Michael Tucker admits he was rooting against South Charleston in the last weekend's playoff semifinals, but he's not unhappy with the way things turned out.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Michael Tucker admits he was rooting against South Charleston in the last weekend's playoff semifinals, but he's not unhappy with the way things turned out.
Tucker and his George Washington teammates will square off with SC in the Class AAA championship game at noon Saturday at Wheeling Island Stadium.
The game matches the top two teams in the playoff ratings - the No. 1 Black Eagles (13-0), who have won 15 in a row over the past two seasons, and the No. 2 Patriots (12-1), who have captured 11 straight victories since a one-point loss to SC on Sept. 5.
Tucker, a senior wideout and defensive back, was in attendance Friday night at Laidley Field when SC knocked out Morgantown 34-18. The next day, GW rallied past University 19-17 at Laidley to take the other semifinal and lock up its own spot in the Super Six.
"I was here at the game Friday rooting for Morgantown,'' Tucker said with a smile following Saturday's win. "But I guess I'm glad South Charleston won, because we'll be looking for some payback.''
Most of George Washington's other players who were surveyed - as well as most of South Charleston's - were glad to be locking up with their Kanawha County rivals again. It's the first meeting of Kanawha County teams in the state finals since DuPont and Randy Moss decked Capital 29-3 in 1993.
"This whole tournament,'' said GW senior quarterback Taylor Norman, "we wanted South Charleston to win because we wanted to get them back. We wanted to play them so bad, to get the opportunity to play them again, it's just like a dream. It's picture-perfect to get to play them again.
"We're real big rivals, and after the [first] game, we felt like if we would have done a couple things different, we would have won.''
Tucker was a little more blunt.
"We've got to come out and do exactly what we did,'' he said, "and hope we get some better refs than the last time, and just keep playing our own game.''
South Charleston's players also seemed pleased to meet their county neighbors again.
Sophomore quarterback Tyler Harris wanted GW to win Saturday to set up the all-Kanawha title game.
Why?
"That's our rival,'' he said.
Senior receiver Aaron Dobson nodded in agreement with Harris' assessment.
"We wanted GW again,'' he said. "We're kind of rivals. We're both from down here. We've kind of got a little vibe with each other. So personally, I like it.''
One thing players from both teams could agree on was the thrill and satisfaction of playing in a 14th game - something SC hasn't done since winning the AAA title in 1994, and something GW has never done. When the Patriots claimed their lone state championship in 1982, there weren't 16 teams qualifying and four playoff rounds needed as there are now.
"I've been waiting four years for this,'' Tucker said. "All season, we've wanted to seal the deal and get that 14th game. It just feels wonderful to finally be there.''
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Michael Tucker admits he was rooting against South Charleston in the last weekend's playoff semifinals, but he's not unhappy with the way things turned out.
Tucker and his George Washington teammates will square off with SC in the Class AAA championship game at noon Saturday at Wheeling Island Stadium.
The game matches the top two teams in the playoff ratings - the No. 1 Black Eagles (13-0), who have won 15 in a row over the past two seasons, and the No. 2 Patriots (12-1), who have captured 11 straight victories since a one-point loss to SC on Sept. 5.
Tucker, a senior wideout and defensive back, was in attendance Friday night at Laidley Field when SC knocked out Morgantown 34-18. The next day, GW rallied past University 19-17 at Laidley to take the other semifinal and lock up its own spot in the Super Six.
"I was here at the game Friday rooting for Morgantown,'' Tucker said with a smile following Saturday's win. "But I guess I'm glad South Charleston won, because we'll be looking for some payback.''
Most of George Washington's other players who were surveyed - as well as most of South Charleston's - were glad to be locking up with their Kanawha County rivals again. It's the first meeting of Kanawha County teams in the state finals since DuPont and Randy Moss decked Capital 29-3 in 1993.
"This whole tournament,'' said GW senior quarterback Taylor Norman, "we wanted South Charleston to win because we wanted to get them back. We wanted to play them so bad, to get the opportunity to play them again, it's just like a dream. It's picture-perfect to get to play them again.
"We're real big rivals, and after the [first] game, we felt like if we would have done a couple things different, we would have won.''
Tucker was a little more blunt.
"We've got to come out and do exactly what we did,'' he said, "and hope we get some better refs than the last time, and just keep playing our own game.''
South Charleston's players also seemed pleased to meet their county neighbors again.
Sophomore quarterback Tyler Harris wanted GW to win Saturday to set up the all-Kanawha title game.
Why?
"That's our rival,'' he said.
Senior receiver Aaron Dobson nodded in agreement with Harris' assessment.
"We wanted GW again,'' he said. "We're kind of rivals. We're both from down here. We've kind of got a little vibe with each other. So personally, I like it.''
One thing players from both teams could agree on was the thrill and satisfaction of playing in a 14th game - something SC hasn't done since winning the AAA title in 1994, and something GW has never done. When the Patriots claimed their lone state championship in 1982, there weren't 16 teams qualifying and four playoff rounds needed as there are now.
"I've been waiting four years for this,'' Tucker said. "All season, we've wanted to seal the deal and get that 14th game. It just feels wonderful to finally be there.''
Norman said the disappointment of last year's quarterfinal loss to East Fairmont - after GW had earned the No. 1 seed in the playoffs - motivated his team.
"As soon as last season ended,'' he said, "we were back in the weight the next week, and our motto the whole time was '14 games.' We've been saying that every single day in practice - every single day. It just feels really good to get to 14, and now we just want to finish it off like we want to.''
Blake Brooks, a junior lineman for SC, pointed to a higher authority among the reasons for his team's ascension to the championship game.
"That's Christ,'' he said. "That's brotherhood. That's the coaches up top [in the press box] and the coaches down here [on the sideline].
"And it's the players - every single player out here, from non-starters to a starter. Everybody puts in. It's not just one person on the team, it's the whole team. And from last year to this year, we've just grown like a brotherhood.''
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Reach Rick Ryan at 348-5175 or rickr...@wvgazette.com.
Directions to Wheeling Island Stadium, site of the Super Six prep football championships:
From points west:
1. Exit Interstate 70 at Exit 1-A (W.Va. 2, downtown Wheeling)
2. Traffic flows onto Main Street, a one-way street heading south (to the right)
3. Get into far right lane and turn right at first light, which takes you across the Suspension Bridge
4. At the end of the bridge, turn left onto South Front Street
5. Proceed four blocks to Wheeling Island Stadium. Parking available at Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center lot.
From points east:
1. Exit Interstate 70 at Exit 0 (Wheeling Island)
2. Turn left at first light off exit ramp
3. Follow signs to Wheeling Island Stadium, about eight blocks. Parking available at Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center lot.
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