Sophomore Dylan Harich (16) releases a pass to senior Isaiah Fritts in the third quarter of Jefferson High School’s 54-7 victory over Hedgesville High School on Friday night. David Pennock

HEDGESVILLE — Jefferson High School seemed to replace any thoughts of a long loss to Martinsburg High School, with ideas about going back to the Class AAA football playoffs.

When the Cougars tamed Hedgesville High School, 54-7, at Mumaw Field last Friday, they needed only to defeat county rival Washington, now 2-7 after beating Hampshire High School, in this week’s regular season finale in Shenandoah Junction, to qualify for the 16-team playoffs.

Jefferson is 6-3 overall after easily stopping problem-filled Hedgesville. The Eagles are 4-5 overall.

Leading, 12-7, and again threatening, Jefferson used a Dylan Harich 20-yard TD pass along the left sideline in front of the home crowd to widen the lead.

Harich then found his receiver just ahead of two Eagle defenders in the front right corner of the end zone, to further extend the growing Jefferson lead.

Jefferson High School linebacker Nolan Meehleib (34) makes an open field tackle on a Hedgesville High School running back on Friday night. David Pennock

Evan Tewell than ran a sweep to the right and made two Eagles miss him as he went 48 yards for the Cougars’ fifth score.

The opportunistic Cougars recovered one Hedgesville fumble in its own backfield and then claimed a loose ball when an errant snap sailed over the Hedgesville quarterback’s head.

Jefferson did not allow any points in the second half.

The Cougars amassed 461 yards of total offense as compared with Hedgesville’s meager 135 yards of total offense. Jefferson had 270 passing yards and rushed for 191 yards in posting the playoff-needed win.

Tonight, the Cougars face a Washington team that stopped Hampshire last week to move its record to 2-7. The Patriots also have a win over Park View (Va.), a team that had a 2-8 record. Hampshire fell to 3-6 when it lost to Washington.

Jefferson High School Oren Humphreys (4) makes an interception, during the opening Hedgesville High School drive on Friday night. He ended the game with two interceptions and a touchdown reception. David Pennock

At last Saturday’s cross country state meet in Ona, the Jefferson boys team placed fourth in the team standings. University High School, of Morgantown, won the state championship posting a team total of 39 points. Hurricane High School (56 points) was second and Wheeling Park High School (77 points) was third. Jefferson finished with 122 points, as sophomore Conner Myers was its top finisher with his 15th place individual showing.

Jefferson’s girls finished fifth as a team, behind state champion Morgantown High School (32 points), University (77 points), Cabell Midland High School (77 points) and Buckhannon High School (110 points). Jefferson’s team total was 133 points, with sophomore Hannah Phillips giving the team its best finish, with her 12th place showing.

So dominant was Morgantown that its five finishers that counted in the team scoring came home in first, fourth, eighth, ninth and 10th places. The Mohigans outdistanced city rival University by some 45 points.

As usual, the state meets were run over the course at Cabell Midland High School.