Photo by Joe Lovell Martins Ferry’s Ayden Ludolph runs downfield during the Purple Riders game against Fairfield Christian on Sept. 27.

There will be a pair of ‘Meetin’ of the Unbeatens’ on Friday night in the Ohio Valley as the high school football season enters Week 8 in the Buckeye State. The four schools involved are 7-0 and state-ranked in their respective divisions.

In Belmont County, St. Clairsville, No. 2 in Division IV, Region 15, will make the short trip west on I-70 to Morristown where Union Local, No. 5 in Division V, Region 19, awaits at Jets Field in what will be the final contest in the foreseeable future, unfortunately, between the two rivals.

In Monroe County, Barnesville, No. 6 in Division V, Region 19, takes its powerful show on the road to Monroe Park in Woodsfield to face Monroe Central, No. 7 in Division VI.

Both have 7 p.m. kickoffs.

All four teams took care of business last week to get to this point in the season

In action from last week, Martins Ferry’s Ayden Ludolph may be listed at 5-foot, 9-inches, 175 pounds but the senior quarterback came up huge in the Purple Riders’ 50-7 thumping of visiting Sugar Grove Berne Union on Friday at Purple Rider Stadium inside the Dave Bruney Football Complex.

The fleet-footed lefty accounted for five touchdowns – four through the air and one on the ground. He passed for 207 yards on 10 of 15 accuracy, tossing TD strikes to Tev’n Williams (21 yards), Maurice Barnett (51), Luca Shane (22) and Alex Reese (17). His six-point run came from 10 yards.

Airing It Out

Barnesville’s Casey Carpenter also combined for five touchdowns in the Shamrocks’ 44-0 blanking of visiting Caldwell. The southpaw tossed scoring passes of 25 and 62 yards to Camden Carpenter, his cousin, while also connecting with Bradey McIntire from 37 and 8 yards. Casey also ran for six points. He completed 10 of 15 for 203 yards.

Wheeling Central’s Nico Kusic went 12-for-13 for 232 yards and three touchdowns as the Maroon Knights defeated Ron C. Brown of D.C., 55-20, on Wheeling University’s Bishop Schmitt Field. The sophomore connected with Caleb Golden (18), Troy Mortakis (39) and Max Olejasz (20). Kusic also ran in from 20 yards for a fourth TD.

Steubenville’s Aiden Davis fired four touchdowns in the second quarter when Big Red erupted for 42 points in shellacking visiting Linsly on Reno Field inside Harding Stadium. He found Jeremiah Hinton twice (25, 45) and Brody Saccoccia two times (53, 49). Davis completed 8 of 13 attempts for 287 yards.

Monroe Central’s Tucker Howell had a pair of TD passes and 180 yards on 12 of 19 as the Semninoles rolled past Shenandoah, 34-0. He connected with Chance Allen (16) and Max Demchek (29).

St. Clairsville’s Brady Schafer passed for two TDs and ran for another in the Red Devils’ 49-8 demolition of visiting Bellaire at Red Devil Stadium. His scoring strikes went 29 yards to Max Fogle and 6 yards to Mikey Balgo.

Do-It-Alls

Fogle scored three touchdowns, intercepted a pass and charted a tackle for lost yardage for the Red Devils. He ran for a pair of TDs from 1 and 15 yards while also latching on to a 29-yard screen pass from Schafer.

Indian Creek’s Ian Starkey combined for 200 yards of total offense, passing for 122 and running for 78 in a 46-14 conquest of visiting Harrison Central at Kettlewell Memorial Stadium in Wintersville.

Returns For Six

Union Local’s Dre Saunders took the opening kickoff 90 yards to the house as the Jets kept Cambridge winless, 48-6..

Wheeling Park’s Jameson Maynard ran a punt back 45 yards in the Patriots’ 14-7 Homecoming win over Morgantown at Wheeling Island Stadium.

Martins Ferry’s Tev’n Williams returned an interception 56 yards.

Monroe Central’s Tyler Whitacre took an interception 35 yards to the house.

Steubenville Catholic’s Tommy Pergi ran a kickoff back 82 yards for six points.

Union Local’s Billy Schumacher had a 39-yard interception return to the end zone.

Running Wild

Wheeling Central’s Isaac Martin carried 18 times for 111 yards and a trio of touchdowns.

Indian Creek’s Gavin Pownall had 145 yards and two TD runs.

Bridgeport’s AJ Bishop had four TD runs in the Bulldogs’ 49-6 rout of host Beallsville on Dave Caldwell Field.

Wheeling Central’s Kade Koroneos totalled 121 yards on 11 carries, including a 62-yard scoring run.

Union Local’s Brody Perzanowski ran for 129 yards and scored on runs of 12, 4 and 39 yards.

Making Their Kicks Count

Martins Ferry’s Jacob Theaker booted six PATs.

Barnesville’s Evan Lough connected on five extra points.

Union Local’s Jeff Bolon had six PATs.

St. Clairsville’s Tyler Harris had seven point-after touchdowns, recovered his own onsides kick and made a touchdown-saving tackle.

Cole Bowers became Steubenville’s all-time PAT king with six Friday night.

Streaking

Barnesville ran its regular-season winning streak to 33 straight. It is now the second longest active streak in the state behind Marion Local. Garaway, who had the second longest, lost to undefeated Indian Valley last Friday.

(This roundup is compiled from statistics reported to The Intelligencer Sports Department. Statistics can be sent to knorth@theintelligencer.net or nhenthorn@theintelligencer.net, preferably Friday night after the game, but no later than Monday afternoon.)