Photo/JOE LOVELL MARTINS FERRY’S Trevor Hanson looks for running room during a game against Wheeling Central. He and the Riders will host Bellaire Saturday in a Division V, Region 19 quarterfinal.

MARTINS FERRY — When Chas Yoder took over as head coach of the Martins Ferry football program he knew what was expected of him.

He knew it as a player under legendary Dave Bruney, and he knew it as an assistant coach, also under Bruney.

But when Bruney, the Hall of Fame head coach, retired in May, it was Yoder’s turn to chart a path for a place Bruney guided the Purple Riders 14 times — the playoffs.

“I know that’s the goal every year,” Yoder said this week as he watched his team take the field for practice at the Dave Bruney Football Complex. “I said when I was hired that I was lucky enough to take over a program that has great tradition.

“Many times when a coach takes over a program it’s in shambles or has only won a few games. (Making the playoffs) is the norm here. We want to not only make the playoffs, but to make a long run in the playoffs. That’s always been the goal going in. We’re here now and we have that chance.”

Martins Ferry enters Ohio’s postseason field for the 15th time since 1998 this week and will play host to a game for the first time in five years, which was also the last time it won a postseason contest.

The opponent in Saturday’s 7 p.m. Ohio Division V, Region 19 quarterfinal? None other than rival Bellaire, who the Purple Riders blanked 34-0 last Friday night in a rainy regular-season finale that dropped the Big Reds back to the No. 5 seed.

“I think it’s great,” Yoder said. “It’s great. It’s rivalry week times two. We get another chance at them, but we’re not taking them lightly.

“We had a great game (last Friday) and they didn’t have one of their better games. So, we’re expecting a better showing out of them and our guys will be ready and put in the same amount of preparation we did last week.

“We’ll add some wrinkles on ‘O” and ‘D,” but (the players) are excited to play them again.”

The winner gets the survivor of the battle between top seeded Johnstown-Monroe (9-1) and No. 8 Ironton (6-4). The other side of the bracket features No. 2 Ridgewood (9-1) playing host to No. 7 Amanda-Clearcreek and No. 3 Meadowbrook (7-3) welcoming No. 6 Oak Hill (8-2).

Actually, Yoder and his players are thrilled to simply be in the playoffs. After back-to-back losses to Indian Creek and Wheeling Central in Weeks 8 and 9, the Purple Riders (7-3) needed a victory against Bellaire, and some help, to make the playoffs. Martins Ferry was seventh in the computer ratings heading into the Bellaire game, but the victory, coupled with one the previous week against Beaver Local, vaulted it up and into the field.

“It’s really exciting,” Yoder said. “We’d hope we’d have the opportunity. We told (the players) we had to win the last two weeks. Their backs were against the wall and they responded great. They did all they could to put themselves in this situation.

“They needed a little help from a couple of other teams, but we couldn’t be happier to be in and in going up against our big rival.

“We couldn’t ask for anything more.”

The Purple Riders began the season with consecutive victories against Buckeye Local, Nelsonville-York (a playoff team a year ago that beat Shadyside) and Union Local. Following a loss at St. Clairsville, Martins Ferry rebounded with back-to-back triumphs against Harrison Central and East Liverpool, both Division IV foes. That set the stage for the season-ending stretch that put Yoder’s club in the playoffs.

“There was no giving up from these guys,” Yoder said. “They have a short memory. We had a lot of good games this year. We had a couple of bad ones, but our losses were to good teams.

“Our three losses were to teams that are all in, or will be in, the playoffs (St. Clairsville, Indian Creek, Wheeling Central).

“(The players) don’t let things get to them. They move on and prepare well for that week’s opponent. Right now, they’re playing well and are excited.”

And, as the players have evolved in their play, so has Yoder. After working as an assistant for nearly a decade under Bruney, Yoder said he’s settled in well to the job.

“I learned a lot from (Coach Bruney), but there’s a lot goes into this job that I didn’t know about,” he said.

Sure, he’s well-versed on the Xs and Os, but things like working the media, meeting with parents, etc. are new when you step up to the head job. Even though he served as head wrestling coach for the Purple Riders, a job that he’s stepped away from, the football job involves, perhaps, three times the young men.

“It’s been a great learning experience and I’m still learning as I go.”

All in all, Yoder’s first campaign has been a success, just as Bruney’s was some four decades ago. And just as Yoder has grown this season, he said his team has matured, too.

“I think the biggest thing for us has been our senior leadership,” he said. “We’ve had some seniors step up big time. Some guys that were, maybe, question marks at the beginning of the season turned out to be huge contributors. They lead by example.

“And, we’ve had multiple underclassmen stepping up and making impacts and they’re learning from those seniors. I think that’s made a big difference.”

Martins Ferry’s offense has been, if nothing else, versatile this season. The unit is directed by quarterback Jake Probst (6-1, 190). The junior is 90 of 151 this season for 1,213 and 12 touchdowns.

“We’ve kind of given him the reins a little bit more now,” Yoder said. “(Assistant) coach (Anthony) Reasbeck gives him the ability now to read stuff in defense. We might call a play and he has a couple of different reads and he, ultimately, chooses whether it’s a run or pass and where he’s going to go with the ball.

“He’s getting better and better with the more freedom we give him.”

Senior Nate Boxley and junior Caleb Olson started the season anchoring the Purple Riders’ rushing attack. But injuries have caused Yoder to shuffle his lineup. Still, Martins Ferry hasn’t missed a beat running the ball as a plethora of runners have stepped in to get the job done.

“We just have a bunch of athletic kids that can play football,” Yoder noted. “We don’t have the biggest guys or flat-out burners, but we have a bunch of athletic kids that all do things when they have the football.”

Against Bellaire, sophomore Trevor Hanson (6-0, 165) carried the ball 10 times for 91 yards, while senior Drake Dobson (6-0, 200) had nine carries for 95. Probst had seven carries himself, while senior Logan DiLoretta (5-8, 185) and sophomore Chase Goff (5-9, 155).

Martins Ferry has also received many contributions at receiver. There, junior Dasyn Hores (6-0, 165) (27 rec., 431 yards) has been highlighted, but classmate Trent Rice (6-1, 185) has also been hot, especially after last week’s three-catch, 120-yard performance vs. the Big Reds.

“We have a bunch of threats that don’t necessarily have 50 receptions, but are great blockers, have good speed and great hands,” Yoder said.

‘We have a bunch of kids to throw it or run it to. We try and spread it out as much as we can.”

Senior DeAndre Pugh (6-5, 310), a three-year starter, anchors Martins Ferry’s offensive line at left tackle. Senior Shane Krob was lost earlier this season, but Yoder said junior Gage Kwaiatkowski (6-1, 230) has filled in admirably. Senior Ian Terrill (5-11, 200) is the center, with sophomore Evan Carpenter (6-2, 195) and junior Donte Lewis (6-1, 240) the guards. Dobson and senior Donovan Shrodes (5-11, 190) have shared tight end duties.

Defensively, Carpenter and junior Richie McFarland (6-2, 185) are the ends, with Pugh and Lewis the tackles. Shrodes, Dobson and DiLoretta serve as the linebackers.

Rice and sophomore Logan Smith (6-5, 185) are the strong-side and weak-side safeties, respectively, with junior Cody Olson (6-0, 160) and Hores at the corners.

Cody Olson is the team’s kicker.

Martins Ferry has won 10 of the last 12 against Bellaire and trails by one in the all-time series (53-52-7). That includes a victory in the 2004 playoffs, the only year the Purple Riders reached the state semifinals.

Yoder captained that team and he knows in order to beat Bellaire again his defense will have to slow the Big Reds’ rushing attack, led by Cole Porter, and keep its passing attack in check. Last week, the Big Reds didn’t net a passing yard.

“But our kids know that was last week,” Yoder said. “They know that and we keep preaching it. We know about the firepower they have and they’re a good team.

“They had seven wins during the regular season just like us so they’ll be pumped to get some redemption. We just have to bring the same work ethic and attitude we’ve brought all year.”

Yoder is happy, though, to be back home for the rematch.

“I think that’s somewhat of an advantage,” he said. “We only had four (regular-season) games this year so I think the kids are excited to get that fifth one. We’re pumped to play here in front of the home crowd.”