By Mike Morrison
The Marietta Times
The Buckeye Trail Warriors (1-5) will look to break a three-game losing streak when they travel to Beverly to take on a much improved Fort Frye Cadet (4-2) team.
Since being shut out the in their season opener 20-0 by the River Pilots, coach Eric Huck's Cadets have won four of their next five games, losing only to the Monroe Central Seminoles.
The Cadets pulled out a last minute victory last week when junior running back Spencer Lang scored a game winning 10-yard touchdown with only 40 seconds left to beat a very hungry Frontier Cougar team 21-20.
Lang rushed for 151 yards on 23 carries and a two touchdowns, while also hauling in a 24- yard touchdown pass from his brother Chandler in the victory over Frontier.
The Cadets in addition to the win over Frontier, have also scored victories over Belpre (28-13), Waterford (34-0), and River Valley (13-12).
The Warriors lone victory of the season came at the expense of Frontier, a 32-6 win in week three.
Buckeye Trail is coming off of a 12-0 loss at the hands of the Shenandoah Zeps, a game in which the Warriors managed to gain just 119 total yards.
Trail was paced on offense by Seth Doudna who rushed for 77 yards on 13 carries against the Zeps.
Both teams have been shutout twice in the season's first six games.
Last year Fort Frye downed Buckeye Trail 37-7 in Old Washington.
SHENANDOAH (3-3) at MONROE CENTRAL (5-1)
The red-hot Monroe Central Seminoles will look to make it six in a row Friday night when they welcome the Shenandoah Zeps to Woodsfield for a Pioneer Valley Conference showdown.
Since the Seminoles dropped their season opener to the still undefeated Columbianna Clippers 13-7, they have reeled off five consecutive victories, outscoring their opponents 169-48 along the way.
The Noles are coming off of a 40-24 victory over Magnolia a week ago in New Martinsville, a game in which Monroe Central out gained Magnolia 413-to -248 in total offense.
Senior quarterback Tyler Kinchen rushed for 198 yards and two touchdowns, while completing five of 10 passes for 83 yards and another pair of scores to pace Monroe Central over Magnolia.
The Zeps snapped a two-game losing streak last week with a 12-0 shutout victory over the Buckeye Trail Warriors.
Senior running back Shane Crum rushed 22 times for an impressive 216 yards and both Shenandoah touchdowns in the Buckeye Trail contest.
The Shenandoah defense, which limited Trail to just 95 rushing yards on 42 carries in the last week's contest, hope to continue those type of numbers against the Seminoles.
The Zeps come into the game with a 2-0 PVC record, while the Seminoles are 3-0.
Monroe Central head coach Jay Circosta will be looking for career win No. 297 in the contest.
Last year Monroe Central dominated the Zeps 36-0 in Sarahsville.
FRONTIER (0-6) at CALDWELL (2-4)
A pair of teams very hungry for a victory will meet Friday night when the Frontier Cougars travel to Caldwell to battle the Redskins.
The young Cougars came so very close to their first victory of the season last week, dropping a last-minute 21-20 decision to the rival Fort Frye Cadets.
Junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson had somewhat of a break-out game against Fort Frye, completing 12 of 21 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 70 more yards on 19 touches.
Dusty Wright hauled in two of those touchdown passes for a total of 98 yards, including a fourth-quarter touchdown that gave the Cougars a 20-14 lead with just under six minutes to play.
The Redskins got off to an impressive 2-0 start with victories over Newcomerstown (34-0) and Buckeye Trail (49-6) before dropping its last four decisions.
Caldwell dropped a 28-6 contest to Barnesville last week, a game in which the Skins trailed by only an 8-6 score at halftime.
Caldwell has been paced all year by senior running back Adam Rossiter who rushed for 74 yards on 12 carries against Barnesville and has rushed for 718 yards on the season with nine touchdowns.
Quarterback Jensen Croucher had a season-high 117 yards on 19 carries and the lone Redskin touchdown against the Shamrocks.
Last year, Caldwell came out on top of a wild 47-40 contest over the Cougars in New Matamoras.
WATERFORD (3-3) at GREEN (3-3)
A pair of schools will look to get back over the .500 mark when the Waterford Wildcats travel to Franklin Furnace to take on the Green Bobcats Friday night.
Both teams come into the game with identical 3-3 records and judging from last year's 20-14 Wildcat victory in double overtime at Waterford, this year's contest should be a good one.
The Cats are trying to break a modest two-game losing streak, including last weeks tough 21-14 loss to Trimble.
Waterford was led by quarterback Trevor Lang against Trimble, with the senior completing 18-of-28 passes for 203 yards, and also gaining 16 yards on the ground, including a one-yard touchdown run.
The Wildcats outgained the Tomcats, 286-271 in last week's game, but were unable to overcome a 14-0 third- quarter deficit.
The Cats have scored victories this season over Miller (13-6), Federal Hocking (20-9), and Eastern (20-12), while losing games to Fort Frye (34-0) and Wahama (61-8) in addition to Trimble.
The Bobcats have defeated Manchester (28-8), Hannan (26-8), and Fayetteville-Perry (25-18), while dropping games to the likes of South Point (48-16), Fairfield Christian (59-18) and Symmes Valley (50-6).
Green will be due for a win Friday night as they have alternated wins and losses all season long.
This will be homecoming night for the Bobcats.
SOUTH GALLIA (5-1) at BELPRE (0-6)
The opponents seem to get no easier for the Belpre Golden Eagles as they try once again to get their first win of the season Friday night as they welcome the South Gallia Rebels.
South Gallia comes into the game on a three-game winning streak in which they have rolled over their opposition by a combined 122-13 score.
The Rebels recent victories over Miller (52-6), Eastern (36-7) and Federal Hocking (34-0) came on the heels of an 18-14 loss to the Trimble Tomcats, the only Gallia loss of the year.
Running back Ethan Spurlock and quarterback Cory Haner are two of the offensive skill players that the Eagles will need to contain to have any chance of pulling off an upset.
The Golden Eagles are coming off of a 20-0 loss to Eastern, a game in which Belpre outgained Eastern 146-106, but struggled to get the ball into the end zone.
Belpre figures to come into the game fired up as this will be their homecoming game.
The Eagles are led on offense by Nate Teeters, who has rushed for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns thru the seasons first six games and Tyler Martin who has 116 yards rushing.
Quarterback Todd Packard has completed 19 of 53 pass attempts on the season for 259 yards and a touchdown.
Last year South Gallia defeated Belpre 38-21 in Crown City.
MORGAN (1-5) at JOHN GLENN (1-5)
The Morgan County Raiders will try and get back in the win column Friday night when they travel to New Concord to take on the John Glenn Little Muskies.
Both teams come into the game in the midst of disappointing seasons with the Raiders tasting victory only once, a 20-9, week two win over Union Local, while the Muskies lone victory came at the hands of West Muskingum, 28-20 in week four.
John Glenn is coming off of a 20-13 loss to a very tough Sheridan team, while the Raiders dropped a 38-0 decision last week to Tri-Valley.
Morgan managed only seven first downs and 157 total yards in the loss to Tri-Valley.
The Raiders were paced on the ground by Kaleb Driggs, who rushed for 62 yards on 10 carries, and Dirk Ponchak who carried nine times for 34 yards against the Scotties.
Quarterback Clinton Campbell was held to only 11 yards passing on five attempts.
Last year, John Glenn rolled to a 41-7 victory over the Raiders in McConnelsville.
ST. MARYS (1-4) at CALHOUN COUNTY (1-5)
A pair of Devil teams heading in the wrong direction will hook up Friday night when the St. Marys Blue Devils visit the Calhoun County Red Devils.
Calhoun got off the mark in great shape with a 59-21 thumping of Gilmer County in week one, but have not found the win column since.
The Red Devils have been outscored 237-42 since that week one win, dropping games to Ritchie County (55-21), Doddridge County (26-8), Parkersburg Catholic (40-0), Williamstown (69-6) and South Harrison (47-7).
Nate Cosgrove leads the Red Devils in rushing, gaining more than 280 yards and four touchdowns on the season.
The Blue Devils are coming off of a tough 14-0 loss to the Williamstown Yellow Jackets last week.
St. Marys lone win of the season came in week four, a 39-0 win over Tyler Consolidated.
In addition to Williamstown, the Blue Devils have suffered defeats at the hands of Ritchie County (38-22), Wirt County (28-7), and Parkersburg Catholic (20-14).
The Blue Devils are led by Noah Spritzer with just under 300 yards rushing thru the seasons first six games.
Quarterback K.D. Arnett has completed 32-of 78 passes on the year for 387 yards and three touchdowns.
Last year the Blue Devils downed the Red Devils 45-22 in St.Marys.
SOUTH HARRISON (3-2) at PARKERSBURG CATHOLIC (3-3) Saturday 1:30 PM
The resurgent Parkersburg Catholic Crusaders will look to continue their hot streak Saturday afternoon when they host South Harrison at Stadium Field.
The Crusaders lost their first two games of the year, but have bounced back nicely to when three of their last four games to even their season mark at 3-3.
Catholic is coming off of an impressive 30-7 win last week over Doddridge County, and own victories this season over the likes of St. Marys (20-14) and Calhoun County (40-0).
Zack Romine has led the Crusader offense so far this season, gaining 463 yards on the ground and scoring six touchdowns.
Quarterback Daniel Collie has completed just 29 of 76 passes on the season, but is averaging over 20 yards per reception and has thrown for seven touchdowns.
Mitch Davis is the favorite target of Collie, hauling in five of those touchdowns for 260 yards.
South Harrison features a very strong ground game, punishing Calhoun County for 487 yards rushing in last week's 47-7 victory.
Among the Harrison offensive players that could give the Crusaders fits will be Jacob Stroupe, Jake Wilkins, James Swenskie, and Drew Snyder.
Last year the Crusaders pulled off a 17-12 win over South Harrison.
