Photo by Joe Lovell Wheeling Central running back Kade Koroneos maneuvers up the field during a regular season game against the Martins Ferry Purple Riders. Koroneos and the Maroon Knights face Tolsia in the first round of the state playoffs on Saturday at 1 p.m.

WHEELING — Wheeling Central is starting on top of the playoff field in the WVSSAC Class A bracket. The Maroon Knights hope they’ll end on top too.

Wheeling Central (6-2) is the top-seeded team in the 16-team Class A field, and will match up with No. 16 Tolsia (3-7) on Saturday at 1 p.m. on Wheeling University’s Bishop Schmitt Field in the first round of the playoffs.

It’s hardly Wheeling Central head coach Mike Young’s first rodeo, nor his staff’s.

“We have a veteran staff who’s very versed in preparing for the postseason,” Young said. “I’ve had the same coaches for over 20 years and our chemistry is good and their loyalty is tremendous. Those are things that make or break a team in terms of, you know, getting into the postseason, moving forward, extending the season.

“It’s a great run with what’s going on here at Wheeling Central with, with the team in basketball, baseball, and now both boys and girls soccer, and our girls volleyball team, our golf team– everybody seems to be stepping up, and these guys don’t want to be the lone team or the guys that are left out. They want to make some noise and we want to go into this game at 1 o’clock on Saturday with a lot of heart, a lot of pride and a Wheeling Central tradition to continue on into the playoffs.”

The Tolsia Rebels snapped a four-game losing streak by winning their regular season finale against River View, 20-12. The Maroon are not taking their opponents lightly.

“The players they do have are athletic,” Young said. “You know, over the years, we’ve played from the number 16 spot and gone on to win the state championship. In 2005, we finished 6-4 and just got in and we ended up traveling down to Greenbrier, to Parkersburg, to Elkins and back to Wheeling Island Stadium. I think health-wise, we’re sitting good. Numbers-wise, we’re sitting good. Coming off a couple good wins over Breshear and Martin Ferry, we definitely picked our momentum up.”

Through their eight-game schedule, Wheeling Central’s backfield of running back Kade Koroneos (835 rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns) and Nico Kusic (417 rushing yards, 981 passing yards, 13 total touchdowns) have stacked up against the best backfields in the Class A playoff field. Going into the postseason, the pair will be relied upon to make plays– after all, they say the stars come out in the playoffs.

“They also say that offense wins games, and defense wins championships,” Young said. “I’ll say this; we’re playing good in all three phases. When you have the offensive thunder and lightning of Kade Koroneos and Nico Kusic, and then you have the aerial attack with Joey Hall, Max Olejasz, Troy Mortakis, and throwing to Kade out of the backfield. You’ve got some weapons there. And Nico gets better every week with processing the field, processing his throws.

“That offense is explosive and, you know, we’re awful glad to have it, but it’s because of the guys up front– Mortakis, Luke Wear, Dom Paesani, Carver Bolon, Cooper Jones. These guys all make it happen up front and we may [Seth] Wodusky back in a week or so.

Wheeling Central has limited six of their eight opponents to 20 points or less, and their defense, which includes an all-state selection in linebacker Wyatt Brady, is looking ready for action.

“On the other side of the ball, we’ve got kids that have stepped up, or leading tacklers that we didn’t expect to come on. And our leading tackler, Maddox Stillion, who was debating whether he wanted to come out or not. And we’ve got a great group of kids, they feed off of each other. Dustin Sanner’s back on the field, who’s been out most the whole season. Trenton McCardle’s doing a great job along with a guy that just keeps getting stronger every game is Wyatt Brady, who was our leading tackler last year. He’s right in the mix now after an ACL surgery.

The winner of Wheeling Central and Tolsia’s outing will face the winner of the 8/9 matchup in Tucker County (6-4) vs. Tug Valley (6-4).

“Getting to the show is the biggest thing,” Young said. “Act one comes up Saturday and we’re wanting to be in that finale. So we got to take care of act one this Saturday and play a team that’s there at 3-7, but I think they lost three games by a short margin. We have to go play our game. And that’s what I’m looking forward to doing and looking for our kids to step up and have a great afternoon.”