Dons Topple Knights
Saturday, November 28, 2009
By NICK BEDWAY- The Intelligencer & Wheeling News-Register
Having won 37 games during a three-season period with one game to go this time, the undefeated Weirton Madonna football team shouldn't have had to answer any questions about its legitimacy as a West Virginia Class A power.
But those thoughts were certainly there entering Friday night's playoff semifinal clash against Wheeling Central at Jimmy Carey Stadium.
Were the top-rated Blue Dons good enough to knock off the Maroon Knights, a winner of six state championships in the current decade and the most feared team among all the Class A powers in the Mountain State?
The answer, at least on this occasion, was a resounding yes.
Sparked by their brilliant defense which had shut out seven of their first 12 opponents and an offense orchestrated brilliantly by senior quarterback Max Nogay, the Blue Dons racked up a convincing 18-7 victory to advance to the state finals for the second straight season.
Now 13-0, Weirton Madonna earned itself another opportunity to capture its first state championship since 1987 next Saturday at 7 p.m. against the winner of today's other Single-A semifinal between No. 2-rated Man and No. 3 Richwood.
''This is a special group of kids and I couldn't be prouder of them,'' said veteran coach Bob Kramer admist a jubilant field celebration of Blue Dons fans.
''I certainly never had any questions about whether we could win this game but we know we've still got some more work to do. Our kids and coaches will enjoy this (Friday) but we'll start getting ready on Monday to play one more game next week.''
This will be Weirton Madonna's third appearance in the state championship game at Wheeling Island Stadium since 2004. The Blue Dons lost 34-7 to Wheeling Central, which was starting a string of four straight state titles that year. In 2008, Madonna made it back to finals but lost 23-7 to Williamstown.
While the Blue Dons have the state final to think about, Wheeling Central (9-4) will have to live with a second straight loss in the semifinals, having dropped a 14-13 verdict at Williamstown a year ago.
''It's a sick feeling to lose two straight years one game short of making it to the finals,'' Maroon Knights coach Mike Young said. ''Madonna played a heckuva game and we certainly hope they win it all. We told their kids and coaches that we will be rooting for them.''
The story of last night's game centered around three issues.
The Blue Dons defense limited Central to 101 yards rushing on 32 carries. Quarterback Nogay's workmanlike ball carrying saw him rush for 135 yards on 30 carries. He scored two touchdowns on a pair of 1-yard runs and fired a 15-yard pass into the end zone where Madonna's exciting playmaker Connor Arlia made a terrific diving catch for a six-pointer in the third quarter.
Also figuring into the victory by the hosts was an incredible special teams mistake that turned some building Central momentun back in the Blue Dons corner.
After the Maroon Knights had reduced the Madonna lead to 12-7 on a 45-yard touchdown toss from Zach Hood to Jordan Sorge early in the fourth quarter, Central forced a three-and-out and was looking to get the ball back in good field position. However, A.J. Klein's punt took a bounce near midfield and rolled toward the Maroon Knights goal line when Sorge inexplicably touched it. Arlia alertly made the recovery at the Central 32 to give the Blue Dons another scoring opportunity.
Although Sorge redeemed himself by dropping Klein for a 2-yard loss on fourth down at the Maroon Knights' 15 a few minutes later, the momentum swing was obvious.
Central was forced to punt from its own 25, giving the ball back to the hosts at their own 44 witth just 5:20 left. From there, the Blue Dons methodically moved in for the clinching touchdown, helped out by a facemask penalty on third-and-5 that resulted in a first down at the Maroon Knights 26.
Nogay twice picked up criticial stick-movers on third-down plays, the second run placing the ball inside the 1.
Down to its last timeout and with the clock at 1:37, Young admitted he sent in a 'kamikaze' call, meaning the Maroon Knights would allow Nogay to score untouched on the next play. Although it put the lead out to 11 points, Young pointed out that it was the only way to prevent the Blue Dons from running out the clock.
''The only hope we had was to get a big kick return, score in a hurry and hope we could get the ball back on an onside kick,'' he said.
That last glimmer of hope ended when Hood's desperation deep pass was intercepted by Ed Nogay at the Madonna 25, allowing the the delighted Blue Dons to run out the
clock.
''The mistake on the punt really hurt because of the way it turned the field position around in their favor,'' Young said.
Central's chances also took a decided turn for the worse late in the second quarter when junior rushing standout Marcus Clifford injured his ankle and was unable to return to the game.
''Our injuries finally caught up to us,'' Young said.
The Maroon Knights went into the game without their most sure-handed receiver Johnny Belancic, who remains hospitalized after sustaining two broken ribs and a lung injury last week. Another Central receiver and free safety McKenzie Peluchette also went into the hospital earlier Friday afternoon with what was reported as an appendix issue.
''But, Madonna certainly played well enough to win. Give them the credit they deserve,'' Young added.
Still, both defenses dominated the first half, which was scoreless until the Blue Dons put together a 68-yard, nine-play drive that ended with QB Nogay picking a spot on the right side of the line to score from a yard out with 54 seconds on the clock.
Late in the third quarter with the score still at 6-0, Madonna drove 69 yards, highlighted by a 42-yard keeper run down the right sideline by Nogay, who was shoved out of bounds on a TD-saving tackle by Alex Gompers at the Central 13. With the ball back at the 15 two plays later, Nogay lofted the pass that Arlia pulled in near the back of the end zone, extending the lead to 12-0.
The play of Madonna's secondary had a lot to do with keeping Central off the scoreboard until Sorge split two defenders on his 45-yard TD catch.
