Bellaire-Martins Ferry II Set For First Round Of Playoffs
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MARTINS FERRY - For the fifth time in their illustrious 124-game backyard rivalry, No. 10 Bellaire (6-4) and No. 7 Martins Ferry (9-1) will meet Friday night for the second time in the same season.
The two Ohio 7 rivals face off in an Ohio Division V, Region 17 first-round playoff contest at Purple Rider Stadium inside the Dave Bruney Football Complex. Kickoff is set for 7 o'clock. The Purple Riders claimed a 54-21 victory last Friday, also at home, over the Big Reds.
Bellaire and Martins Ferry most recently met in the playoffs in 2018, with the Big Reds prevailing 14-7 after dropping a 34-0 decision a week earlier.
“We’ve already addressed that issue," Martins Ferry head coach Justin Kropka said. "I've got the final score of both of those games up on the board in my room (at the school). I don't think overconfidence, on our kids or our coaches, will be a problem."
Bellaire head coach Mark Bonar said none of the past matters.
"We're just trying to get ready for this week's game," he said. "We know what they are going to do and they know what we are going to do."
After a back-and-forth first half last week in which Martins Ferry scored with 12 seconds left in the half to take a 28-21 lead, the Purple Riders used a pair of third-quarter interception returns by sophomore Jakori Cox to turn the tide.
"We had a kid go down with an injury early last year in the secondary and Jakori had to come in and play. He's started every game he's ever played," Kropka said. "He had a fumble and things didn't go his way early last week. Last year he probably goes in the tank, but this year he has kind of learned to play the next play. I think basketball helped him along with that because he had to play a lot last winter.
"That's why I like our kids to play multiple sports. They learn lessons in those sports that can carry over to football.
"Friday night was one of those games that could've gone either way. We got some breaks to bounce our way," Kropka noted. "We know the odds of us scoring three defensive touchdowns again this week aren't in our favor. In my opinion, Friday's game was a one score game. I think both teams are evenly matched."
Bonar said his squad will use last week as a learning tool.
"We found out some things about ourselves that we need to address, but we knew Martins Ferry was a good team and they are well-coached," he said. "We saw what worked for them and what didn't work for us."
What worked for the Purple Riders was the running of Walkquem Cox. The junior ran for 269 yards and scored four touchdowns. He now has 1,867 yards this season and reached the end zone 28 times.
"He's hard to bring down," Kropka stressed of the 5-11, 205-pounder. "Schematically, what they did was good. They just didn't tackle him. They had bodies around the ball. They just couldn't get him down. I think they will be better as far as that goes."
Kropka said the Purple Riders didn't do anything different defensively in the second half. It was just a matter of executing.
"Not many adjustments. It was just a matter of us being where we were supposed to be. All year we've been really sound on defense in being where we are supposed to be," he added. "We were all out of sorts in the first half. We had two guys on one side and nobody on the other at times. That first half was a disaster and we calmed down a little in the second half.
"We're a pretty good defensive team when everyone is in the right places, but give Bellaire credit, they've got some outstanding athletes and a really good coach."
For Bonar, the difference in halves was his team's lack of execution.
"Penalties put us behind the sticks a couple of times," he said. "When you get behind you tend to do things that you don't want to but have to in order to try and catch up."
Kropka said in order for Martins Ferry to win again is simple.
"Take care of the ball and limit the mental mistakes, which we didn't do in the first half and we paid for it last week. You need to handle all the little distractions that we were faced with during last week. I'm hoping last week matured us a little to pay focus to what we are trying to do on the field."
The Purple Riders are led by quarterback Colby Kropka. The senior has passed for 1,404 yards on 72 of 107 and 16 touchdowns. He has thrown just two picks. He has also run for five TDs. His favorite targets are junior Elijah Roby with 29 receptions for 601 yards and seven six-pointers. Jakori Cox has caught 19 passes for 365 yards and five scores. R.J. Welshans, who got the scoring started last week with a 50-yard fumble return, leads the team with 88 tackles. Junior Clayton Snider had 20 tackles for lost yardage, five sacks and 44 tackles.
The Big Reds' Michael Dipple has thrown for completed 54 of 100 passes for 1,161 yards, 15 touchdowns and half-a-dozen INTs. Trevor Dowery surpassed the 1,000-yard barrier last week and has 1,116 on the season. He has 17 TD runs. Kole Gonglik and Raekwon Pettigrew have each caught 20 passes, with Gonglik's going for 524 yards and seven TDs. Pettigrew has 373 yards and five touchdowns receiving and 272 yards rushing and two more scores. He is also a dangerous return specialist. Alex Padgett has charted a team-best 93 tackles. Pettigrew has five interceptions.
The winner of Friday's clash will head to No. 2 Barnesville (10-0) for a quarterfinal match at Shamrock Stadium on Friday, Nov. 6, also at 7 p.m.
EXTRA POINTS
- Bellaire still holds a slim 59-57 lead in the all-time series, with seven games ending in a tie.
- During their elongated rivalry, Bellaire has scored 1,810 points. Martins Ferry has scored 1,780.
- In addition to 2018, the Big Reds and Purple Riders tangled in the 2004 season with the Purple prevailing both times. They also met twice in 1964 and 1911.
- Martins Ferry (758) and Bellaire (729) are two of the top 10 winningest programs in the Buckeye State.