WHEELING-Wheeling Central is well known for having some of the advantages a touchdown based on intimidation alone. But Parkersburg Catholic has played Nos. 2, 6, 7, 12 teams in the State and proved to be far from fear.
16-Seeded Crusaders (6-5) threw several haymakers up until the early before suffering the TKO, 39-14, in the hands of Wheeling Central (10-1) in the opening round of the playoffs class a West Virginia on Friday night at Wheeling Island Stadium.
"I said a few people. They said ' oh, the first round? You people are normally run through, ' "coach Mike Young Center Wheeling said."We do not run through. Someone said the other day ' (you'll win by) 30 points. ' I said ' no, no, no, no, no. Not against it. ' "
Coach Jeff Campbell Club won the battle of the line of scrimmage for most of the first half and took a 7-0 lead on Drew 7-Christy page runs, and 14-13 on page 4-scamper by Zach Romine. But the Knights Maroon make adjustments with the defensive ends and wounded just before the end of Romine first half and didn't return, such as the center of the Wheeling grabbed the lead 19-14 at the break.
The Crusaders are actually driving for the go-ahead score in the last minute before Maroon Knights ' Michael Pleva stepped in front of Daniel Collie pass for his first two on the night of the theft.