.020 skills they need to be able to cover the pass. 2180 01:45:05.699 --> 01:45:08.300 So they've done a good job. And the last time 2181 01:45:08.340 --> 01:45:10.399 they were really good in the seven on seven tournaments 2182 01:45:10.439 --> 01:45:12.229 was the year they won the state championship a couple 2183 01:45:12.239 --> 01:45:14.670 of years ago when they had Alex Moses and Jack 2184 01:45:14.689 --> 01:45:17.390 Spada for in the corners. Now this year, you know, 2185 01:45:17.409 --> 01:45:20.270 you got Carson Bastien, very inexperienced, but he's getting his 2186 01:45:20.310 --> 01:45:23.210 feet wet and he's very athletic. Then on the other side, 2187 01:45:23.229 --> 01:45:25.069 you got Graham Benson who's improved a ton. And then 2188 01:45:25.090 --> 01:45:27.680 of course your safeties, as we know, Gavin Williams and 2189 01:45:27.699 --> 01:45:30.890 Aiden Gorby. So yeah, I think those 7-on-7 tournaments, I 2190 01:45:30.909 --> 01:45:32.609 think the talent they saw in the summer is going 2191 01:45:32.630 --> 01:45:36.949 to benefit them extremely well tonight. However, what's it going 2192 01:45:36.970 --> 01:45:38.210 to be up front? Are they going to be able 2193 01:45:38.229 --> 01:45:40.590 to get some pressure on Brian Dick to force him 2194 01:45:40.710 --> 01:45:42.949 to be just a little bit uncomfortable? I think if 2195 01:45:43.010 --> 01:45:45.210 Bridgeport wins this game tonight, they have to win the 2196 01:45:45.250 --> 01:45:47.689 turnover battle. They've got to find a way to create 2197 01:45:47.720 --> 01:45:51.020 maybe an extra possession or two. They cannot lose the 2198 01:45:51.039 --> 01:45:54.899 turnover battle. If Bridgeport loses the turnover battle tonight, bad 2199 01:45:54.920 --> 01:45:56.920 things can happen. The last time they did was when 2200 01:45:56.939 --> 01:46:00.909 they played Chapmanville, so huge game tonight i think it'll 2201 01:46:00.930 --> 01:46:03.770 be fun i think both teams will benefit greatly from 2202 01:46:03.810 --> 01:46:05.689 this game i think both teams will be a much 2203 01:46:05.750 --> 01:46:08.609 better team next week after this game i will say 2204 01:46:08.649 --> 01:46:11.130 this whoever wins this game it's going to help them 2205 01:46:11.170 --> 01:46:13.289 there's no doubt but whoever loses this game is going 2206 01:46:13.310 --> 01:46:15.170 to help them as well this is not going to 2207 01:46:15.189 --> 01:46:17.310 be a bad loss no matter who loses tonight. 2208 01:46:17.630 --> 01:46:19.930 Uh let's jump around a little bit and we'll hit 2209 01:46:19.970 --> 01:46:21.850 some of the power rankings as well but i i 2210 01:46:21.909 --> 01:46:24.250 still want to hit uh as many teams as we 2211 01:46:24.289 --> 01:46:26.840 can and uh you know typically we would start in 2212 01:46:26.850 --> 01:46:29.609 the mountain counties let's start a little bit further west 2213 01:46:29.670 --> 01:46:32.170 this time. I think Mike and I both agreed we 2214 01:46:32.210 --> 01:46:35.890 were a little surprised at how Dodgeridge County was handled 2215 01:46:35.949 --> 01:46:37.829 by Roan County. That was never going to be an 2216 01:46:37.869 --> 01:46:41.250 easy trip, but Dodgeridge County, we talked about how they 2217 01:46:41.310 --> 01:46:43.729 are a program. It's a team that we regularly have 2218 01:46:43.789 --> 01:46:46.720 high expectations for, and they got quite the test in 2219 01:46:46.760 --> 01:46:49.279 week one, and they obviously are going to have some 2220 01:46:49.319 --> 01:46:49.720 work to do. 2221 01:46:49.739 --> 01:46:50.920 They're going to have. 2222 01:46:50.859 --> 01:46:53.119 Some work to do, and it's a program. There's no doubt. 2223 01:46:53.260 --> 01:46:55.439 I think there's definitely a lot of talent they lost 2224 01:46:55.539 --> 01:46:57.739 a year ago, some via the transfer portal. We know 2225 01:46:57.760 --> 01:47:01.270 BYU One of their players went to Morgantown. We've discussed that. 2226 01:47:01.750 --> 01:47:04.590 And I was tipped off back in the summer from 2227 01:47:04.670 --> 01:47:09.119 Jeff Thompson, who is the assistant coach for Parkersburg Post 15. 2228 01:47:09.109 --> 01:47:11.729 He's a Rome County native, and he still lives in 2229 01:47:11.789 --> 01:47:14.920 Rome County. He told me that they have a pretty 2230 01:47:14.939 --> 01:47:17.000 good football team coming up this year, and he's right. 2231 01:47:17.079 --> 01:47:19.840 I mean, so far, so good. This program at Rome 2232 01:47:19.859 --> 01:47:23.159 County has really been developing the last four to five years, guys, 2233 01:47:23.220 --> 01:47:26.689 and it's been really something to see. It's really been 2234 01:47:26.729 --> 01:47:29.850 ever since the young man died. you know, at Rowan 2235 01:47:29.890 --> 01:47:32.130 County about five or six years ago, that program has 2236 01:47:32.170 --> 01:47:34.810 just gotten better and better. They're getting good athletes out 2237 01:47:34.909 --> 01:47:37.289 and they're developing them in the weight room. So I 2238 01:47:37.329 --> 01:47:39.449 think in years in, I think Dobridge County will look 2239 01:47:39.489 --> 01:47:41.189 at this loss and be like, well, you know what? 2240 01:47:41.229 --> 01:47:43.750 That was a good loss. That doesn't hurt us. But 2241 01:47:43.770 --> 01:47:45.350 then again, they're going to have to go out here 2242 01:47:45.390 --> 01:47:47.569 this week and in the week after and figure out 2243 01:47:47.590 --> 01:47:49.840 how to win some games going forward. I think they will. 2244 01:47:50.149 --> 01:47:53.380 I think both those teams are playoff teams. And I 2245 01:47:53.420 --> 01:47:56.159 wasn't surprised. I actually picked Rowan County to win. But 2246 01:47:56.260 --> 01:47:59.199 then again, I was surprised Because it did happen. So 2247 01:47:59.500 --> 01:48:01.880 I think this Dodgers County team will eventually be okay 2248 01:48:01.920 --> 01:48:04.479 when they get some experience and get everybody going on 2249 01:48:04.510 --> 01:48:05.090 the same page. 2250 01:48:05.829 --> 01:48:07.649 First time in a decade they've been held to single 2251 01:48:07.689 --> 01:48:10.670 digits offensively in back-to-back games. This tells you how long 2252 01:48:10.689 --> 01:48:12.109 ago it was. The two teams that did it were 2253 01:48:12.130 --> 01:48:14.789 Gilmore County and Ravenswood. It's been a while since Ravenswood's 2254 01:48:14.810 --> 01:48:15.229 been good. 2255 01:48:15.630 --> 01:48:17.350 Yeah, I mean, think about that. That's how far this 2256 01:48:17.409 --> 01:48:20.279 Doddridge County's program has come. So we mentioned Roan County 2257 01:48:20.680 --> 01:48:22.680 and how well their program's been. Well, let's look at 2258 01:48:22.699 --> 01:48:25.739 Doddridge County. Ever since the oil and gas became big 2259 01:48:25.779 --> 01:48:28.600 in that part of the state, the team's gotten good. 2260 01:48:28.640 --> 01:48:31.939 The population has increased. The school's gotten bigger. They're a 2261 01:48:31.939 --> 01:48:35.500 double-A size school, but they have a program. You know, 2262 01:48:35.520 --> 01:48:38.350 Bobby Burnside, And all the great coaches there have done 2263 01:48:38.390 --> 01:48:40.689 a great job over the past 10 to 15 years, 2264 01:48:40.729 --> 01:48:44.489 developing this, you know, football program into a power. And 2265 01:48:44.689 --> 01:48:47.369 I think they're here to stay. In fact, you know, 2266 01:48:47.390 --> 01:48:49.310 I won't be a bit surprised. You know, we've talked 2267 01:48:49.350 --> 01:48:52.590 about it. Preston could possibly leave the big 10. It's 2268 01:48:52.729 --> 01:48:55.810 it's on the docket. It's it's potential there. And if 2269 01:48:55.840 --> 01:48:57.880 they would leave the big 10 and join the Potomac 2270 01:48:57.920 --> 01:49:01.159 Valley conference, I think Dobridge County would be a natural 2271 01:49:01.199 --> 01:49:03.220 for the big 10 conference in the future, just because 2272 01:49:03.239 --> 01:49:05.560 the school's growing and they're being so successful in a 2273 01:49:05.600 --> 01:49:08.300 bunch of sports. Now, I'm throwing stuff out there that 2274 01:49:08.699 --> 01:49:12.829 is not any rumors behind it. It's just me saying that. 2275 01:49:13.470 --> 01:49:15.289 I have nothing to base it on. It's just something 2276 01:49:15.329 --> 01:49:17.430 that I think going forward, I think this program at 2277 01:49:17.449 --> 01:49:20.210 Doddbridge is going to elevate itself to that point where 2278 01:49:20.250 --> 01:49:22.899 it could be either in a Big Ten or a 2279 01:49:23.020 --> 01:49:25.600 solid AA program year. 2280 01:49:25.460 --> 01:49:28.000 In and year out. Chris, no one's ever gone wrong 2281 01:49:28.039 --> 01:49:31.260 with a little speculation. I like I like a little speculation. 2282 01:49:31.279 --> 01:49:34.760 I like I call this this is informed speculation. I 2283 01:49:35.119 --> 01:49:37.920 you're you're not you're not pulling this out of thin air. 2284 01:49:38.000 --> 01:49:42.189 You're you're connecting dots. And I think that's completely, completely fair. 2285 01:49:42.529 --> 01:49:44.810 And so just so folks are clear, we have no 2286 01:49:44.890 --> 01:49:46.609 idea if that's going to happen. But I do think 2287 01:49:46.649 --> 01:49:50.079 Chris is Chris is, I would say, an expert. expert 2288 01:49:50.100 --> 01:49:51.979 level on the subject, and it's worth listening to him 2289 01:49:52.000 --> 01:49:53.000 when he says stuff like this. 2290 01:49:53.119 --> 01:49:56.399 I will tell you this. It is factual that Preston 2291 01:49:56.460 --> 01:49:59.140 is considering leaving the Big Ten Conference and going to 2292 01:49:59.159 --> 01:50:02.659 the Eastern Panhandle and joining the Potomac Valley Conference. That 2293 01:50:02.810 --> 01:50:06.350 is very, very possible, and it could happen sooner rather 2294 01:50:06.369 --> 01:50:09.119 than later. In fact, they're doing some discussions about it. 2295 01:50:09.130 --> 01:50:14.090 They're sending out surveys within the athletic program, and don't 2296 01:50:14.130 --> 01:50:16.430 be surprised if that doesn't happen next year or maybe 2297 01:50:16.449 --> 01:50:19.340 the year after or Maybe there's a chance it won't happen, 2298 01:50:19.380 --> 01:50:21.439 but I think Preston leaving the Big Ten could be 2299 01:50:21.500 --> 01:50:23.939 more of a reality than what some people think. 2300 01:50:23.960 --> 01:50:26.640 We'll have to talk more about this at a later date, 2301 01:50:26.699 --> 01:50:29.590 but if people think the OVC is a loosely affiliated conference, 2302 01:50:29.600 --> 01:50:30.670 they haven't seen the PBC. 2303 01:50:31.010 --> 01:50:31.250 Yeah. 2304 01:50:31.609 --> 01:50:34.329 Man, I think that would be a mistake for Preston. 2305 01:50:34.590 --> 01:50:36.350 I do, too, because you and I both know how 2306 01:50:36.390 --> 01:50:39.529 good that conference is. Even the small schools in that 2307 01:50:39.590 --> 01:50:42.260 league are very good. East Hardy, good every year. Warfield, 2308 01:50:42.300 --> 01:50:44.319 very competitive. We'll talk about them and Elkins in a 2309 01:50:44.319 --> 01:50:46.970 little bit, I'm sure. Frankfurt, well, all they do is win, 2310 01:50:47.010 --> 01:50:49.840 and they win at everything. They've even figured out basketball 2311 01:50:49.859 --> 01:50:52.359 at Frankfurt last year. So, yeah, we know Kaiser, what 2312 01:50:52.399 --> 01:50:54.819 they've done in the past. So, yeah, I'm not sure 2313 01:50:54.840 --> 01:50:56.720 that's a good idea either. I agree with you. I 2314 01:50:56.739 --> 01:50:59.979 think the travel will increase, and I think the win 2315 01:51:00.020 --> 01:51:02.430 column might decrease. So we'll see. 2316 01:51:02.529 --> 01:51:04.449 Let's talk about– let's go to single A. We're going 2317 01:51:04.470 --> 01:51:05.729 to bounce around a fair bit here, but I want 2318 01:51:05.750 --> 01:51:08.810 to talk about Tucker County. I know when we talked 2319 01:51:08.850 --> 01:51:11.170 with Fred, he was a little surprised by the way 2320 01:51:11.210 --> 01:51:13.500 that went down. And if we had had more time, 2321 01:51:13.539 --> 01:51:15.060 I would have mentioned to him, you know, our guy 2322 01:51:15.100 --> 01:51:18.649 Chris George said that they could have some trouble, particularly 2323 01:51:18.770 --> 01:51:20.729 early in the season. They've got a lot that they've 2324 01:51:20.770 --> 01:51:23.989 got to kind of replace from last year. And lo 2325 01:51:24.010 --> 01:51:26.550 and behold, they fell by, what was it, a 15-point 2326 01:51:26.569 --> 01:51:30.109 margin in their first loss of the season. So some 2327 01:51:30.520 --> 01:51:33.020 work to do for A.J. Rapp, who is an excellent coach, 2328 01:51:33.079 --> 01:51:34.619 but he does have some work ahead of him. 2329 01:51:34.859 --> 01:51:37.439 Yeah, and he just slacks numbers this year, guys. I mean, 2330 01:51:37.439 --> 01:51:40.479 25 kids and two of his best players at receiver one. 2331 01:51:41.229 --> 01:51:43.069 did not come out this year. He decided to play 2332 01:51:43.090 --> 01:51:47.729 golf in Caden Arnold, and then the Barb kid, Lucas Barb, 2333 01:51:47.770 --> 01:51:49.770 decided not to play. He came out for the first 2334 01:51:49.810 --> 01:51:53.170 few days and decided not to play. So even if 2335 01:51:53.229 --> 01:51:54.770 those two kids had played, it was going to be 2336 01:51:54.789 --> 01:51:56.899 a struggle because they just lacked so much up front 2337 01:51:56.949 --> 01:51:59.100 because they lost so much talent to last, not just 2338 01:51:59.159 --> 01:52:01.779 last year, but the year before, and kind of saw 2339 01:52:01.800 --> 01:52:04.979 this coming, guys, you know, and this is life of 2340 01:52:05.020 --> 01:52:08.460 a single-A program, right? There's very few single-A programs out 2341 01:52:08.479 --> 01:52:11.329 there that win 10, 11, 15 years in a row. 2342 01:52:11.409 --> 01:52:13.789 Tucker County's done an unbelievable job winning as much as 2343 01:52:13.829 --> 01:52:16.850 they can, but they sometimes have peaks and valleys, and 2344 01:52:16.909 --> 01:52:18.930 unfortunately this is a valley, and this might be a 2345 01:52:18.949 --> 01:52:22.109 little bit below sea level valley this year. I think 2346 01:52:22.149 --> 01:52:23.970 they got a golden opportunity to get a win tonight 2347 01:52:24.090 --> 01:52:26.449 against Tigards Valley. I think they can pull this out, 2348 01:52:26.590 --> 01:52:29.140 but after tonight, wins might be fewer and far between. 2349 01:52:29.149 --> 01:52:31.600 They'll take anything away from A.J. 2350 01:52:31.699 --> 01:52:31.899 Rapp. 2351 01:52:31.920 --> 01:52:33.880 What he has done there has been tremendous. He's a 2352 01:52:33.939 --> 01:52:37.260 heck of a ball coach. I know him personally. I 2353 01:52:37.279 --> 01:52:39.770 consider him a good friend. And I know darn well 2354 01:52:40.649 --> 01:52:43.310 he'll get that program going in the right direction again soon. 2355 01:52:43.369 --> 01:52:46.640 I guarantee you the other thing, this Tucker Kane team, 2356 01:52:46.659 --> 01:52:48.760 Branson and I are a good quarterback. I like him. 2357 01:52:49.020 --> 01:52:51.300 I think that's something to build on there. They've got 2358 01:52:51.340 --> 01:52:57.029 some freshmen that skill positions. Coach Rapp's son is a senior. 2359 01:52:57.069 --> 01:53:00.149 He's a heavy, strong running back that runs a power. 2360 01:53:00.609 --> 01:53:02.270 So I think this team's going to get better as 2361 01:53:02.289 --> 01:53:04.390 the year goes on. But here's the problem. They can't 2362 01:53:04.449 --> 01:53:06.909 afford any injuries, guys. You know what it's like to 2363 01:53:06.949 --> 01:53:09.470 have 25 football players. You've got kids going both ways. 2364 01:53:09.989 --> 01:53:12.260 You start losing three or four kids, and it really 2365 01:53:12.300 --> 01:53:14.979 becomes tough. So, yeah, it's going to be a tough year. 2366 01:53:15.039 --> 01:53:17.380 It didn't surprise me. I think Pocahontas County is going 2367 01:53:17.399 --> 01:53:19.500 to be a better team. They've shown they've got some athletes. 2368 01:53:19.659 --> 01:53:23.100 I heard that they've got some decent young kids coming. And, boy, 2369 01:53:23.140 --> 01:53:25.520 it showed. It's been a good win for Pocahontas last week. 2370 01:53:25.600 --> 01:53:29.689 And Tucker County, Tigers Valley tonight, don't know who's going 2371 01:53:29.710 --> 01:53:32.750 to win, but Tucker's got a chance to battle back 2372 01:53:32.810 --> 01:53:34.630 here and get their first win of the year. 2373 01:53:35.850 --> 01:53:36.090 Yeah. 2374 01:53:36.109 --> 01:53:38.130 Danny, back to last year, Pocahontas won three in a 2375 01:53:38.170 --> 01:53:41.369 row and that hasn't happened in a long time. So 2376 01:53:41.649 --> 01:53:43.449 there's gotta be some enthusiasm in their program. 2017 was 2377 01:53:43.529 --> 01:53:44.609 the last time they won three. 2378 01:53:44.489 --> 01:53:44.670 In a row. 2379 01:53:44.810 --> 01:53:45.060 Yeah. 2380 01:53:45.180 --> 01:53:47.399 And that's back when they made some playoff appearances and, 2381 01:53:48.020 --> 01:53:49.619 you know, they got a beverage and anytime there's a 2382 01:53:49.640 --> 01:53:52.640 beverage playing for Pocahontas, good things happen. That name over 2383 01:53:52.819 --> 01:53:56.020 in Pocahontas County and all sports has been notorious to 2384 01:53:56.060 --> 01:53:56.819 have good athletes. 2385 01:53:56.840 --> 01:53:57.060 Yes. 2386 01:53:57.100 --> 01:54:00.680 He's related to all the great beverage players from the past. And, uh, 2387 01:54:01.510 --> 01:54:03.510 That's just one of a few good athletes they got there. 2388 01:54:03.529 --> 01:54:05.810 So maybe Pocahontas can find a way to scratch across 2389 01:54:05.850 --> 01:54:08.350 some four or five wins this year. Maybe they can 2390 01:54:09.840 --> 01:54:11.579 move into the playoff picture. We'll see. 2391 01:54:12.380 --> 01:54:16.760 Let's talk about Elkins. Obviously, last week, I think between 2392 01:54:16.779 --> 01:54:20.689 the Jaden Hatfield injury and Lincoln, I think most of 2393 01:54:20.729 --> 01:54:23.069 us agree Lincoln is going to be better. And even 2394 01:54:23.090 --> 01:54:25.970 if they're not better, they're going to be pesky. which 2395 01:54:26.010 --> 01:54:28.970 they clearly were last week. But so on the one hand, 2396 01:54:28.989 --> 01:54:32.020 I'm like a little concerned if I'm Elkins and you're 2397 01:54:32.109 --> 01:54:35.739 at home and Lincoln plays it as close as they did. 2398 01:54:35.859 --> 01:54:40.119 On the other hand, you're minus a player. Lincoln's always pesky. They, 2399 01:54:40.199 --> 01:54:44.020 they pester everybody in the big 10, except for Bridgeport. I, I, 2400 01:54:44.699 --> 01:54:46.890 I don't hate that performance for Lincoln, but I kind 2401 01:54:46.930 --> 01:54:48.189 of want to know your take on it from the 2402 01:54:48.250 --> 01:54:49.069 Elkins perspective. 2403 01:54:50.310 --> 01:54:54.260 Elkins is, For the first time in a situation they're 2404 01:54:54.270 --> 01:54:56.579 not used to, and that's playing with a target on 2405 01:54:56.600 --> 01:55:00.539 their back and playing with heavy expectations. And I noticed 2406 01:55:00.600 --> 01:55:03.279 Chad Ware, you know, the wonderful coach at Elkins, another 2407 01:55:03.560 --> 01:55:05.779 personal friend of mine. I've known Chad all my life. 2408 01:55:06.000 --> 01:55:09.979 Great family, good coach, good person. He knows that they've 2409 01:55:10.000 --> 01:55:12.460 got a target on their back. He knows that expectations 2410 01:55:12.500 --> 01:55:15.659 are high, and he thinks they're too high for the community. 2411 01:55:15.680 --> 01:55:18.800 You know, and that was a 14-14 game at the half. 2412 01:55:18.880 --> 01:55:22.090 That was a close game going into the fourth quarter. And, 2413 01:55:22.369 --> 01:55:24.810 you know, he feels like from some of the, you know, 2414 01:55:25.609 --> 01:55:28.039 viewers in the area that that was a disappointing win. 2415 01:55:28.319 --> 01:55:30.319 And he's trying to explain to people that, look, it's 2416 01:55:30.359 --> 01:55:33.260 a week one win. Nothing is disappointing in football when 2417 01:55:33.279 --> 01:55:37.399 you win a game. Lincoln is capable and they showed that. However, 2418 01:55:37.500 --> 01:55:39.640 Elkins has got that target on their back. So that's 2419 01:55:39.659 --> 01:55:41.239 something they're going to have to play with this year. 2420 01:55:41.319 --> 01:55:43.819 It's going to be the pressure is there. I didn't 2421 01:55:43.859 --> 01:55:46.020 think they handled it well, especially in the first half. 2422 01:55:46.100 --> 01:55:47.659 And when I was told last week, it was a 2423 01:55:47.739 --> 01:55:51.100 sloppy first half. you know, something that they can't play 2424 01:55:51.140 --> 01:55:53.539 with because they have to have, for Elkins to be 2425 01:55:53.560 --> 01:55:57.140 successful offensively, they've got to be executing on all cylinders. 2426 01:55:57.180 --> 01:55:59.479 I think they'll get better from this. But they're going 2427 01:55:59.510 --> 01:56:01.470 to have a tough time tonight at Moorfield. A lot 2428 01:56:01.489 --> 01:56:04.489 of people may laugh at that comment, but Moorfield is 2429 01:56:04.510 --> 01:56:07.930 an improved football team. They gave Frankfurt some fits last week. 2430 01:56:07.949 --> 01:56:11.250 This is a physical Moorfield team, probably more so than 2431 01:56:11.289 --> 01:56:14.270 what they played in Lincoln last week. However, Lincoln throws 2432 01:56:14.310 --> 01:56:16.899 the football much better than what this Moorfield team does, 2433 01:56:16.960 --> 01:56:19.560 and that's where Lincoln was able to Really attacked us. 2434 01:56:19.649 --> 01:56:22.130 Elkins' defense was in the air. But Elkins did give 2435 01:56:22.170 --> 01:56:25.430 up some running yards last week. So this game at Moorfield, 2436 01:56:26.170 --> 01:56:29.649 their backup quarterback, Cyrus Kump, who transferred to Elkins, returns. 2437 01:56:29.710 --> 01:56:32.170 I'm sure they're looking forward to that. Keep an eye 2438 01:56:32.189 --> 01:56:34.850 on this game on the scoreboard tonight. Moorfield-Elkins. This might 2439 01:56:34.890 --> 01:56:37.689 be similar to last week's game. Elkins may win this 2440 01:56:37.930 --> 01:56:41.680 in the second half going away late. But we'll keep 2441 01:56:41.739 --> 01:56:43.159 an eye on this one. This could be closer than 2442 01:56:43.199 --> 01:56:44.039 what the experts think. 2443 01:56:44.819 --> 01:56:48.460 Grass field, if it rains, too, that could really be 2444 01:56:48.479 --> 01:56:49.079 an equalizer. 2445 01:56:49.100 --> 01:56:52.479 Yeah, that could hurt the speed. I know last week 2446 01:56:52.560 --> 01:56:55.960 Elkins suffered some injuries at the running back position, Tony Sylvester, 2447 01:56:56.560 --> 01:56:59.569 who was backing up Jaden Hatfield, who was hurt, and 2448 01:56:59.590 --> 01:57:01.989 Sylvester got shaken up last week. Not sure of his 2449 01:57:02.029 --> 01:57:05.229 status tonight. Seth Robinson, though, well, if it is a 2450 01:57:05.250 --> 01:57:07.670 muddy field, he's the guy to hand it to. He's 2451 01:57:07.710 --> 01:57:10.270 a power back. He ran for over 300 yards last week, 2452 01:57:10.329 --> 01:57:13.329 but this is a different Moorfield team. They're physical. This 2453 01:57:13.390 --> 01:57:17.710 Moorfield team last year was young and they struggled, but 2454 01:57:17.729 --> 01:57:20.149 they held Elkins to 10 first half points last year 2455 01:57:20.409 --> 01:57:23.279 at Elkins. Keep an eye on this one. Would not 2456 01:57:23.319 --> 01:57:25.880 be surprised if we see an upset here. It would 2457 01:57:25.920 --> 01:57:28.000 not be surprised to see a score similar to last 2458 01:57:28.060 --> 01:57:31.560 week where Elkins pulls away late. But this should be 2459 01:57:31.579 --> 01:57:32.199 a fun one to watch. 2460 01:57:32.810 --> 01:57:35.069 Let's talk a little bit about the power rankings. You're 2461 01:57:35.130 --> 01:57:37.989 obviously a voter. I'm kind of curious, how did the 2462 01:57:38.029 --> 01:57:43.449 Grafton-Philip Barber game affect your opinion of Philip Barber? 2463 01:57:44.409 --> 01:57:48.109 It didn't affect it at all. I got to see 2464 01:57:48.149 --> 01:57:52.609 some Philip Barber film in the preseason. I think Landon 2465 01:57:52.630 --> 01:57:55.229 Carpenter is a really good running back. There's no doubt 2466 01:57:55.270 --> 01:57:58.649 about that. He's a great athlete, good kid, good family. 2467 01:57:58.869 --> 01:58:01.359 You won't find a better person or a better family. 2468 01:58:01.359 --> 01:58:04.029 But Phillip Barber up front is not what they were 2469 01:58:04.029 --> 01:58:06.909 a year ago. And also the wide receiver position. While 2470 01:58:07.409 --> 01:58:09.880 Tristan Price isn't bad, he's a good receiver. I think 2471 01:58:09.920 --> 01:58:12.600 he'll get better. But they don't have the talent at 2472 01:58:12.640 --> 01:58:15.380 wide receiver like they had a year ago. And up front, 2473 01:58:15.399 --> 01:58:17.899 they're a little bit young than what they were a 2474 01:58:17.920 --> 01:58:20.680 year ago. So I think that showed a little bit 2475 01:58:20.739 --> 01:58:23.279 last week in the Grafton game. Grafton had that thing won. 2476 01:58:23.300 --> 01:58:24.800 All they had to do is hand the football off 2477 01:58:24.840 --> 01:58:27.770 and they win the game. But it didn't happen. But 2478 01:58:27.810 --> 01:58:30.770 let's give Phillip Barber some credit, man. The way they 2479 01:58:30.869 --> 01:58:33.479 drove down the field and kicked the winning field goal, 2480 01:58:33.939 --> 01:58:37.000 Robbie Jones completed some very tough passes in that drive. 2481 01:58:37.520 --> 01:58:39.899 He also scrambled his way to get some first downs 2482 01:58:39.960 --> 01:58:42.720 as well. This Phillip Barber offense is going to get 2483 01:58:42.779 --> 01:58:45.119 better and better. And I think they might have to 2484 01:58:45.220 --> 01:58:48.039 outscore some teams this year to get some victories. But 2485 01:58:48.079 --> 01:58:51.560 this Phillip Barber team, it didn't change my opinion on them. 2486 01:58:52.000 --> 01:58:54.380 But Grafton, it changed my opinion on them a little bit. 2487 01:58:54.420 --> 01:58:56.970 I think Grafton's going to be much better. Bobby Beltner, 2488 01:58:57.010 --> 01:58:58.850 I know he's all about discipline, and they're going to 2489 01:58:58.869 --> 01:59:01.930 get back to more of that Grafton hard-nosed football. Boy, 2490 01:59:01.949 --> 01:59:04.510 did we see that on display last week. I like 2491 01:59:04.590 --> 01:59:07.939 Chase Kinsey. I saw him this summer play baseball for Bridgeport. 2492 01:59:09.220 --> 01:59:12.479 He's a Flemington kid. I joked around with him in 2493 01:59:12.500 --> 01:59:14.420 the dugout. I said, you know, you could easily transfer 2494 01:59:14.439 --> 01:59:16.880 to Bridgeport. You live closer to Bridgeport than you do Grafton. 2495 01:59:17.399 --> 01:59:20.680 I was only joking. I wasn't being serious. But good kid, 2496 01:59:21.199 --> 01:59:23.920 good quarterback that can run. He's tough. He completed some 2497 01:59:23.939 --> 01:59:27.130 very tough passes in that game. One where he was 2498 01:59:27.189 --> 01:59:29.569 scrambling to his left and just kind of threw a 2499 01:59:29.569 --> 01:59:31.270 little pop pass in the end zone and was caught 2500 01:59:31.289 --> 01:59:34.310 for a touchdown. So I think this Grafton team, boys, 2501 01:59:34.390 --> 01:59:36.229 is going to be much better than what people thought 2502 01:59:36.270 --> 01:59:38.449 this year. I like the Bearcats. I like where the 2503 01:59:38.470 --> 01:59:39.130 program's going. 2504 01:59:39.869 --> 01:59:42.310 And I think, too, the schedule. So with Grafton playing 2505 01:59:42.329 --> 01:59:44.399 like they did last week, they're going to win probably 2506 01:59:44.409 --> 01:59:45.920 two or three of these first five games. 2507 01:59:46.180 --> 01:59:49.340 Totally agree. Totally agree. And that young Grafton team last 2508 01:59:49.359 --> 01:59:51.840 year has gotten a year older. And there's some good 2509 01:59:51.939 --> 01:59:54.819 athletes there. We mentioned Chase Kinsey. There's others. And again, 2510 01:59:55.369 --> 01:59:59.020 Bobby Beltner, he knows old school Grafton football. He understands 2511 01:59:59.069 --> 02:00:02.460 old school Grafton football under Mike Skinner. He's trying to 2512 02:00:02.479 --> 02:00:05.000 bring that back to the program. He understands you can't 2513 02:00:05.039 --> 02:00:07.119 do it all in one year, but this is a 2514 02:00:07.199 --> 02:00:08.960 much better Grafton team than 365 days ago. 2515 02:00:10.979 --> 02:00:13.289 For sure. There's no question about it. I think they 2516 02:00:13.350 --> 02:00:19.569 proved that pretty clearly in that in that performance. Looking 2517 02:00:19.609 --> 02:00:21.689 at some of the other some of the other rankings, 2518 02:00:21.729 --> 02:00:23.649 I'm not sure where my hold on my tab. There 2519 02:00:23.689 --> 02:00:25.010 we go. I was trying to figure out my power 2520 02:00:25.069 --> 02:00:28.239 rankings tab disappeared, too. I want to go over to 2521 02:00:28.420 --> 02:00:32.760 Class AAA. And right now, Bridgeport, Princeton, Herbert Hoover, your 2522 02:00:32.880 --> 02:00:36.600 three first place to your three teams receiving first place 2523 02:00:36.640 --> 02:00:42.350 votes in AAA. First things first. Do you think, and 2524 02:00:42.390 --> 02:00:44.590 I know, again, the power rankings, it's all semantics, doesn't 2525 02:00:44.729 --> 02:00:47.710 really matter in the grand scheme of things. Does Bridgeport 2526 02:00:47.750 --> 02:00:50.170 with a loss, if it's a, I'm going to put 2527 02:00:50.189 --> 02:00:52.109 this in air quotes, a good loss, do they have 2528 02:00:52.130 --> 02:00:54.449 a shot at maintaining that top spot? 2529 02:00:56.350 --> 02:01:01.550 In the SSAC poll, once it comes out after week three, 2530 02:01:01.569 --> 02:01:05.789 I think there's an opportunity. As far as the Metro poll, 2531 02:01:05.909 --> 02:01:07.949 I don't know. It's a good question. I think there's 2532 02:01:07.970 --> 02:01:10.529 a good chance. We've got a lot of good people 2533 02:01:10.670 --> 02:01:13.430 voting this poll, and they understand that losing to Martinsburg 2534 02:01:14.149 --> 02:01:16.449 is a good loss. However, it's how you lose the game. 2535 02:01:16.489 --> 02:01:18.369 If Bridgeport goes out there and loses by three or 2536 02:01:18.390 --> 02:01:21.710 four touchdowns, yes, it will affect the poll. If they 2537 02:01:21.750 --> 02:01:24.210 go out there and lose by a touchdown or two touchdowns, 2538 02:01:24.310 --> 02:01:26.260 I don't think it will affect it all whatsoever. I 2539 02:01:26.300 --> 02:01:29.300 think they'll look at that and say, okay, for those voting, 2540 02:01:29.340 --> 02:01:33.079 I'm still number one team. But I hate voting in 2541 02:01:33.119 --> 02:01:34.039 the poll this early. 2542 02:01:34.079 --> 02:01:34.460 I do. 2543 02:01:34.579 --> 02:01:36.539 I don't like it because you just don't know who 2544 02:01:36.579 --> 02:01:37.479 the top teams are. 2545 02:01:38.920 --> 02:01:39.619 I do know this. 2546 02:01:40.159 --> 02:01:43.279 Princeton is good again. Herbert Hoover is improved. I think 2547 02:01:43.300 --> 02:01:46.840 they're good. How good? I don't know. Hoover's got a 2548 02:01:46.859 --> 02:01:50.090 big game with Winfield coming up. Princeton, we all know 2549 02:01:50.109 --> 02:01:54.250 what they've got coming up with South Charleston. Not South Charleston, 2550 02:01:54.270 --> 02:01:56.189 that's Chapmanville because I think Chapmanville is a pretty good 2551 02:01:56.229 --> 02:01:58.210 team too. Princeton, we know what they've got coming up 2552 02:01:58.229 --> 02:02:02.130 with their schedule. All in all, I think it's going 2553 02:02:02.149 --> 02:02:05.420 to be interesting, but I will say this. If Bridgeport 2554 02:02:05.460 --> 02:02:08.670 does end up losing this game tonight, They can't afford 2555 02:02:08.710 --> 02:02:10.930 to lose very many more games because there's going to 2556 02:02:10.949 --> 02:02:12.789 be a lot of teams. I think AAA could be 2557 02:02:12.850 --> 02:02:16.590 top-heavy this year, guys, which means I think when this 2558 02:02:16.649 --> 02:02:17.970 is all said and done, you're going to see a 2559 02:02:18.010 --> 02:02:22.489 lot of 10-0, 9-1, 8-2 type teams, and it's going 2560 02:02:22.510 --> 02:02:25.609 to come down to strength of schedule and bonus points 2561 02:02:25.649 --> 02:02:28.909 and all that to filter things out. So I think 2562 02:02:28.970 --> 02:02:30.890 if you're in that group of teams you mentioned, plus 2563 02:02:31.130 --> 02:02:35.350 a Chapmanville, plus a South Charleston, plus whomever, I think 2564 02:02:35.380 --> 02:02:37.079 you better win as many games as you can and 2565 02:02:37.119 --> 02:02:37.939 see where the chips fall. 2566 02:02:38.760 --> 02:02:43.239 Yeah, Princeton plays Bluefield this week. So we could have 2567 02:02:43.500 --> 02:02:47.069 an 0-2 Bluefield. We have an 0-2 Fairmont Senior. And 2568 02:02:47.229 --> 02:02:49.149 we're going to have either a 1-1 Bridgeboro or a 2569 02:02:49.170 --> 02:02:49.829 1-1 Martinsburg. 2570 02:02:50.409 --> 02:02:52.449 And how about Bluefield, man? I mean, we know they're 2571 02:02:52.470 --> 02:02:54.210 going to be good this year. They lost a rival 2572 02:02:54.250 --> 02:02:57.649 game to Grand Virginia late in that contest. It wouldn't 2573 02:02:57.680 --> 02:03:00.640 surprise me if Bluefield doesn't shock Princeton tonight. I think 2574 02:03:00.680 --> 02:03:04.250 Princeton wins the game, but it wouldn't surprise me. You're right. 2575 02:03:04.470 --> 02:03:08.760 I mean, that Bluefield team, similar to Fairmont Senior being 0-2, 2576 02:03:09.630 --> 02:03:11.829 who would have thought that? You know, I didn't. I 2577 02:03:11.850 --> 02:03:14.130 wouldn't have thought Fairmont Senior would have been 0-2 after 2578 02:03:14.649 --> 02:03:17.750 losing to Bird there at the buzzer pretty much last 2579 02:03:17.829 --> 02:03:21.369 night and then Bluefield. But then again, when you're Bluefield 2580 02:03:21.390 --> 02:03:26.439 and you play Graham and Princeton back-to-back, whoever's doing that 2581 02:03:26.479 --> 02:03:29.680 schedule needs to change some things around because I don't 2582 02:03:30.579 --> 02:03:33.159 think the coaching staff at Bluefield really likes that schedule. 2583 02:03:33.609 --> 02:03:36.529 In games week one and week two. 2584 02:03:36.710 --> 02:03:39.069 Let's talk for a second about Fairmont Senior, by the way, 2585 02:03:39.090 --> 02:03:43.779 just because we... I'm like, yeah, last night, it's not 2586 02:03:43.800 --> 02:03:46.279 a bad loss to RCB, especially under the conditions, everything 2587 02:03:46.300 --> 02:03:51.380 that happened. But what was more shocking for you? The 2588 02:03:51.460 --> 02:03:54.060 fact that Fairmont Senior lost as badly as they did 2589 02:03:54.090 --> 02:03:56.930 to Herbert Hoover or Herbert Hoover winning by the way 2590 02:03:56.970 --> 02:03:57.470 that they did? 2591 02:03:59.989 --> 02:04:03.930 Probably Herbert Hoover winning the way they did. I thought 2592 02:04:03.970 --> 02:04:07.329 Herbert Hoover was the better team last week. I didn't 2593 02:04:07.369 --> 02:04:10.899 see 49-3. Just didn't see that because I know Anthony 2594 02:04:10.939 --> 02:04:13.479 Smith's a very good quarterback. I know Fairmont Senior has 2595 02:04:13.520 --> 02:04:17.260 enough players back. That 48-3 probably shouldn't have happened, but 2596 02:04:17.319 --> 02:04:22.159 it did. I thought Fairmont Senior had a golden opportunity 2597 02:04:22.180 --> 02:04:24.010 to bounce back last night and get the win. They 2598 02:04:24.020 --> 02:04:26.609 had it all but one. But let's credit Robert C. 2599 02:04:26.630 --> 02:04:26.890 Bird. 2600 02:04:26.909 --> 02:04:30.010 They made the play at the end when Junior Smith 2601 02:04:30.850 --> 02:04:33.880 found a way to– it had fun for a game 2602 02:04:33.899 --> 02:04:36.399 winning touchdown pass on trick play on fourth and five 2603 02:04:37.090 --> 02:04:40.689 at the 35 yard line. So bird gets the credit too. 2604 02:04:40.770 --> 02:04:44.310 I think, um, that program is doing better early in 2605 02:04:44.329 --> 02:04:46.869 the year than what many thought. I thought bird had 2606 02:04:46.909 --> 02:04:48.970 a chance to, to end up being to a notice 2607 02:04:49.010 --> 02:04:52.119 because of the type of skill they have. Fair. My 2608 02:04:52.159 --> 02:04:54.359 senior though, at Owen too, I am surprised guys. I 2609 02:04:54.380 --> 02:04:56.439 will admit, I am a little surprised. I thought they 2610 02:04:56.460 --> 02:04:58.420 would be one at one at this point, but, uh, 2611 02:04:59.239 --> 02:05:01.920 It doesn't seem like things are clicking right now in Fairmont. 2612 02:05:02.000 --> 02:05:05.060 I think they'll figure it out. There's a lot of 2613 02:05:05.119 --> 02:05:07.770 talented players there at Fairmont Senior, but I will say this. 2614 02:05:08.050 --> 02:05:11.750 Guys are playing roles that they've never played before, starters 2615 02:05:12.329 --> 02:05:14.590 at the varsity level, and there's some new guys that's 2616 02:05:14.630 --> 02:05:18.069 mixed in. They also lost a couple transfers this year 2617 02:05:18.109 --> 02:05:20.850 that would have helped them. All in all, Fairmont Senior 2618 02:05:20.869 --> 02:05:22.729 might just be a team that needs to figure out 2619 02:05:23.220 --> 02:05:25.979 their chemistry and just get the thing going in motion 2620 02:05:26.000 --> 02:05:28.079 before they can make a run here, but it's going 2621 02:05:28.100 --> 02:05:29.640 to be tough. It will be tough. 2622 02:05:30.819 --> 02:05:32.460 Not saying that they can do that this year, but 2623 02:05:32.479 --> 02:05:36.579 I mean, they want to see title 16 seed. So get, 2624 02:05:36.640 --> 02:05:38.180 get in and anything can happen. 2625 02:05:38.399 --> 02:05:38.739 It's funny. 2626 02:05:38.760 --> 02:05:41.359 They actually played blue field in mid October. So that, 2627 02:05:41.539 --> 02:05:42.760 that could be a game where one of those teams 2628 02:05:42.840 --> 02:05:45.680 is trying to stay away from a third or fourth loss. 2629 02:05:45.760 --> 02:05:48.359 If that would happen this year, that means the top 2630 02:05:48.380 --> 02:05:51.319 heavy triple a would be a total disaster, but Hey, 2631 02:05:51.720 --> 02:05:53.800 you just never know how these football seasons are going 2632 02:05:53.840 --> 02:05:56.199 to go. You know, and I know one thing, we 2633 02:05:56.220 --> 02:05:58.699 talked about the teams we think are sitting at the 2634 02:05:58.739 --> 02:06:01.100 top of AAA right now. These coaches know that, Hey, 2635 02:06:01.140 --> 02:06:02.979 we can't worry about that. We need to worry about 2636 02:06:03.000 --> 02:06:05.420 this week's game. We got to worry about week three, 2637 02:06:05.500 --> 02:06:08.479 week four, week five, because they know that the pressure's 2638 02:06:08.619 --> 02:06:10.720 on for them to go out there and succeed and 2639 02:06:10.819 --> 02:06:13.970 fulfill expectations. So this is going to be interesting to 2640 02:06:14.010 --> 02:06:15.729 see how this goes. I think we're starting to get 2641 02:06:15.739 --> 02:06:18.229 some questions answered as we move into week two tonight 2642 02:06:18.890 --> 02:06:21.689 and then week three next week. But, uh, I will 2643 02:06:21.729 --> 02:06:23.909 say this, you know, it comes down to the weather 2644 02:06:23.949 --> 02:06:26.149 here tonight. So hopefully the weather is good throughout the 2645 02:06:26.180 --> 02:06:29.779 state because I have a feeling as a player and 2646 02:06:29.840 --> 02:06:32.460 as a coach, you know, last night at Fairmont senior 2647 02:06:32.500 --> 02:06:34.800 bird game, the two hour rain delay late in the 2648 02:06:34.840 --> 02:06:39.520 fourth quarter, no coach, no player, no administrator, no anybody 2649 02:06:40.060 --> 02:06:44.000 wants to see that happen. And, and, and, but unfortunately you're, 2650 02:06:44.039 --> 02:06:45.890 you're dealt with that. You got to go out there 2651 02:06:45.899 --> 02:06:48.430 and play the game. So that's exactly what happened. Credit bird. 2652 02:06:48.449 --> 02:06:49.949 And they found a way to get to win. 2653 02:06:50.350 --> 02:06:50.510 Yeah. 2654 02:06:51.140 --> 02:06:53.640 Very good. We'll leave it there. Chris, much appreciated for 2655 02:06:53.680 --> 02:06:56.229 hanging out and coming back for a bonus segment. We 2656 02:06:56.279 --> 02:06:57.789 we love having you and we love talking to you 2657 02:06:58.189 --> 02:07:01.750 and picking your brain on all things high school football folks. 2658 02:07:01.869 --> 02:07:04.069 That'll do it for the Friday free for all today 2659 02:07:04.550 --> 02:07:06.810 for real this time. So the the main show, of course, 2660 02:07:06.869 --> 02:07:09.069 runs seven oh six to nine. We typically like to 2661 02:07:09.109 --> 02:07:11.010 run a bonus segment during the morning spiel during the 2662 02:07:11.050 --> 02:07:14.590 nine o'clock hour. So basically three hours of high school football, 2663 02:07:15.229 --> 02:07:16.710 give or take. You know, we I like to throw 2664 02:07:16.750 --> 02:07:19.430 the news and weather headlines in there as well. Chris, 2665 02:07:19.449 --> 02:07:20.229 we'll talk to you next week. 2666 02:07:20.270 --> 02:07:20.489 All right. 2667 02:07:20.890 --> 02:07:21.460 Take care, guys. 2668 02:07:21.840 --> 02:07:23.569 Mike, we'll see you as well next week and we'll 2669 02:07:23.609 --> 02:07:23.930 take a break.