State high school football opens doors this week
SHEPHERDSTOWN — Only 29 Class AAA football teams in West Virginia begin firing this week for the 16 playoff spots available.
All four schools located in neighboring Berkeley County were able to claim a playoff berth last season, and Martinsburg went unbeaten through its 14 games to land another state title. The Bulldogs downed Spring Valley, 44-16, in the state championship game.
The 16 playoff teams from the 2017 season were Martinsburg, Spring Valley, Morgantown, University, Huntington, South Charleston, Hurricane, Hedgesville, Musselman, Cabell Midland, George Washington, Spring Mills, Capital, Wheeling Park, Parkersburg and John Marshall.
Martinsburg had a 10-0 regular season record, with Musselman going 8-2. Hedgesville was 7-3 and Spring Mills went 5-5.
Musselman, Hedgesville and Spring Mills all lost their first-round games once the playoffs began.
Jefferson closed its season with a 0-10 mark and was outscored 443-99 along the way. Washington was 3-7 and finished its 2017 campaign with a win over county rival Jefferson.
Opening games this week see Jefferson traveling to Millbrook High in Frederick County, Virginia. The Pioneers tripped the Cougars, 52-13, last year; Martinsburg hosts Loudoun Valley High from Purcellville, Virginia; Washington visits Hedgesville. The Eagles grabbed a win over the Patriots last year.
Musselman will host Spring Mills, a team it defeated, 39-8, to open the 2017 season.
The Jefferson vs. Millbrook match up takes place tonight at 7 p.m. The Pioneers had an overall record of 9-2 in 2017 and reached the Virginia state playoffs.
Jefferson’s schedule has the Cougars playing on the road in five of their first six games and then coming home to Shenandoah Junction for their final four games.
With so few Class AAA teams in the state, Spring Mills qualified for the 2017 playoffs with a 5-5 record.