Williamstown’s Will Sites (61) and Lynken Joy (2) block for teammate Louis Goodnow (5) on a kick return during last Friday’s Class A state quarterfinal game against East Hardy.
(Photo by Neal Smith)
WILLIAMSTOWN — Whether or not a muddy track negates Tucker County’s passing game, Williamstown is under the impression Friday’s Class A semifinal game against the No. 2-ranked team in the state playoffs presents quite the challenge.
Both teams have eased through their first two rounds, but the semifinal game slated for a 4 p.m. kickoff at R.H. Armstrong Memorial Field could turn into a slugfest.
The surface at Tucker County’s home field is grass. Recent downpours could slow down the track.
“I look forward to a really good game,” Beck said. “I was a lineman and I loved mud games. Both teams will have to deal with the conditions.”
Both No. 3 Williamstown and Tucker County bring identical 12-0 records into the matchup. Both have used balanced attacks to get the job done on offense.
“Tucker County will be quite a challenge – they have very unique offense,” Williamstown coach Chris Beck said. “They like to throw more than we are accustomed to. They go about 50-50 with their run to pass ratio. For a Class A team, it’s uncommon to have three really good receivers like they have who can make plays. They run great routes. They will present problems.
“They also have a good running back who has helped take them to the next step.”
The Yellowjackets’ offer their own version of a potent offense. Their bread-and-butter is the ground game behind quarterback Maxwell Molessa (1,448 yards, 27 touchdowns) and running back Lynken Joy (1,201 yards, 13 TDs).
Molessa also has the receivers to burn opponents through the air. The senior has completed 69% (69-of-100) of his passes for 1,105 yards with 20 TDs and only two interceptions.
Three Williamstown targets (Louis Goodnow, Martin and Dodrill) have contributed 149 yards or more, but it’s Goodnow who is the impact player secondaries must worry about most with his team-high 44 receptions for 741 yards and 14 TDs.
The offensive stats are glitzy, but coach Beck feels his defense is making a statement of their own – especially in the past month or so.
“Every week, we definitely keep improving and growing,” Beck said. “I am very pleased how the guys are playing and how they have progressed. There were a couple of players after last week’s win over East Hardy who were not really happy with their performance. They hold themselves to high standards.”
In the past three games, Tucker County has outscored opponents 154-13, including a 42-0 win over Tug Valley last week in the quarterfinal round. The Mountain Lions broke loose for 30 second-half points.
Mountain Lion quarterback Ethan Rosenau passed for 199 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Jared Reall rushed for 136 yards on 26 carries plus two TDs. Their primary core of receivers (Garrett Wilfong, Maddox Anderson and Blaike Adams) each caught at least five passes with Wilfong leading the way with 109 yards on six catches, and two TDs.
The Mountain Lions are coached by AJ Rapp, who is in his 20th season at the helm. Rapp took Tucker County to the semifinals on one other occasion – in 2012 when Madonna knocked out the Mountain Lions.
Friday marks the third meeting between the two schools. Williamstown won both times, in the quarterfinals of the 2003 playoffs and in the first round two years later.
At stake is a berth in next week’s state championship game in Wheeling versus the winner of James Monroe and Greenbrier West. The Yellowjackets are the defending state champs.
“Our message to the guys this week changes very little,” Beck said. “For us, we know if we play as hard as we can for the next 48 minutes we can give ourselves the opportunity to achieve all the goals we set months and months ago. We are so close, but we can’t get there without playing the next 48 minutes the way Yellowjackets know how to play.”
Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com
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