As the World Turns in Ohio Tri-State high school football, it’s another week of big games in West Virginia.
Welcome back to “At the Game,” a feature we're producing on high school football game nights to keep readers in the loop of what's going on across the area, in as close to real time as we can manage.
In the Buckeye State, entering its regular-season finale against ancient rival Portsmouth, Ironton has done plenty enough to earn the opportunity to defend its state championship on the field, but will spend at least one more night sweating out whether or not the OHSAA will grant it that opportunity, with the governing body conducting an inquiry into the Fighting Tigers.
A statement to that effect was expected from the OHSAA on Friday but has since been postponed to at least Saturday.
Meanwhile, it’s business as usual in the Mountain State, with local rivalries George Washington-Capital, Nitro-Winfield and Chapmanville-Logan on the docket. Herbert Hoover goes to Frankfort in one of the highest-profile matchups of the regular season.
HD Media sportswriters will be at each of those games as part of a slate of 11 on Friday night.
Friday’s finals
- Buffalo 73, Richwood 38
- Chapmanville 42, Logan 7
- Fairview (Ohio) 56, Cabell Midland 41
- Frankfort 37, Herbert Hoover 25
- George Washington 30, Capital 7
- Mingo Central 49, Lincoln County 14
- Nitro 39, Winfield 28
- Oak Hill 41, South Charleston 0
- Scott 47, Man 6
- Sevier County (Tennessee) 42, Huntington 26
- Sissonville 22, Poca 18
- Spring Valley 29, Woodrow Wilson 28
- Wahama 63, Webster County 14
Spring Valley defeats Woodrow Wilson
Spring Valley stops Woodrow Wilson on the Timberwolves' 31 as Vince Umberger misses a 48-yard field goal as time expires.
Lewis gives Spring Valley the lead
Zeke Lewis runs 6 yards for a touchdown and then a two-point conversion to give Spring Valley a 29-28 lead over Woodrow Wilson with 44 seconds left. Lewis capped a 10-play, 69-yard drive.
Black extends GW's lead
A 16-yard run by Jaden Black gave him his second TD of the game with 7:45 to play. Capital blocked the extra point to leave the score 23-7.
A fumble by Capital on the ensuing kickoff was recovered by GW. Black added his third touchdown with 5:23 to play to make it 30-7.
Capital misses chance to cut into the lead
The Cougars took the opening possession of the second half and drove deep into George Washington territory where the drive stalled and Brayden Robinson's 35-yard field goal attempt was just short of the crossbar. GW takes a 17-7 lead into the fourth quarter.
Flying Eagles sail into the lead 28-21
Javontae Wynes runs 3 yards for a TD and Vince Umberger adds the extra point as Woodrow Wilson scores its 21st consecutive point to take a 28-21 lead with 4:06 left in regulation. The touchdown was set up by a fumble recovery.
Woodrow Wilson ties it 21-21
AJ Thomas again with a burst up the middle, this time for a a 36-yard touchdown run. Vince Umberger boots the point after, and Woodrow Wilson has tied Spring Valley 21-21 with 9:53 left in regulation.
Flying Eagles climb back in it
AJ Thomas with a 43-yard scoring jaunt, followed by Vince Umberger extra point at 3:12 of the third period pulls Woodrow Wilson within 21-14 of Spring Valley.
Spring Valley boosts lead to 21-7
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- WVU men's basketball: Mountaineers rally from 14 down in second half to top UCF
Same playbook. Spring Valley travels 56 yards in 10 plays, all on the ground. Kanon Dillon shot 2 yards around left end for the touchdown. Duke Elkins kicked the extra poiint for a 21-7 lead with 6:06 to play in the third quarter.
Capital gets on the scoreboard before halftime
Jamal Dotson's scoop and score with 20 seconds remaining in the first half got Capital on the scoreboard and cut George Washington's lead to 17-7 at halftime.
The Patriots had extended their lead to 10-0 on a 28-yard field goal by Theodore Smith, then recovered an onside kick on the next play. Jaden Black's 4-yard run capped a seven-play drive. Cougars will receive the second half kickoff.
Spring Valley 14, Woodrow Wilson 7
Caiden Lovejoy's 2-yard touchdown run on a rollout, followed by Brady Cheshire's extra point, puts Spring Valley ahead of Woodrow Wilson 14-7 at halftime.
Generals up three at break
Winfield and Nitro combine for 29 points in the second half, with the Wildcats getting the last laugh, as quarterback Eian Duffy finds Malachi Thompson for the 23-yard touchdown with three seconds left.
Winfield leads 21-18 at the half.
Wesley gives GW an early lead
Sameje Wesley caught a screen pass and took it 63 yards on a third and 13 play to cap George Washington's opening drive and give the Patriots a 7-0 lead. Capital has answered with two good drives. The first ended with a turnover on downs at the GW 27. The second is ongoing and picks up at the GW 43 to start the second quarter.
Spring Valley just as impressive on first trek
Spring Valley takes 11 plays to cover 62 yards with Zeke Lewis running 3 yards for a touchdown. Duke Elkins add the point after. Timberwolves 7, Woodrow Wilson 7, 9:40 of the second quarter.
Woodrow impressive on first drive
Woodrow Wilson drives 80 yards in 12 plays, capped by Gage Burdette's 27-yard touchdown pass to Jaliel Sharpe-Washington on fourth-and-12. Vince Umberger kicks the extra point for a 7-0 lead over Spring Valley.
Winfield up early
The Winfield Generals take an early 7-3 lead over Nitro after one quarter Winfield’s Jared Miller and Drew Mann connected for a 15-yard touchdown.
Pregame
Here's where we'll be Friday night:
- Fairview (Ohio) at Cabell Midland – Joey Johnson
- George Washington at Capital – Rick Elmore
- Herbert Hoover at Frankfort – Rick Ryan
- Chapmanville at Logan – Matthew Britton
- Sissonville at Poca – Chris Wade
- Man at Scott – Cameron Maynard
- Woodrow Wilson at Spring Valley – Tim Stephens
- Nitro at Winfield – Taylor Kennedy
- Fairland at Chesapeake – Paul Smith
- Portsmouth at Ironton – Dave Walsh
- Shelby Valley at Belfry – Jarrid McCormick
Our goal is to get you real-time updates on this page from as many of these games as possible, pending availability of Wi-Fi or signal to get them posted.
Looking back, looking forward
Previews of tonight’s games are available at the HD Media Sports Facebook page.
It's one-stop shopping for our stories, photos and video coverage of the sporting landscape across the Tri-State, from Morgantown to Huntington and Charleston to Williamson.
