MORGANTOWN — Follow Sunday’s WVSSAC football playoff meeting in Parkersburg, all four Monongalia County high schools learned their place in the Class AAA and Class A brackets.
The playoffs are set to begin Friday, and University earned two home games — if the Hawks get a win over Woodrow Wilson this week — earning the No. 4 seed in Class AAA.
UHS capped a 10-0 regular season last Friday with a 63-21 win over Oak Hill, its first undefeated regular season since 2017. It was announced this weekend the Hawks will open the postseason at 7:30 p.m. Friday against the No. 13 Flying Eagles (5-5).
The winner will face the winner of the 12-5 matchup between Cabell Midland and South Charleston.
“You have to have so many things go right to be 10-0, but I’m just so proud of the team for what they were able to accomplish,” head coach John Kelley said. “No one had us in any power rankings and we weren’t even considered one of the teams on the outside looking in.”
The Hawks were the 5A champions in the OVAC and also claimed the TRAC title. Of their 10 wins, four were against teams that made the playoffs — Morgantown, Wheeling Park and Parkersburg South in AAA, and Fairmont Senior in AA.
UHS did not play Woodrow Wilson in the regular season.
It may be without two of its key weapons in quarterback Chase Edwards and tight end/defensive lineman Noah Braham. Braham will be out at the start of the playoffs with a broken leg, while Edwards is questionable, recovering from a concussion suffered in the Mohawk Bowl against MHS.
“I mean our backup Luke Hudson threw for over 300 yards and five touchdowns (against Oak Hill). I mean, that’s pretty good,” Kelley said. “I realize the competition is going to be a lot better than what it was the other night, but I’m confident he can do the job.”
Even at 5-5, Woodrow Wilson has Kelley’s full attention after winning three in a row, including a forfeit against Bluefield, to end the season.
“They’re a tough team to pick in the first round simply because they’ve gotten hot in the second half of the season,” he said. “They scare me because they’re big and they’re strong, and the second thing, they’ve got speed. You think you can stop their Wing-T but then they spread you out and get you in the wrong personnel.”
The Mohigans (5-5) were able to get a big win to end the regular season at Spring Mills, clinching the No. 14 spot in AAA. Waiting for them is unbeaten, 10-0 Bridgeport in what will be a rematch from a 31-20 win for the Indians on Sept. 3.
This time, kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday.
All five of MHS’s losses — UHS, Bridgeport, South Charleston, Woodrow Wilson and Wheeling Park — made the playoffs. Of its five wins, only one made the postseason (Parkersburg South).
The winner will face the winner of the 11-6 matchup between Jefferson and Hurricane.
In Class A, Trinity made the playoffs for the first time in school history after finishing 7-2. As the No. 10 seed, the Warriors will travel to James Monroe (7-3) to play at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Both of Trinity’s losses came to No. 1 seed Cameron, while none of its wins against West Virginia opponents made it.
The winner will play the winner of the 15-2 game between Midland Trail and Doddridge County.
Clay-Battelle earned the No. 13 seed after an 8-2 season and will take on No. 4 Ritchie County (9-1) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Both losses for the Cee-Bees were against No. 1 Cameron and No. 3 East Hardy. Like Trinity, none of their wins against West Virginia opponents made it.
The winner will face the winner of the 12-5 matchup between Sherman and Mount View.
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