T-L Photo/SETH STASKEY Wheeling Central senior Lorenzo Ferrera turns the corner for a big gain during Saturday's Class A quarterfinal against Wahama at Point Pleasant. The Maroon Knights rolled, 48-14.

POINT PLEASANT — If the Wheeling Central football players and coaches are late for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, they’ll have a good excuse.

Thanks to Saturday afternoon’s convincing 48-14 victory against Wahama in a Class A quarterfinal at Point Pleasant High School, the Maroon Knights will be having practice on Thursday.

“Our goal each year is to have practice on Thanksgiving Day and we’re going to do it again this year,” Central head coach Mike Young smiled. “I am so proud of our kids and how hard they played. We’ve felt all year like we’ve had some unfinished business after last year and I am proud of how hard we played.”

The Maroon Knights will go on the road for an even longer journey this week, which will make Saturday’s three-plus hour haul to Mason County feel like they went to Elm Grove. Central will go after a berth in the Super Six at top-seeded James Monroe, which is some five hours from the Friendly City.

Young couldn’t confirm in the immediate moments after the game when that game will be played. Central will inform the WVSSAC of the date and time during a meeting today in Parkersburg.

“I’ve got to look at the weather forecast, accommodations on where we’re going to stay, charter buses because it all plays a factor,” Young said. “Even though it costs a lot of money, we have to look at putting our kids in the best position to be successful and traveling that far is much better on a charter bus than a school bus.”

Before any focus should shift to James Monroe, busing or Thanksgiving, the Knights had to take care of a White Falcon squad, which had scored points in bunches all season. Quite simply, the Knights were up to the challenge, defensively.

Central limited Wahama to 222 yards of total offense and of those only 21 came through the air. On top of limiting the yardage, the Maroon Knights forced four turnovers, recovering three fumbles and picking off a pass.

“Our defense was challenged at times, but they bent and didn’t break,” Young explained. “They moved the ball, but they didn’t break us. They had a good scheme, but we kept hitting and tackling them and we got some huge turnovers.”

Offensively, Central set the tone immediately. As it’s done all season, Wheeling Central wanted to establish the ground game and did just that, accumulating 389 infantry yards.

The chief beneficiary once again was senior running back Lorenzo Ferrera, who had a huge afternoon.

He racked up 270 yards and scored five touchdowns, most of which were big hits. He scored on runs of 38, 7, 9, 31 and 43 yards.

Add in the yeoman’s work of the offensive line, which was dominant all afternoon and the lead blocking and running of senior workhorse Riley Watkins and the Knights offense was clicking on all cylinders.

“When you put Lorenzo and Riley in the backfield behind this line and they get loose on the carpet, they’re going to make some noise and score,” Young said. “Lorenzo has played that way all year, and he’s just such a great competitor.

For good measure, Watkins added 86 yards on 11 carries. He scored the game’s final touchdown, which covered 42 yards.

Quarterback Payton Hildebrand managed the game, and completed two of his three attempts for 43 yards, which included a 26-yard touchdown to sophomore Braden McWreath in the third quarter.

Being solid in all three phases is quite important in playoff football. Central, which didn’t punt in the game, received brilliant kicking from junior Eli Tucker. He was true on six of seven PATs, connected on four touchbacks and following the first Ferrerra touchdown, executed an onside kick, which led to a 13-0 lead before Wahama had taken an offensive snap.