Nine Mid-Ohio Valley football teams - including all four Wood County squads - are in good position to clinch state playoff berths.
Analysis of the state ratings by The Parkersburg News and Sentinel reveals Parkersburg High and Parkersburg South in Class AAA, Ravenswood, Roane County and Ritchie County in Class AA and Wahama, Williamstown, Wirt County and Parkersburg Catholic in Class A all could be in the 48-team playoff field that will be announced on Saturday, following the final week of regular season games.
Here's where each of the nine teams stand:
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Photo by Jeff Baughan
Williamstown’s Trey King looks for running room against Ritchie County. The undefeated Yellowjackets will be one of the Class A teams to watch in the postseason.
Class AAA
With a loss to GW, PHS could fall out of the top eight and play its opening round playoff game on the road.
Class AA
Also with a win, Ravenswood would pass No. 9 Oak Glen, which has completed its campaign and would get enough points to pass No. 8 Grafton, even if the Bearcats beat Magnolia in their regular season finale as that win would net Grafton -which is one point ahead of Ravenswood -just 11 points.
So the prospects of a first round home game look good with a win. A loss to Ripley and Ravenswood still would make the playoffs, but would be sent on the road.
A win over Ritchie and one of the many possibilities is an opening-round rematch pitting Roane County at Ravenswood.
A loss to the Rebels and Roane still would make the playoffs, but would travel for its opening-round game.
Even with a loss, Ritchie still can qualify. The team ranked No. 16, Bluefield, meets No. 7 Wayne, while No. 17 Summers County plays No. 8 Class A Valley Fayette and No. 18 Scott plays Class AAA No. 4 Logan. Losses by two of those three teams should clinch a playoff berth for Ritchie, regardless of the Rebels outcome.
Regardless of how the Rebels make the playoffs, they would play their opening-round game on the road.
Class A
A Wahama win combined with a loss by No. 1 Wheeling Central to Linsly would leave the White Falcons one rating point behind the Maroon Knights, again with bonus points deciding the final pairings.
A loss to Buffalo and Wahama could fall out of the top four and thus be assured of only one home playoff game. Wahama already has said its home playoff game(s) will take place at Point Pleasant High School.
With a loss, Williamstown could slip out of the top four and thus be assured of just one home game.
With a loss, Wirt likely would fall below East Hardy into the No. 5 spot. East Hardy plays winless Peterstown this weekend.
With a loss to Williamstown, Catholic still can make the playoffs, especially if No. 15 Van loses to Class AA Clay County. Should Catholic lose and Van win, the Crusaders would need a Tucker County loss to Class AA Philip Barbour. Wins by Van and Tucker County combined with a PC loss would have Catholic and Tucker counting bonus points for the No. 16 spot.
