AA Playoffs Round One Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Well, folks, after some postponement and deliberation, it's finally playoff time! 64 teams across four classes have learned their playoff fate and opponents. Prep Redzone West Virginia will provide you with playoff coverage through the State Championship games. Let the road to Charleston begin!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is everything you need to know about the first-round playoff matchups for Class AA.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>MATCHUPS</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(16) Westside (7-3) at (1) Frankfort (10-0) – Saturday, November 23 at 1:30 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(15) Chapmanville (5-5) at (2 )Roane County (10-0) – Saturday, November 23 at 1:30 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(14) James Monroe (7-3) at (3) Independence (6-3) – Friday, November 22 at 7 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(13) Moorefield (4-6) at (4) Williamstown (8-2) – Saturday, November 23 at 4 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(12) Nicholas County (6-4) at (5) Wheeling Central Catholic (8-2) – Friday, November 22 at 7 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(11) Clay County (7-3) at (6) Philip Barbour (7-3) – Saturday, November 23 at 4 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(10) Wayne (6-4) at (7) Scott (8-2) – Saturday, November 23 at 1:30 p.m.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(9) South Harrison (8-2) vs. (8) Bluefield (4-5) – Friday, November 22 at 7 p.m.<em>&nbsp;(at Princeton)</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>PREDICTIONS</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">(16) Westside (7-3) at (1) Frankfort (10-0) </h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Renegades of Westside have made the postseason for the first time since 2015 behind the play of star quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='907153' first='Kadien' last='Vance'] who can get it done through the air or with his legs. They'll face the top seed in AA the Frankfort Falcons in round one which will be a game of vastly different offensive philosophies. Westside will make the long trip north to face Frankfort's physical Wing-T which could spell trouble for the Renegades. Vance will be a handful to contain but Frankfort should be able to pound this one away with a State Championship on their minds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Final Score: Frankfort 63</strong> Westside 20</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">(15) Chapmanville (5-5) at (2 )Roane County (10-0) </h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another Wing-T team earned the #2 seed as the Roane County Raiders will host the Chapmanville Tiger in the first round of the playoffs. The Raiders have an unblemished record this season and have been dominant in 9/10 regular season games with a prolific rushing attack led by D1 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='1106035' first='Lane' last='Watson']. They'll go three deep at running back as Watson will be spelled by fellow seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1126822' first='Clay' last='Walker'] and [player_tooltip player_id='907168' first='Shay' last='Harper'] as Roane County has rushed for 3,600 yards and 49 touchdowns as a team. Chapmanville will bring a more balanced offense with them behind freshman QB [player_tooltip player_id='1315124' first='Dakota' last='Dalton'] and former QB [player_tooltip player_id='1180488' first='Robert' last='Cook'] moving to RB this season to lead the way on the ground. Roane County's physicality should wear on the Tigers in this one but kudos to Chapmanville for their second playoff appearance since 2015.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Final Score: Roane County 46</strong> Chapmanville </em>13</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">(14) James Monroe (7-3) at (3) Independence (6-3)</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>James Monroe will travel to Independence to take on the Patriots in the first round and shouldn't be overlooked in this one. All three of the Mavericks' losses were to fellow playoff teams, and Independence can say the same of their 3 blemishes. Long-time starter at QB [player_tooltip player_id='865708' first='Layton' last='Dowdy'] remains under center, but the Mavericks have lost some serious talent in recent years that will make this potential upset difficult. The Patriots appear to have their franchise quarterback with freshman [player_tooltip player_id='1221843' first='Brock' last='Green'] with [player_tooltip player_id='1136973' first='Sylas' last='Nelson'] moving down to RB this year where's rushed for 1,200 yards and 20 touchdowns in his first season at a new position. Independence should move onto the quarterfinals next week, but James Monroe won't go away lightly. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Final Score: Independence 40</strong> James Monroe 14</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">(13) Moorefield (4-6) at (4) Williamstown (8-2) </h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Moorefield Yellow Jackets sneak into the playoffs at 4-6 against a tough schedule that saw them lose three one-score games by a combined 10 points. They haven't advanced past the first round since 2015 and, unfortunately for Yellow Jacket fans, that likely will continue as they make the long trek to perennial power Williamstown in the Battle of the Jackets. While the Yellowjackets of Williamstown lost House Award winner Max Molessa to graduation, they'll still look to defend their back-to-back Class A State Championships in the new Class AA this year. The road there will be much more difficult but Williamstown moves onto the quarterfinals in a likely regular-season rematch with Wheeling Central.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Final Score: Williamstown 48</strong> Moorefield 12</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">(12) Nicholas County (6-4) at (5) Wheeling Central Catholic (8-2) </h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nicholas County will, unfortunately, be without star quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1052799' first='Coleton' last='Hellems'] when they travel to Wheeling to take on the Maroon Knights after being injured in the Grizzlies' regular-season finale. Even if they had his services, Wheeling Central is getting healthy at the right time and has the potential to make a run in the playoffs after taking their lumps with a young team last season. [player_tooltip player_id='1139399' first='Devin' last='Nash'] will be all over the field on both sides of the ball for Nicholas County, and they'll have to lean on him even more with Hellems out. Wheeling Central just has too many athletes lined up at every level of the offense and defense led by sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1157631' first='Nico' last='Kusic'] who took over at quarterback midseason and is playing at a high level along with [player_tooltip player_id='862785' first='Isaac' last='Martin'], [player_tooltip player_id='1580716' first='Kade' last='Koroneos'], [player_tooltip player_id='895003' first='Wyatt' last='Brady'], [player_tooltip player_id='1473308' first='Max' last='Olejasz'], and a now healthy [player_tooltip player_id='907235' first='Braden' last='McWreath']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Final Score: Wheeling Central Catholic 56 </strong>Nicholas County 13</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">(11) Clay County (7-3) at (6) Philip Barbour (7-3) - PRZ WV AA Game of the Week</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've gone chalk in every matchup leading up to this one so far in our playoff previews, but we see this one as a true coin-flip game that could go either way. Clay County at Philip Barbour has the potential to be the best game in round one of the playoffs regardless of class and could have the scoreboard operator working overtime. Clay County's [player_tooltip player_id='832676' first='Noah' last='Collins'] is one of the leading passers in the state and might be the difference in this one as he rarely leaves the field for the Panthers and will get it done on the ground and on defense as well. However, Philip Barbour will have a significant advantage in the trenches with a big and talented offensive line led by [player_tooltip player_id='864851' first='John' last='McGee'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1138206' first='Malachi' last='Cross'] that could ground this one out and limit possessions for the Panthers. Whoever has the ball last may win this one and we'll go with the rare upset in round one this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Final Score: Clay County 49</strong> Philip Barbour 48</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">(10) Wayne (6-4) at (7) Scott (8-2) </h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a fun rematch of the first game of the regular season for these two programs which saw Scott take one on the chin to Wayne 26-6. Both programs have dealt with injuries throughout the season but the Scott Skyhawks appear to be in a better place on that front than the Pioneers right now. After a slow start to the year, Scott has righted the ship as they've worked on replacing now-graduated and record-breaking QB Matt Frye along with 1,000-yard rusher Preston Cooper from last season. They still have athletes all over the field and are getting hot at the right time which spells trouble for the Pioneers in the rematch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Final Score: Scott 34</strong> Wayne 14</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">(9) South Harrison (8-2) vs. (8) Bluefield (4-5) </h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's another potential upset watch matchup according to seeding when South Harrison travels south to face Bluefield at Princeton's Hunnicutt Field. The Beavers have faced a gauntlet of a schedule and have beaten just two WV teams this season which makes them a bit of an unknown in the playoffs. South Harrison will heavily lean on our #1 2027 RB [player_tooltip player_id='864596' first='Jaden' last='Hatfield'] who has more than backed that claim up this season with 2,100 yards and 29 touchdowns and just 90 yards short of breaking former South Harrison RB Freddy Canary's single-season school record. Bluefield may have the advantage at the other skills positions with promising freshman QB [player_tooltip player_id='1166648' first='Max' last='Simpson'] under center and #3 2027 RB [player_tooltip player_id='1154894' first='Willis' last='Wilson'] leading the way on the ground. This matchup could go either way but Bluefield pulls out a close win over the young Hawks who have a great group of young players to build around in the future. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Final Score: Bluefield 28</strong> South Harrison 22</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->