West Virginia Class AAA Playoffs Round One Recap

<p id="block-32896c7d-e14b-42fd-9249-e04a7ae8bf4f"><strong><em>Get 30% Off Your Subscription with Code PRZWV30 at Checkout!</em></strong></p>   <p>32 teams have advanced to the playoff quarterfinals after the opening round of the postseason in West Virginia. Here is our Class AAA playoffs review from round one.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#1 Bridgeport 56</strong> #16 PikeView 6</h2>   <p>Bridgeport opened its playoff run with a commanding 56–6 win over PikeView, showing complete control on both sides of the ball. Even without standout back [player_tooltip player_id='1155329' first='Gavin' last='Williams'], the Indians powered their way to 444 total yards, most of it on the ground. [player_tooltip player_id='864958' first='Graham' last='Vincent'] stole the spotlight, scoring four total touchdowns and piling up yards as a runner, passer, and returner. By halftime, Bridgeport had built a 35–0 lead and never looked back.</p>   <p>The Indians' defense was just as dominant, holding PikeView to only 55 yards of offense and allowing just one play past midfield. Bridgeport kept pouring it on in the second half, adding three more touchdowns before PikeView's lone score came on a kickoff return. With another convincing win in the books, Bridgeport now turns its attention to a quarterfinal showdown against undefeated Chapmanville.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#2 Princeton 56</strong> #15 Hampshire 6</h2>   <p>Princeton looked every bit like a title contender in its 56–6 playoff win over Hampshire, taking control from the opening kickoff and never letting the Trojans settle in. The Tigers moved the ball with ease, mixing explosive runs with timely passes to build a big early lead. By halftime, Princeton had already broken the game open, capitalizing on short fields and Hampshire's mistakes to stay firmly in command.</p>   <p>Defensively, the Tigers were just as dominant, swarming to the ball and shutting down nearly every Hampshire drive. The Trojans struggled to generate any momentum, and their lone score came long after Princeton had secured the outcome. With the convincing win, #2 Princeton advances to the quarterfinals, carrying confidence and momentum into the next round.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#14 Robert C. Byrd 36</strong> #3 Fairmont Senior </h2>   <p>Robert C. Byrd delivered one of the biggest wins in program history, stunning No. 3 Fairmont Senior 36–28 in the opening round of the Class AAA playoffs. After trailing 28–20 entering the fourth quarter, the Flying Eagles caught fire, putting together back-to-back clutch scoring drives. [player_tooltip player_id='1154702' first='Isaiah' last='Heflin'] was the catalyst, hitting [player_tooltip player_id='1154706' first='Junior' last='Smith'] on a fourth-and-eight touchdown pass to tie the game, then later punching in the go-ahead score with just a minute remaining. RCB's defense also stepped up, making key stops late, highlighted by a sack on Fairmont Senior's final drive, to secure the upset.</p>   <p>Fairmont Senior nearly answered with a trick-play touchdown on the ensuing kickoff, but a penalty wiped it out. From there, RCB held strong and finished off a victory their coach called the biggest in school history. Heflin accounted for four total touchdowns and 213 yards of offense, while [player_tooltip player_id='1154706' first='Junior' last='Smith'] made key plays on both sides of the ball, including a first-half interception. Fairmont Senior's [player_tooltip player_id='1138994' first='Tarran' last='Boda'] led all rushers with 165 yards, but the Polar Bears struggled to adjust to RCB's varied offensive looks, allowing the Flying Eagles to complete a dramatic comeback.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#4 North Marion 42</strong> #13 Keyser 31</h2>   <p>North Marion powered its way into the Class AAA quarterfinals with a 42–31 road win over Keyser, using a dominant rushing performance and several explosive plays to take control of the first-round matchup. Keyser still put up 236 rushing yards of its own, led by Greyson Lambka's 100 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback [player_tooltip player_id=‘1589140' first=‘Addison' last=‘Brafford'] added another score on the ground. After trailing 28–17 at halftime, the Golden Tornado fought back with a gritty second half, highlighted by Lambka's short touchdown run that trimmed the deficit and kept Keyser within reach.</p>   <p>But North Marion's offense proved too much. The Huskies rushed for 390 yards behind standout performances from [player_tooltip player_id=‘894625' first=‘Toby' last=‘Michael'] (202 yards, two TDs) and Brian Poindexter (145 yards, one TD). They surged in the second quarter with three straight touchdowns — a 91-yard kickoff return by Cyrus Collins, Michael's 8-yard run, and a 55-yard strike from [player_tooltip player_id=‘1844914' first=‘Cole' last=‘Morris'] to Collins — flipping momentum firmly in their favor. Keyser continued to battle, but North Marion's steady ground attack and timely scoring sealed the victory and punched the Huskies' ticket to the quarterfinals.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#5 Nitro 28 </strong>#12 Capital 7</h2>   <p>#5 Nitro carried its regular-season momentum straight into the postseason, defeating No. 12 Capital 28–7 on Friday for its eighth straight victory. The Wildcats leaned on another strong outing from RB [player_tooltip player_id='1307512' first='Chris' last='Radcliffe'], who totaled 54 rushing yards with a touchdown and added 31 receiving yards and another score. WR Jal'ei Burnette also sparked the offense with 84 receiving yards, helping Nitro mix the run and pass to keep Capital off balance. The win marks Nitro's second triumph over Capital this season, following a tight 22–20 victory just two weeks earlier.</p>   <p>Capital, meanwhile, couldn't turn its early-season success into playoff results and has now dropped four of its last five games, finishing the year at 5–6. The Cougars' lone touchdown wasn't enough against a disciplined Nitro defense that consistently shut down drives and controlled the tempo. Nitro, now 10–1, looked every bit like a top-five seed, physical, confident, and composed, as they advance to the quarterfinals with their sights set even higher.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#6 Spring Valley 13</strong> #13 Elkins 10</h2>   <p>Spring Valley punched its ticket to the Class AAA quarterfinals by grinding out a tough 13–10 victory over Elkins in a game dominated by defense and running attacks. All of the scoring came in the first half, with the Timberwolves striking early on a short run by RB [player_tooltip player_id='1137479' first='Miguel' last='Cain'] and adding another touchdown from QB [player_tooltip player_id='1154726' first='Caiden' last='Lovejoy']. Elkins kept the game tight with a touchdown and a field goal, but neither offense could break through after halftime.</p>   <p>The Timberwolves ultimately won by controlling the clock and relying on a hard-nosed defensive effort. Despite committing three turnovers, Spring Valley's defense refused to give up any points in the second half and held strong against Elkins' dangerous rushing game. A long, clock-draining drive in the final minutes sealed the win and set Spring Valley up for a home matchup next week against upset-minded #14 Robert C. Byrd.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#7 Herbert Hoover 56</strong> #10 Winfield</h2>   <p>#7 Herbert Hoover handled business in its first-round Class AAAA playoff game, knocking off #10 Winfield 56–18. The Huskies jumped on the Generals early and never let up, showing off a dominant offense that piled up points in waves. Herbert Hoover leaned into a balanced attack all night, blending tough runs and timely throws to keep Winfield on its heels and maintain control throughout.</p>   <p>Defensively, Hoover clamped down in the second half, limiting Winfield's opportunities and shutting down any serious comeback attempt. The win gives the Huskies strong momentum as they look ahead to their quarterfinal matchup, riding a confident and physical performance into the next round.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#9 Chapmanville 46</strong> #8 Greenbrier East 37</h2>   <p>The Class AAA first-round playoff matchup between Greenbrier East and Chapmanville was a high-scoring, back-and-forth contest, with Chapmanville ultimately winning 46–37. Both teams traded big plays throughout the game, including an 83-yard kickoff return by Greenbrier East's Nate Suttle and several long scoring connections. Chapmanville's [player_tooltip player_id='1315124' first='Dakota' last='Dalton'] went 14-of-15 passing for 152 yards and two touchdowns, while [player_tooltip player_id='1238236' first='Trey' last='Ward'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1268282' first='Jeremy' last='Collins'] combined for 100 rushing yards, helping the Tigers total 305 yards on the ground and 512 yards of total offense. By halftime, Chapmanville held a slim 27–25 lead in a game that featured strong offensive efforts from both sides.</p>   <p>In the second half, the scoring continued for both teams, highlighted by a 64-yard scoop-and-score by Greenbrier East's [player_tooltip player_id='1324993' first='Brayden' last='Brown'] and a 55-yard trick-play touchdown pass from Dalton to Collins that sealed the game. Greenbrier East finished with just 30 rushing yards and missed multiple extra-point attempts, while quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1052776' first='Brody' last='Hamric'] passed for 227 yards and three touchdowns. </p>

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