Things didn’t go at all as planned last week for the Marietta Tigers when they were shutout at home by Williamstown (47-0) to slip to 2-4 on the season.
The Jason Schob-coached orange and black will look to right the ship Friday night when they play host to the Brooke Bruins with hopes of reaching the playoffs still within reach with four games left to play.
Marietta currently sits in the number 20 spot in the latest Division III, Region 11 standings with the top 16 teams securing a place in the postseason.
A late season run is not out of the question for the Tigers who play just one team with a winning record (Cambridge) over their final four games.
The Tigers two wins came at the expense of Athens and Ripley.
The biggest struggle all season long for the Tigers has come on the offensive side of the ball as they are averaging just over eight points per game and have been blanked twice while being held to just two points in a week two loss to West Muskingum.
Key players for MHS include quarterback Drew Warden, running back Bryce Dotson, receiver Elyjah Lieras-Kelley and tight end Braiden Plaugher.
Brooke (2-2) comes into the game looking to snap a modest two-game losing streak (University and West Marion) after opening the season with wins over Ripley (49-6) and Indian Creek (21-7).
The two have played one common opponent as the Tigers shutout Ripley (14-0) back in week number five.
Key players to watch for the Bruins include quarterback Ian Donnen and running backs Savion Farmer and Elijah Bryant.
Last year at home the Bruins downed the Tigers 31-20.
VINTON COUNTY (4-2) AT WARREN (1-5)
VINCENT — Things don’t figure to get any easier Friday night for the Warren Warriors as they host a very good Vinton County team in their attempt to snap a five-game losing streak.
Things started just fine for first-year head coach Jimmy Peyton and his Warriors with a dominating win over Belpre (62-0) in the season opener but Warren has has yet to climb back into the win column with five straight losses including last week’s 44-0 loss to Point Pleasant.
The Warriors are led by quarterback Trent Taylor, running backs Aden Strahler and Jason Williams as well as offensive lineman Eugene Pahl.
Warren would have to get hot in a hurry to make it to the post season for the third straight season as they are currently towards the bottom of the D-4, Region 15 playoff rankings.
The Vikings come into the game winners of four straight games including last weeks 48-14 shellacking of Alexander.
Key players for Vinton County, who are currently ranked 12th in the same division and region, include quarterback Zeke Moliham, and running backs Layne Habron and Garrett Brown.
Last year on the road the Warriors downed Vinton County 28-12.
FORT FRYE (5-1) AT
POINT PLEASANT (3-2)
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Fort Frye dropped their first game of the season in last week’s 41-38 loss in the final minute to the Linsly Cadets.
Fort Frye will take on yet another very good West Virginia team when they travel to Point Pleasant to take on the Big Blacks.
The loss to Linsly did not affect the Cadets playoff standings in the slightest as they currently find themselves in the top spot of the D-6, Region 23 rankings.
The Eric Huck-coached Cadets are led by senior running back Owen Brown who has rushed for over 800 yards and 10 touchdowns along with fellow seniors Austin Powell (42-506) and Ethan Duskey (44-343).
Sophomore quarterback Clayton Miller has done a nice job in his first year by passing for 377 yards and seven touchdowns while Zaiden Huck (77 tackles) and Caleb Riggs (11 tackles for loss) lead the stout Cadet defense.
The Big Blacks come into the game on the heels of a 44-0 win over Warren and also own wins over Greenbrier East (30-7) and Mingo Central (56-13).
Key players for Point Pleasant include quarterback Evan Roach and running backs Gavin Jeffers and Brody Bowen.
The two teams did not meet in 2021.
CONOTTON VALLEY (2-4) AT FRONTIER (2-4)
NEW MATAMORAS — A pair of teams in need of a win to keep their post season hopes alive do battle Friday night when the Frontier Cougars host the Conotton Valley Rockets.
Despite dropping their last three games to Cameron, Valley Wetzel and Waterford, the Russ Morris-led Cougars would find themselves in the playoffs as they currently rest in the number 11 spot in the latest D-7, region 27 standings.
Frontier owns wins on the season over Miller and Beallsville.
The Cougars are led by senior quarterback Lucas Cox as well as running backs Noah West and receiver Walker Hendershot.
Despite an identical 2-4 mark, the Rockets currently find themselves out of a top-16 spot in the rankings as they are currently in the 20th position.
Last week Conotton Valley was drubbed 56-8 by the unbeaten Caldwell Redskins.
Among the key players to keep and eye on for the Rockets include receiver Gaige Galigher and Evan Rice.
The two teams have played one common opponent on the season in Bridgeport with the Rockets rolling to a 42-18 win while the Cougars dropped 34-22 decision to the Bulldogs.
The two did not meet in 2021.
WATERFORD (3-3) AT SOUTH GALLIA (4-2)
CROWN CITY — After a rough early start to the season while playing a brutal schedule, the Waterford Wildcats appear to have gotten things in order and look ready to go on a roll.
After downing undefeated Eastern (29-13) to snap a three-game losing streak against teams who were all unbeaten at the time (Williamstown, Shenandoah and Fort Frye), the Wildcats rolled to a 41-0 win last week over Frontier.
Back at .500 on the season and currently finding themselves ranked sixth in the latest D-7, Region 27 standings, the Wildcats will pay a visit to a solid South Gallia squad that is ranked eighth in the same division.
Waterford quarterback Jake Pantelidis continues to develop in his first year as quarterback while running backs Dylan Taylor and Lane Cline as well as receivers Mason Heiss and Gaibe Ponchak provide head coach Eric McCutcheon with plenty of offensive weapons.
The Rebels come into the game winners of four games in a row including last weeks 59-3 over Belpre but may be the beneficiaries of a rather lean early schedule as their six opponents own a combined 8-26 record thru the fist six weeks of the season.
Key players to watch for South Gallia include running back Noah Cremeens and defensive back Tanner Sanders.
Last year’s game between the Tri -Valley Conference rivals was canceled.
SOUTHERN (2-4) AT
BELPRE (0-5)
BELPRE — The Eagles scored their first points of the season last week in a tough loss to South Gallia (59-3) and now will look to get in the win column for the first time when they host the Southern Tornadoes.
Southern owns wins on the season over Miller and Manchester but were beaten last week by Trimble (28-22) for the Tomcats first win of the year.
Quarterback Josiah Smith should get the start behind center for Southern while Willis Starcher quarterbacks the Jimmie Bell-coached Golden Eagles.
Last year in Racine, the Tornadoes out-lasted the Eagles 73-36.
MONROE CENTRAL (1-5) AT SHENANDOAH (5-1)
SARAHSVILLE — It took the Seminoles five weeks to finally register that elusive first win of the year when they rolled to a 36-8 win over Magnolia.
Monroe Central would like nothing more than to make it two-in-a-row when they visit a very solid Zeps team.
Quarterback Tucker Howell ran for a pair of touchdowns and passed for another in the ‘Noles first win while head coach Josh Ischy got contributions as well from running back Dakota Phillips and receiver Carter Knowlton.
Despite the disastrous start the Seminoles are currently just one spot out of a playoff berth as they are ranked 17th in this weeks D-7, Region 27 standings.
Last week the Zeps erased a 14-point deficit as they rallied to beat Buckeye Local 42-36 behind the arms and legs of freshman sensation Braxton Barnett.
The Shenandoah rookie quarterback completed 22-of-33 pass attempts for 272 yards and three touchdowns while also accumulating 72 rushing yards including a key touchdown scamper in the second half.
Hunter Yates has become Barnett’s favorite target as he caught 7 passes for 141 yards and three touchdowns.
The Zeps have climbed all the way up to the Number 3 ranking behind Fort Frye and Coal Grove in the D-6, Region 23 standings.
Last year Monroe Central downed the Zeps 36-28.
BUCKEYE LOCAL (2-4) AT CALDWELL (6-0)
CALDWELL — The Redskin train just keeps on rolling with no signs of slowing down in sight.
Caldwell kept the perfect season intact with a dominating 56-8 win over the Rockets of Conotton Valley.
The Redskins may face their best test in some time Friday when they welcome Buckeye Local to the Fairgrounds.
Local gave Shenandoah all they wanted and then some last week before falling 42-36 and would like nothing else than to stun the Chance Rucker-coached Redskins.
Key players for Buckeye Local include quarterback Skyler Ebright, running back Josh Berry and receiver Dylan Palmer.
Caldwell quarterback Cale Bender was near-perfect last week as he completed all but one of his 15 pass attempts for 262 yards and a pair of scoring strikes.
Receivers Braxton Dudley hauled in four pass receptions for 111 yards while sophomore Alex Herlan totaled 59 yards on four catches.
Senior tailback Marshal Sayre ran the ball 10 times for 155 yards and three touchdowns while Bender tallied 60 yards and a pair of touchdown runs on just five carries.
Last year Buckeye Local had no trouble at all with the Redskins as they blanked them 32-0.
TRIMBLE (1-5) AT EASTERN (4-2)
REEDSVILLE — Trimble finally got off the snide last week and registered their first win of the season over Southern (28-22).
The Tomcats would love to play the role of spoiler when they take on an Eastern team in the midst of a two-game losing streak.
Trimble is led by quarterback Brandon Burtette, defensive back Max Frank and running back Chase Patton.
The season got off to a great start for the Eagles as they reeled off four straight wins before falling in week five to Waterford (29-13) and then dropping a 34-16 tilt last week to Williamsburg.
Despite the back-to-back losses the Eagles are still seeded fifth in the latest D-7, Region 27 rankings.
Key players to watch for Eastern include running back Rylee Barrett, quarterback Brady Yonker and receiver Gavin Murphy.
NEW LEXINGTON (4-2) AT MORGAN (4-2)
McCONNELSVILLE — In a crucial Muskingum Valley League game at Morgan the Raiders host New Lexington in a game between a pair of schools who appear headed to the post season.
Morgan was doubled up (42-21) by TriValley last week, one week removed from a 31-0 win over Coshocton.
Raider quarterback Logan Niceswanger is having a great year as he has completed 64-of-91 pass attempts for 853 yards and seven touchdowns.
Carson Copeland leads Morgan in rushing with 457 yards and three touchdowns on 94 carries while Kole Searl leads in receiving with 26 receptions for 369 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The Chase Bowman-coached Raiders are currently number 11 in the D-4, Region 15 rankings.
The Panthers downed Coshocton last week (39-7) and also lost to Tri Valley (23-12) back in week number five.
New Lex is currently seeded in the number seven spot and are led by quarterback Lukas Ratliff and hunter Hunter Rose.
Morgan downed the Panthers 42-32 on the road last season.
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