KEYSER, W.Va. — Mountain Ridge and Keyser find themselves in very similar situations entering their matchup Friday.
Both are 4-4, vying for positioning in their respective playoff classifications. The Golden Tornado, in search of their first postseason berth since 2020, are narrowly on the wrong side of the bubble, and the Miners can clinch a home playoff game with a victory.
The matchup at Alumni and Friends Field at Tornado Alley is scheduled to kickoff at 7 p.m.
“Our message this week has been two things,” Mountain Ridge head coach Nathan Shipe said. “(No.) 1, we control our own destiny. One of our goals is to host a playoff game. We win on Friday night we’ll have the opportunity to host a playoff game. Second thing is discipline and consistency. There are times when we put 2-3 good plays together, then we go backwards.”
The Miners had a lot of those inconsistent moments last week in a 47-27 defeat at Williamsport, a game in which they trailed 34-27 early in the fourth quarter.
Mountain Ridge is currently No. 4 in the Class 1A West Region standings and would host Northern in the region semifinals if the season ended today.
The Miners could dip to fifth with a loss if Allegany and Northern win this week and could rise as high as No. 2 if Allegany and Clear Spring lose.
Keyser is No. 17 in the WVSSAC Class AAA playoff ratings, and the top 16 teams make the postseason in each classification. The Golden Tornado have a golden opportunity for some bonus points tonight.
“In terms of playoff potential, it’s huge,” Keyser head coach Derek Stephen said. “They have won some games, so we’d get a couple bonus points. It can get us into that .500 range where we can get a playoff spot. And for area rights, these guys have been playing each other since the minis all the way through.”
The postseason is one thing that’s eluded Stephen’s team since his first year — a 7-2 finish in 2020 that landed a playoff berth, though the first round game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keyser has finished 5-5 in each of the past three seasons, a span that includes three straight losses to Mountain Ridge by a combined 138-42 (46-14 average). The Tornado still lead the all-time series 9-5.
The teams’ contrasting styles will be something to watch, as Mountain Ridge does the bulk of its damage through the air and Keyser on the ground.
Miners quarterback Carter Clites (1,038 yards, nine touchdowns, seven interceptions) was banged up late last week but is expected to play. Owen McGeady, Levi Clise and Owen Bannon will be held out.
Eli Sibley could have a big game. He enters the bout second locally with 528 yards and eight touchdowns on 38 receptions.
Shipe stressed the importance of establishing the run with Kyree Griffin, which the Miners have had trouble doing for spells this season. Griffin has 561 yards on 91 carries.
“Offensively, we have to run first,” Shipe said. “We’re going to run the ball or die trying. When teams are able to only put six guys in the box and they don’t have to try to sneak the seventh or eighth guy in, there’s a lot of traffic in the secondary. Get Carter open throwing lanes, get him out of the pocket. We have to start fast and get some confidence early in the game.”
Keyser won’t be lacking for confidence after stealing a victory from the jaws of defeat at Moorefield last week.
Jake Anderson, the area’s leading tackler with 118 stops, recovered a Moorefield fumble near the goal line late. A few plays later, Dom Crawford sprung free for a 94-yard touchdown with 52 seconds remaining — the difference in a 42-35 Tornado triumph.
“We have to carry on that momentum, keep the practices that we stacked this week together,” Stephen said. “Keep out-hitting people, keep the effort, keep the intensity going into this week.”
The Tornado rely primarily on three backs: Grayson Lambka (528 yards, eight touchdowns), Crawford (501 yards, four touchdowns) and Cole Holland (432 yards, five touchdowns).
Both coaches highlighted Keyser’s offensive line, which was much-improved last week after a rough outing in a 49-14 loss to Allegany.
“Their offensive line discipline (stood out on film),” Shipe said. “They know where their targets are to open up holes for their backs. Whether they’re running trap, power or sweep.”
“We’re going to have to stay on our blocks,” Stephen said. “We’re going to have to get on guys, finish. Not allow guys to get into the next level. Their front six, they swarm to the football. We know we’re going to have to get a hat on a hat.”
While Mountain Ridge is guaranteed a playoff berth, Keyser is fighting for its life. A loss would require an upset of an unbeaten Frankfort (8-0) in the Mineral Bowl.
Keyser’s senior class has made it a point to get back to the postseason. A win Friday would go a long way.
“Our seniors are really motivated to end that drought,” Stephen said. “They’ve been here through the majority of it. We’ve been right on the outskirts of the playoffs. They’re doing the things that they need to in practice to get us in a position to break that seal.”