Since the No. 3-ranked and unbeaten Tigers (8-0) are off tonight, Chapmanville's coaches will be able to scout the No. 4 Pioneers (6-1), which are scheduled to play Poca in a Cardinal Conference matchup.
The excitement is already brewing for the Chapmanville-Wayne contest. Chapmanville, which is hoping to secure home field for the Class AA playoffs, are then scheduled to close out the regular season on Nov. 7 at No. 11 Point Pleasant.
Both games are Cardinal Conference contest and will decide who wins the league title.
Chapmanville coach George Barker said the Pioneers will be tough to beat. Wayne beat Chapmanville 41-17 last season at Pioneer Field. The last time the two teams played in Chapmanville was in 2006, when the Tigers lost 26-0 in the "Mud Bowl" game at Tiger Stadium.
Wayne was upset by Point Pleasant, 22-21, earlier in the season for its only defeat so far in the 2008 high school football campaign.
"I've watched Wayne play for about eight years and if you pull out a tape of them eight years ago they look exactly the same," Barker said. "They move well, they are big enough and they are fast enough. They play football really well but the big thing about them is that they execute well. They execute their offense to perfection and their kids give you 100 percent on every play. I don't think as a coach you could ask for anything more. In order for us to play with them we have to match their effort and just see what happens."
The Pioneers have a tradition rich football program.
It's been that way for decades.
Wayne went 12-1 last season and lost to Bluefield in the Class AA state championship game at Wheeling Island Stadium.
The Pioneers were 12-2 and state champs in 2006 when the Pioneers beat county rival Tolsia in the title game.
In 2005, Wayne was 12-1, while in 2004, the Pioneers had a 13-1 record.
Having the week off will also allow Chapmanville to heal up its injuries.
"At this point and time we're in pretty good shape," Barker said. "As far as the starters are concerned we're in pretty decent shape. We're trying to do enough to stay sharp and we're trying to let our injuries heal. We're working more on strength and conditioning and assignments then we are the pounding. It's been proven that these kids are football players, so we're trying to just keep them healthy and keep them mentally and physically sharp."
Chapmanville is hoping to land its first ever home playoff game.
The unbeaten Tiger football teams of 1985 and 1986 earned home field advantage for the playoffs but the old Chapmanville High School football field was not approved for post-season contests by the WVSSAC.
Chapmanville had to play its
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