Bridgeport Coach John Cole has been around a program so used to winning that he’s not thrilled anytime the tag “underdog” is thrown his way. At the same time, Cole also knows what people are saying about his Indians in their quest to win a Class AA state title tonight at Bluefield at Wheeling Island Stadium.

 

“Amongst us, we don’t see it that way and I don’t think our kids, getting to the fourteenth game after the schedule they faced, see it that way either,” said Cole. “Everyone outside of the program, yes, they’re viewing us as the underdogs.”

 

How that plays out will be determined hours from now as the No. 2-ranked Tribe will battle No. 4 Bluefield in Wheeling for the ‘AA’ crown. The two 12-1 teams are set for a 7:08 p.m. kickoff.

 

“They have more talent, athleticism than we do, and we’ve went up against that this year and many times in the past,” said Cole. “The thing a lot of people can point to is Bluefield traveled to (top-ranked and previously unbeaten Fairmont Senior) and beat a team that beat us pretty solidly. Getting a win against that team is never easy, but they had the players to get it done.”

 

The players aren’t just good. The players are Division-1 good.

 

Led by recent West Virginia University commit Sean Martin who had a boatload of Power 5 Conference offers, there are likely a total of five Division 1 players including  seniors J.J. Davis and Jahiem House along with junior Isaiah Johnson who have yet to commit, while Kaulin Parris, who handles kicking and punting, is a preferred walk-on for the Mountaineers.

 

Bridgeport is familiar with many of those players. The Indians last two seasons have ended in the Class AA semifinals in road games at Bluefield.

 

“These seniors, most of them, have played them twice,” said Cole. “They know what they’re up against even though they’re a little bit different team what they do, and I don’t know if that’s good or bad. I do know they have a few more athletes this year making plays, which is a benefit to them.”

 

For much of the last two years, the Indians were focused primarily on the ground game, said Cole. This year, the Tribe must worry about quarterback Carson Deeb and a deep pool of talented receivers.

 

Deeb has completed 166-of-246 passes for 2,601 yards and 32 touchdowns against just six interceptions. He had four touchdowns and 176 yards last week against Fairmont Senior.

 

“He’s good. He’s up there with the best we’ve seen, and we’ve seen a lot this year, including two good ones the last two weeks,” said Cole of the quarterbacks for Mingo Central and Oak Glen. “The thing with (Deeb) is he knows to throw the ball where the receivers can get them. He throws a ball they can run under or one they can go up the ladder and get.”

 

Incredibly, Bluefield has four receivers with 35 or more receptions led by Juwuan Green with 40 catches for 704 yards. Brandon Wiley has 38 receptions for 582 yards and is followed by House with 37 receptions for 579 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns and Jacorian Green with 35 catches for 435 yards.

 

“We have to keep their receivers in front of us and eliminate the big plays running and passing,” said Cole. “I’d like to think that the attacks we’ve faced the last two weeks have helped, but this is a different animal because they don’t need to pass it as much.”

 

The animal comes in blazing speed. Prior to the season, Cole said the lack of overall team speed was a big concern and, at times, it’s caused issues this year.

 

“With their speed, they can hit big plays running or passing,” said Cole. “This is the most talented team with the most speed from A to Z that we’ve faced. That’s what to expect when you get to this point.”

 

As for running the ball, JJ Davis is the main threat. And he’s got the numbers to prove it.

 

Davis has 1,847 yards on 168 carries (11 yards per carry) and has 26 touchdowns as well. He’s been a factor all season for the Beavers.

 

“They’ve got him in space this year. Last year he hurt you at the point of attack or he bounced it out on the second level,” said Cole. “In the spread this year, he’ll have a path and if he doesn’t like it he’ll go elsewhere making it man on man. He was dangerous before that and more dangerous now.”

 

Looking to contain a large part of the offensive attack of Bluefield will be the one-two linebacking punch of Carson Winkie and Trey Pancake. Winkie has been disruptive all year and leads the team with 86 tackles, while Pancake is second on the team with 62 stops.

 

Tackle Michael Watkins has done more than take up space as he has 50 stops for the Tribe. Devin Vandergrift and JT Muller both have 46 stops, while Hayden Moore and Landyn Reppert both top 40 stops with 44 and 42, respectively.

 

While Bluefield’s defense is good all the way around, it’s WVU commit Martin that draws plenty of attention. And for good reason. The 6’6, 255-pound standout is a force.

 

“He’s really good and he was last year. He ran down Jake Bowen in the second level last year and no one had done that and slammed him,” said Cole. “What he can do just isn’t normal and just doesn’t happen at the ‘AA’ level in West Virginia. He’s a handful.”

 

Martin will be looking to stop a BHS offense that is different from the one that Bluefield faced in the 2018 and 2017 semifinals. It’s not different in scheme, but it’s different in the fact that there are no home run hitters like Bowen to content with.

 

“We haven’t consistently run the ball against them the past two years and that’s the issue. We are different in that this is a physical running team and hopefully that’s to our advantage,” said Cole. “We have to chew up clock and have to have our defense play better.

 

“We have to score and limit their possessions,” Cole continued. “The way to do that is back it up with defense and that’s been a problem the last two times against them.”

 

Bridgeport is led offensively by Winkie. Winkie has 926 yards on 168 carries (5.5 per carry), while Trey Pancake has amassed 712 yards on 106 carries (6.7 yards per carry). Brian Henderson has been good for 665 yards on 118 rushes (5.6 yards per carry), while Vandergrift has 501 yards on 65 carries (7.7 yards per carry).

 

The Tribe likely won’t pass much as the team averages less than four attempts per contest. Vandergrift has completed 17-of-36 attempts for 347 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions. Sam Romano is the main target with 11 catches for 298 yards and two scores.

 

As for the team’s health, Cole said all hands are on deck minus Elijah Smith. Smith was lost earlier this year due to season-ending knee surgery.

 

“We’re here as a result of the hard work that started this winter … The kids overcame a tough schedule and got homefield advantage as a result,” said Cole. “It’s an honor to coach these kids for a shot at a title and I’m happy for them because it’s been a really good group to work with.”

 

Bridgeport will be looking for its 10th state title. The Tribe has won the football championship in 1955, 1972, 1979, 1986, 1988, 2000, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows senior Josh Wojociehowicz leading the team out before a game this season, while the second photo shows Devin Vandergrift avoiding the rush of Bluefield's Sean Martin. In the third photo, JJ Davis looks to allude Elijah Smith in last year's semifinial, while Coach John Cole and Bluefield Coach Fred Simon meet after the 2018 contest in the fourth picture. In the fifth photo, Carson Winkie plows ahead for yardage against Oak Glen last Saturday and Cole celebrates the semifinal win with Trey Pancake below.  Photos by Ben Queen and Joey Signorelli of www.benqueenphotography.com.