By Jess Wilt | The Journal
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — The Martinsburg football team has been highlighted this season by a strong defensive unit and special teams unit, squads that have only supplemented the offense.
In an odd turn of events during Saturday’s first-round Class AAA playoff game between the No. 1 Bulldogs and No. 16 Preston, it was the defense and special teams that were doing the scoring.
Three blocked punts for touchdowns, two special teams touchdowns, an interception for a touchdown and another fumble recovery kept the offense off the field the majority of the game — especially the first-team unit, as Martinsburg dominated in an 84-0 win, all the points coming in the first half.
The scoring mark set a first-round playoff record that was previously held by Spring Valley. The Timberwolves scored 77 against Spring Mills a season ago.
The Bulldogs ran just 12 offensive plays in the first half, racking up 244 yards. Preston ran 37 plays and had minus-2 yards of total offense.
“You can’t expect to score the way we did on special teams and defense,” Martinsburg coach David Walker said. “It’s just one of those deals where things fell apart for them, and we took advantage of every opportunity we had.”
The Bulldogs got to work early when Anthony Smith returned the opening kick 69 yards for a touchdown.
Then the defense got to work, playing a part in 21 straight points without running an offensive play.
Preston set up to punt, but the Bulldogs had other ideas. Trenton Sherman blocked the punt and Malakai Brown recovered it in the end zone to make it a two-score game. Setting up for another Preston punt three plays later, Ayden Crider recovered a punt that Brown blocked for a touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 21-0 lead.
The Knights started the ensuing drive at their own 44-yard line, but on the first play, the Knights fumbled and Trey Sine recovered it. A play later, Elijah Banks found Smith for a 22-yard score.
The defense continued to be lights out, recovering another fumble on the Knights’ first play from scrimmage. Martinsburg took over at the Preston 4. Three plays later, Naieem Kearney found pay dirt from 4 yards out to extend the lead to 35-0.
Jarod Bowie turned on his wheels when Preston punted away on another 3-and-out. He pulled in the punt and went 58 yards for the score, breaking two tackles and sprinting down the Bulldog sideline.
The Knights got their first first down of the game thanks to a pass interference call on the Bulldogs, but four plays later Preston punted away. On the ensuing drive, the first play, Kearney went 29 yards for a touchdown, extending the Bulldog lead to 49-0.
Braxton Todd continued the strong defensive play, pulling in an interception near the Knights 20 on the ensuing drive and going in for a touchdown to end the first quarter with a 56-0 lead for Martinsburg.
The defense opened the second quarter by forcing a 3-and-out, and two plays later, Teddy Marshall pulled in a 28-yard score. Another 3-and-out set up a 60-yard quarterback keeper by Sine for a touchdown.
Another blocked punt, this one by Terrel Goode, and recovered by Matt Bednarski extended the Bulldog lead to 77-0.
On the following drive, the Knights got into Martinsburg territory for the first time — Colten Rosenberger had a big return on the kick, and a sideline penalty on the Bulldogs gave the Knights the ball at the Martinsburg 18. Preston got to the 13 thanks to an offsides penalty, but Warren put a stop to that by grabbing an interception in the end zone. On the next play, Warren went 80 yards for the final first-half touchdown.
With the coaches agreeing to six-minute quarters in the second half as well as a running clock in the fourth quarter, the score held as both teams turned to the ground game and ate up the clock.
The win advances Martinsburg to the quarterfinals where the Bulldogs will host No. 9 Spring Mills. The game will be played on either Friday or Saturday, as determined by the Cardinal coaches.
“It doesn’t matter who we play, I’m just excited that we’re still in it. I’m happy for (Spring Mills) and their program, and we look forward to playing those guys,” Walker said.
