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Chapmanville hopes to make it 5-0
by PAUL ADKINS, Sports Editor
3 years ago | 258 views | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend | print
CHAPMANVILLE - There's extra incentives for the Chapmanville Regional High School football team in this year's game with Logan.

As if you didn't already have enough to play for.

There's the usual storylines - bragging rights over a county rival, playing for the county championship and momentum gained by beating someone just 10 miles down the road.

But this year's Chapmanville vs. Logan game has an added kick for the Tigers.

Since Logan has rejoined the Triple-A ranks for the first time in six years, Double-A Chapmanville has a chance to pick up some extra points in the computer rankings.

Chapmanville (4-0) comes into the game ranked No. 3 in the state in Double-A.

Under the WVSSAC's ratings system, six points are awarded for a win over a Class A team, nine for a 2A squad and 12 for a victory over a 3A team.

Every point counts.

And as the season progresses, the Tigers will need every point if they want to reach the playoffs for the second year in a row and keep in the running for a home post-season game.

Since the top eight teams host a home playoff game, Chapmanville needs a win on Friday night over Logan to stay on par. The Tigers haven't hosted a home post-season contest since their unbeaten seasons in 1985 and 1986.

Chapmanville is off to its best start since the back-to-back undefeated seasons and would like nothing more than to keep the train going strong along the tracks.

Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Logan Stadium.

The Wildcats come into the game with a 2-1 mark after losing 21-7 last week at Double-A Herbert Hoover. Chapmanville won 28-12 at home last week over Cardinal Conference foe Poca.

Chapmanville trails the all-time series with Logan 5-2 but the Tigers won last year's meeting, 13-12, at home.

CRHS coach George Barker said it is no doubt a big game for the Tigers on Friday night in so many ways.

"We're excited about where we are," said Barker, who coached at Logan for a long time after initially leaving his alma mater Chapmanville and then returning in 2004. "I hope that we go to Logan and play a good game. We're excited about being there and we're excited about playing Logan."

Coupled with its 14-12 season opening victory over Man, Logan has a shot at regaining the county championship with a win over the Tigers.

Chapmanville, which won last year's county crown, can also take the title with a victory over Logan and a win later in the season at home over Man.

Barker said Logan, coached by his former assistant coach at LHS, Gary Mullins, has a good team.

The Wildcats are led by quarterback Derrick Perrin, who stepped into the position two weeks ago when sophomore starter David Brown was lost with a broken arm.

"We have to play our responsibilities. I look for it a lot like playing Scott last year with Jordan Roberts," Barker said about going against the athletic Perrin. "We can't forget about anybody else but we have to be aware of where he is and what he's doing with the ball."

Barker said the Chapmanville-Logan series has been a good one.

The Tigers and Wildcats had scrimmaged before in the past but did not play for real until 2001.

The only other win by Chapmanville in the series found Coach Barker on the short end of the stick at the visiting side of the field at Tiger Stadium. That was when the then Ronnie Ooten-led Chapmanville Tigers upset Barker's Wildcats 20-14 in the 2003 CHS Homecoming Game.

"I was very much in favor of the series when I was at Logan," said Barker, who led Chapmanville to an 8-4 record last year and first-round playoff victory. "Now I'm down here at Chapmanville I really like the game. We like playing each other I think. The schools get excited about the ballgame and there are really good crowds. I think that it's just a natural game."

Last year's game was a barnburner at Chapmanville as the Tigers squeaked out the one-point win. It was also the same game when Perrin injured his neck and was lost for the season.

The series has not always produced close games. Logan has scored blowout wins in a few of the matchups.

The 2002 Chapmanville at Logan game was attended by Hollywood actor Leslie Nielsen of Naked Gun game.

After Barker stepped down as Logan's coach at the end of the 2003 season, Mullins was his replacement. Barker then went back home to Chapmanville where he had coached before.

Barker coached Mullins at Logan and also was his boss on the LHS coaching staff. He said Mullins is a good football coach.

"I had Gary as a player," he said. "He started with me as a coach. He's a real hard worker and has a passion for the game. Coaching against him is like having a good friend over there. You want him to do well but you want to beat him, too. I want him to have success but in this game it's a little bit different."

Chapmanville is led by running backs Joey Stevens and David Wiley and a host of others.

Senior Todd Terry and sophomore Josh Easterling have split time at quarterback.

Derek Basadre is one of the leaders for Chapmanville on defense.

Barker said he's not sure if anyone will be out on Friday night due to injury. A few players were banged up last week, including Jake Nelson.

"It's hard to say right now," he said. "We've got a couple of bumps and bruises and it's day to day. We don't know the status right now of Jake Nelson, who has a sprained ankle. There's a lot of time from Friday to Friday. We'll just wait and see."

Friday night's game will also be Logan High School's annual Hall of Fame Game. Last week's contest with Poca was Chapmanville's Hall of Fame Game.

The Tigers have 10.25 ratings points this week behind No. 1 Grafton (4-0) with 11.25 points and No. 2 Keyser (3-0) with 10.33 points.

Chapmanville is tied for third with Cardinal Conference foe Wayne, last year's Class AA state runner-up, which is 4-0 heading into Friday night's action.

Ravenswood (3-0) was fifth, while Philip Barbour (3-1) was sixth and Scott (3-1) and Shady Spring (3-1) were tied for seventh.

Braxton County (3-1) was ninth, while Liberty Raleigh (3-1), Tolsia (3-1) and Weir (3-1) were all tied for 10th place.

Frankfort (3-1) and Greenbrier West (3-1) were tied for 13th, while James Monroe (2-1), Wyoming East (2-1) and Webster County (3-1) were tied for 15th.

Cardinal Conference teams Point Pleasant (2-2) and Herbert Hoover (1-3) were in 20th and 21st place respectively. Another Cardinal team, Sissonville (1-3), was in a 22nd place tie with Independence, Ritchie County and Tyler Consolidated.

The sixth and final Cardinal team, Poca (0-4) was tied for last in 28th place with winless teams Liberty Harrison, Lincoln, Mount View, Oak Hill, Petersburg, Roane County, Sherman, Summers County and Tug Valley.
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