🏈 Dominant Victories Set Up Class AA Quarterfinal Showdown

The opening round of the West Virginia Class AA playoffs delivered two decisive victories for southern West Virginia teams, setting the stage for a compelling quarterfinal matchup. The No. 2 Bluefield Beavers steamrolled past Oak Glen, while the No. 7 Midland Trail Patriots battled for a significant win over Petersburg.

🦫 Bluefield Overwhelms Oak Glen in Playoff Opener

The Bluefield Beavers (9-2) put on a show in their first home playoff game since 2020, completely dominating the No. 15 Oak Glen Golden Bears (7-4) with a final score of 54-7 at Mitchell Stadium.

The Beavers wasted no time, establishing a commanding 47-0 lead by halftime to enact a running clock for the rest of the contest. Their balanced attack was virtually unstoppable in the first half, tallying 496 yards of offense against a meager 13 for Oak Glen.

• Quarterback Max Simpson was efficient, connecting with receiver Jordan Hess for an early 45-yard touchdown strike.

• The offensive creativity was on display with a lateral from Simpson to Pax Calhoun, who then threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Tylee Simon.

• Defensively, the Beavers were a stone wall, setting the tone on the Golden Bears' opening drive, highlighted by multiple tackles for a loss by Jaleel Jones.

Bluefield's win secured their second straight trip to the Class AA quarterfinals.

🚀 Midland Trail's Ground Game Secures First Playoff Win Since 2018

In a hard-fought contest, the Midland Trail Patriots (10-1) earned a significant 27-12 victory over the No. 10 Petersburg Vikings (7-4). The win marks the Patriots' first playoff victory since their Class A semifinal run in 2018.

The Patriots' success was largely driven by their explosive rushing attack:

• Running back Jayden Roop was a force, exploding for a whopping 236 yards on the ground and punching in two rushing touchdowns.

• Gage Johnson also contributed a rushing score.

• Quarterback Rayce Dickerson rounded out the scoring with a touchdown pass to Johnson.

Despite an early passing touchdown from Petersburg quarterback Peyton Metheny, the Patriots' defense and overwhelming ground game proved too much for the Vikings to handle.

🔥 Quarterfinal Preview: No. 7 Midland Trail at No. 2 Bluefield

The two victors are now set to clash in the Class AA Quarterfinals. The No. 7 Midland Trail Patriots will travel to Mitchell Stadium to take on the No. 2 Bluefield Beavers.

This matchup pits Bluefield's highly efficient and fast-paced attack against a Midland Trail squad that relies on a powerful, ground-and-pound strategy led by Jayden Roop.

• Bluefield's Advantage: The Beavers hold the clear advantage in playoff experience and offensive balance, as evidenced by their ability to rack up both rushing and passing yards against Oak Glen. Their defense also appears to be playing at an elite level, only allowing 20 points in their final four regular-season games.

• Midland Trail's Challenge: The Patriots will need another monster performance from Jayden Roop to control the clock and keep the ball out of the hands of the dangerous Bluefield offense. Their defense will face a stiff test in trying to contain a Beaver team that can score from anywhere on the field.

💥 Kickoff for this matchup is set for Friday night, November 21st at 7pm in Bluefield. This battle promises to be a thrilling one as Midland Trail looks to prove their first-round victory was no fluke, while Bluefield aims to continue its dominant march toward a state championship.