
Photo by Neal Smith
Williamstown’s Colt Hesson (4) dives for the pylon to rating a touchdown during a substantial college football video game versus Ravenswood before this period.

WILLIAMSTOWN — A thing is likely to give Saturday night time when major-ranked James Monroe and No. 2 Williamstown meet in the Class A condition championship match at Wheeling Island Stadium.
James Monroe (13-) pitched 5 shutouts through the regular period and restricted 10 of its 13 opponents to 7 factors or a lot less — which includes previous week’s 27-7 semifinal get around Wheeling Central Catholic.
The Mavericks will have their palms full with a Williamstown unit which is averaged almost 45 factors per recreation while closing out the normal season at 8-1. The Yellowjackets (11-1), who shed to Ritchie County in the title recreation a calendar year in the past, have continued to score details in abundance in the postseason. In three postseason game titles, they have outscored their opponents, 151-33.
Game time for Saturday in Wheeling is set for 7 p.m.
“I definitely like our talent gamers — they are functional and they can all make plays,” Williamstown mentor Chris Beck explained. “We will just have to see what is effective. The good thing about these fellas — they are selfless.
“We just need to have to prep like we normally do and get our children in the finest position to be successful and locating matchups that it’s possible give us the very best likelihood to be effective. Our offensive line has to enjoy at a really large amount Saturday evening.”
Whilst Williamstown is trying to get the school’s third state title in football, James Monroe is trying to protected its initial because the soccer application was set into area in 1994. The Mavericks’ lone look in the Super 6 resulted in a 20-12 reduction to Bluefield in the 2007 Course AA championship sport.
This season, protection is what James Monroe hangs its hat on.
“The gameplan my defensive coordinator came up with for Wheeling Central, the little ones adopted it to a ‘T’ — and they have been accomplishing that all calendar year,” James Monroe coach John Mustain, who is in his next stint with the software. He coached from 2013-17 then retired from educating and coaching at the university then returned very last year.
“These guys are a defensive minded bunch, and I feel they get a great deal of satisfaction in it,” Mustain reported. “It’s sort of snowballed from the 1st pair of games. Thank goodness we shut out Pendleton County for the reason that we only conquer them 6-.
“Williamstown has a fantastic defensive device, also. They are a solid staff.”
Williamstown’s path to this year’s condition championship video game opened with a seven-activity win streak, which was snapped when Ohio Division VI Remaining 4 qualifier Fort Frye defeated the Yellowjackets 30-20 — the fewest details scored by Williamstown in any a single activity this year.
Past Friday at Stadium Industry in a 53-21 semifinal acquire in opposition to Doddridge County, Williamstown operating back again Rickie Allen rushed for 142 yards and 4 touchdowns, even though quarterback Maxwell Molessa added an additional 142 yards on the floor with a person passing TD in addition to a single TD reception.
On the year, Allen has received 1,228 yards and scored 20 TDs. Molessa’s numbers include 767 yards and 11 TDs on the ground when throwing for an additional 632 yards and 7 TDs. The junior has nevertheless to be picked off in 62 move attempts.
In order to benefit from the flexibility of Molessa, Williamstown can place Colt Hesson powering middle. Hesson has responded with 464 yards by way of the air and six TDs.
Defensively, Allen sets the pace at linebacker with his team-high 70 tackles. The Yellowjackets also count intensely on the likes of linemen Harbor Haught and Aiden Corbett. Haught has registered 13 tackles for loss, while Corbett averages 5.3 tackles per match to go with his a few sacks.
“The fellas have climbed a heck of a mountain to get in this article,” Beck claimed. “They have to choose that remaining stage to the major and grab the flag, and that’s what this final week is — getting the final stage.
“We won our semifinal recreation past yr and it was fairly the celebration. All people was excited to perform in the state championship. This year, it was a great deal extra subdued. We know we have a tall process. James Monroe is rated No. 1 for a motive. We know we are enjoying a great crew and we will have our fingers whole.”
James Monroe’s defense hinges on its core of linebackers (Cooper Ridgeway, Granger Gore, Ethan Ganoe and Hayden Parker).
“I’m not certain Hayden is 140 kilos soaking wet, but that child can bring it.,” Mustain reported.
The secondary of Eli Allen, Braydie Carr, Chaz Boggs, together with Nick Pitzer is not way too shabby both.
“I told MetroNews the other working day that my young ones are kind of a goofy bunch and a enjoyment bunch, also — but they know when to get targeted,” Mustain stated. “I simply cannot get a read on them. It’s possible we really don’t need to and just enable them go perform.”
Even however the respective educational facilities are 3 1/2 hrs apart, Mustain is familiar with the accomplishment of athletics at Williamstown Higher University and the Mid-Ohio Valley in general. For numerous decades, he worked at the yearly Reds Legend Camp in Marietta.
“I’ve recognized about Williamstown for years,” Mustain said “I coached towards in opposition to girls basketball mentor Fred Sauro some 20 a long time in the past. I imagine the globe of him. I imagine the planet of the group up there.”
Both of those packages have proud traditions in the sport of soccer. James Monroe is producing its 18th playoff overall look, though the Yellowjackets have not missed qualifying for the postseason considering the fact that the change of the century. Williamstown’s past state titles happened in 2008 and 2014.
“The guys have a pretty workmanlike mind-set this calendar year extra so than past yr,” Beck said. “Last 12 months, I assume they tried out to verify they belonged. This yr, they are far more at ease in their possess skin and what they want to do.”
Call Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com





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