It seems like it was many moons ago.
But way back in Week 1 of the prep football season the Martins Ferry Purple Riders took one on the chin at the hands of Buckeye Local. Needless to say, that score sent rippes through the Ohio Valley when it was announced on public address systems.
However, that was many moons ago. The Martins Ferry Purple Riders aren’t the same team. Most of the same kids are playing, but they have become more and more comfortable with the spread type of offense head coach Dave Bruney and offensive coordinator Dirk Fitch implemented this year due to the amount of home-run hitters they’ve got at the skill positions.
The Riders struggled in Week Two, but still won over Edison, setting up an early-season showdown with Harrison Central. In that game, Murray and the offense struggled for a half and the Huskies jumped out on them to a 20-7, but Ferry persevered and we’re not sure if it was something said at halftime or just timing, but everything clicked in the second half for the Riders. They eventually went on to win the game in overtime.
From there, they’ve been nearly unstoppable.
Bruney has said it many times, when the Riders don’t put the ball on the ground or commit penalties, they’ve got a chance to do some serious damage offensively. Couple that with the fact that they have “found their identity” and the Riders are one of the premier teams in the Ohio Valley.
They have answered all of the challenges impressively since their overtime victory. Union Local came to the friendly turf of Purple Rider Stadium and had 60 dropped on it. St. Clairsville was the victim last week and 34 points were laid on it.
The thing with the Riders is they score so quickly, it’s an immediate deflator to the opposing team. Then they are able to force the issue defensively and have been able to make big plays in the special teams.
Martins Ferry has a four-pronged monster in the backfield with senior quarterback Jeremy Murray who’s ran 162 times for 1,215 yards and 17 touchdowns. Add in Rawn Driver’s 689 yards and eight scores along with Patrick Allen’s 300 yards and four scores and you see why defenses just can’t dial in on Murray. Marquese Bass is the other.
The Riders are closing in on 3,000 yards rushing for the season and some 35 touchowns on the ground. While those backs and all of the others who carry the ball are special, the Purple has a solid offensive line, which has gotten better week after week.
The likes of Steve Woodford, Dan Rhodes, Jordan Burress, Jared Hanson, Dalton Leach and Courtney Henry have grown more and more comfortable in their roles as well.
We’ve seen Martins Ferry’s games against Union Local and then this past week’s meeting with St. Clairsville and the Purple Riders’ first unit punted nary a time in those games. That’s almost unreal in high school football.
The Riders’ defense – which has been staunch all season – has gotten somewhat overshadowed by their offensive teammates. Ferry’s stoptroops – under the direction of Bill Bruney – are allowing just over 13 points a contest, but have allowed only 13 the past two weeks and the first unit didn’t allow a score in last week’s win over St. C.
The Riders’ defense boasts two of the area’s premier linebackers in Matt Shreve and Woodford. St. C. head coach Brett McLean said the Rider duo was “probably the best pair, we’d face all season.” That’s high praise, but deserved praise because those two have done the trick since Shreve returned from an early-season injury.
Those two draw a lot of the attention of opposing coaches and media types, but a guy by the name of Brandon Leonard can’t be overlooked in the secondary. He’s a sure tackler and a lock-down pass defender. Murray’s on the other side and Burress reaks all sorts of havoc along the defensive line.
Needless to say, they’ve got it going right now in all facets of the game. The Riders go on the road for the final time during the regular season this Saturday for a night game against John Glenn at Muskingum College in New Concord.
This could be a test for the Purple before they host arch-rival Bellaire for SPARKY on Oct. 24. The Lil Muskies are currently 5-3 with losses to teams that own a combined record of 23-1, including Tri-Valley, New Lexington and Thornville Sheridan.
PUNCHING TICKETS
It only took eight weeks, but several teams throughout the state of Ohio already know they will be returning to the practice field on Oct. 27 to begin preparation for the state football playoffs.
Only 21 of the 192 available spots have been locked up and of those only Columbus St. Francis DeSales and Louisville are assured of being at home during the opening round no matter what happens the rest of the way.
Locally, both River and Martins Ferry have clinched playoff spots. Both squads are sitting atop their respective regions, 23 and 15. The Pilots are 8-0 and are favored to get number nine this week at Buckeye Trail.
The Purple Riders – who have been on an absolute roll since stubbing its toe during the opening week – are sitting in first place of Region 15. All told, eight Division VI spots have been taken and seven Division IV berths. Nary a spot in Division III has been clinched.
The picture will continue to sort itself out this week and into Week 10. This could be a huge year for Ohio Valley teams in the dance, which is a credit to the strength and passion of prep football in this area.
Teams who if the playoffs began Friday would be in from the local area include: Shadyside, Caldwell, Bridgeport and Beallsville in Division VI; Union Local and St. Clairsville in Division IV and Buckeye Local in Division III.
BIG WIN
The Beallsville Blue Devils knew they were in nearly a must-win situation during last week’s game at Perkins Field against Bridgeport. The Blue Devils – who came into the game with a strong 6-1 record – needed the win if they had hopes of once again reaching the postseason. The Blue Devils’ record was strong, but the six teams they had beaten weren’t giving them much help when it comes to posting wins, meaning Beallsville wasn’t getting the second-level points it takes.
However, the Blue Devils showed last Friday night that they definitely belong in the Region 23 mix after thumping Bridgeport to a tune of 37-8. Beallsville’s got something going for it that it takes in Division VI, a true home-run hitter (Eric Lucas) who can change the game on any given snap. Plus they have solid line play and their defense has been staunch most of the season.
The computer poll is now starting to side with the Blue Devils a little bit more. Beallsville is currently sitting in seventh place in Region 23 in the unofficial rankings. They still have games with Paden City and Fort Frye on the horizon.
WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW
A pair of freshmen running backs are proving more and more each week that it’s not as big a transition to varsity football from the junior high ranks as you’d think.
Monroe Central’s Tyler Kinchen has been one of the go-to-players during the Seminoles’ current six-game winning streak. Kinchen put forth his best showing of the season in last week’s thumping of Barnesville.
The 6-ft, 200 pounder carried the ball just 11 times for 138 yards and a touchdown last week. All told, he’s ran 78 times for 798 yards and six touchdowns.
Up the river a ways from Woodsfield, another freshman Josten Dear has been turning some heads. Dear wasn’t even listed on the Panthers’ varsity roster at the season’s outset. However, due to a rash of injuries to a rather deep backfield, Panthers’ head coach Ron Pobolish opted to bring the youngster up to the varsity level.
It’s been a move that Dear hasn’t made Pobolish regret. He’s fit into the system quite well and has been a major contributor to the 5-3 campaign for the Panthers.
He’s ran 68 times for 373 yards and three touchdowns for the season. His big game came against John Marshall when he tallied 118 yards on 11 rushes and scored a touchdown.
BACK TO WINNING WAYS
The Shadyside Tigers dropped their opener of the season in heart-breaking fashion as Ridgewood connected on a lengthy field goal. The Tigers then fell two weeks ago to Youngstown Christian in a tough manner, losing a late lead in the fourth quarter.
However, Shadyside got back on track for what Coach Ty Fleming hopes will be a lengthy run in the postseason. Shadyside steamrolled over-matched Toronto last Friday on Homecoming.
The Tigers are now 6-2 on the season and will trek to Bridgeport for a Saturday night encounter before closing out the regular season against St. John at Nelson Field in what will be the final meeting between the two old-rivals for the forseeable future.
Shadyside could have been showing signs of finally putting it all together. It’s been a strange season for the Tigers in the regard that to many who have watched this team play a lot, have yet to see this team play a full four quarters. Shadyside needs to be at its best if it plans on making another run in the postseason. Turnovers have been a problem, but the way they seemed to put it all together last weekend could have done the trick to stop some of the aforementioned woes for the Orange. However, like most things, only time will tell.
ONE-MAN SHOW?
We’ve been previewing three prep games a week for most of the season and whenever we’ve talked about Union Local, opposing coaches always want to talk about how to stop and even contain do-everything quarterback Jordan Barbina who leads the attack for the now 7-1 Jets.
There are some who think Barbina is a one-man show in Morristown. Well, the fact that he accounted for all of the Union Local offense in last Fridays’ big win over Buckeye Local could be a major reason why. However, when you account for the yards, that doesn’t mean you achieved all of the yards.
Lets be honest here, Barbina makes everything go and if he were to heaven forbid get hurt and be forced out of the lineup, the Jets would have to make some serious adjustments, but they wouldn’t be without weapons.
He’s got a plethora of good receivers who make dazzling plays each week. Brandon Nicholes is the leading wide receiver in the Ohio Valley with 48 catches for 854 yards and eight touchdowns. Senior Kyle Blackman – who attended the Mt. Union College game Saturday as a prospective Purple Raider – has caught 25 balls for 533 yards and missed a game. Joby Barr, Mark Thompson and Kyle Copeland have also contributed with big plays and big catches throughout the season. Barr has made 34 receptions this season and scored five touchdowns.
So to say, Barbina is a one-man show is slightly inaccurate. Does he do a lot? Without a doubt? But, he’s got some capable players around him who have definitely done their part for the Jets who host Harrison Central this week.
LOOKING AHEAD
The past three weeks, the St. Clairsville Red Devils have given their fans a glimpse of what their football team could look like in the future. Several sophomores have been forced into duty the last couple of weeks due to injuries to the first unit.
And needless to say, for the most part, the sophomores have played well. Quarterback Zach Kinnick was effective in the win over Meadowbrook two weeks ago when he was the starter, throwing a pair of touchdowns. This past week, senior Adam Shanks returned, but injured his arm early in the game, forcing Kinnick back into the lineup against a swarming Martins Ferry defense.
Sophomore tailback Tavin Stevenson – who has shown flashes of brilliance at times this season – became the primary tailback when senior starter Brody Call went down with an injury.
Both Kinnick and Stevenson are gaining valuable experience and another sophomore Zak Stiles has been a contributor as well this season. The Red Devils could be formidable for years to come if these youngsters keep developing the way they are currently.
ROLL RED ROLL
Attending games all over the Ohio Valley, there seems to be one score announcement that most people are anxiously awaiting outside of their traditional rivals that they don’t play. That being the score of the Steubenville Big Red and their score last Friday was one of definite intrigue.
Big Red took on Poland Seminary, which had been previously ranked number one in the state’s Division III Associated Press poll. Many pointed at that game as the one where the Big Red streak was going to end. Not quite.
Big Red flexed its muscle early and often en route to a 39-20 victory over the Bulldogs. It was just a little too much defense and a little bit too much Dwight Macon for the Bulldogs. Throw in some Branko Busic and Demetrius Brandon and the Big Red are quickly showing the rest of the state and Region 13, they are going to be one tough out.
This week the Big Red hooks up with West Virginia heavyweight Wheeling Central in a game that’s been much-talked about since it was scheduled last spring. Something tells me, the hype for this game will definitely out-weigh the actual game.
This Big Red team is as good if not better than most of the past five-plus and the the Maroon Knights aren’t nearly the same team they have been the past couple of years. The Knights are still definitely formidable and are once again the odds on favorite to win the Class 1-A title game.
HAPPY HOMECOMING
It was a trip back to the Ohio Valley that former Bridgeport High great Ted Wierzbicki who is now the head football coach at Columbus St. Charles. He and the Cardinals returned to the Ohio Valley to meet Steubenville Catholic Central on the turf at Harding Stadium. Wierzbicki and company posted a 31-20 victory despite falling behind by a 13-0 count.
Wierzbicki’s coaching and adjustments after falling behind drew high praise from Steubenville Catholic head coach Gregg Bahen, who’s never shy about making a quote. He told the Steubenville Herald Star, “It’s obvious that St. Charles has a better head coach than we do. He made the necessary adjustments.”
If you are keeping track of the computer rankings, St. Charles is now 14th in Division II, Region 7 with a 5-3 mark. The Cardinals host Watterson and trek to Watkins Memorial to end the season.
PICK PARADE
First-year Pick Parade member Mike Palmer continues to set the pace in the weekly T-L Pick Contest as it enters the home stretch with this being the ninth week. Palmer went 12-1 this week and still maintains a slim one-game lead over yours truly and Mark Dierkes. We also finished 12-1 last week.
Kim North – who was in the thick of the chase of for most of the season – suffered through a 10-3 week, which is strong, but he’s now dropped five games off the pace and by looking at the card, which appears in today’s paper as well as next week’s schedule, it’s going to be tough to make up the ground. But, stranger things have happened.
Last week’s advertiser of the week Rachel Criswell of Oglebay Village Apartments finished 8-5 for the week.
The contest portion of the Pick Parade ends after next week’s regular season finale, but the T-L Sports Staff will continue to pick games until there aren’t enough local teams to warrant it, so there’s still time to make a run at Palmer.
Staskey can be reached at sstaskey@timesleaderonline.com