Dec. 5—CHARLESTON-For the primary time in 20 years, the Morgantown Excessive soccer crew captured the state championship.
The Mohigans defeated Martinsburg 28-21 within the Class AAAA state championship on Laidley Subject on the College of Charleston stadium on Saturday afternoon to assert this system’s first title since 2005.
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Trailing 28-21 with 10 seconds to go within the recreation, Martinsburg confronted a 4th down within the pink zone on the eight-yard line when junior quarterback Brian Dick spiked the ball, turning the ball over and ending the sport as Morgantown sophomore quarterback Maddox Twigg took a knee to finish the competition.
The Bulldogs did have a play known as from the sideline designed for a go to standout receiver Boston Todd, however they did not get it going because the ball hit the bottom.
Twigg completed with 316 yards and 4 touchdowns offensively, with 181 yards and a rating by way of the air and 135 yards and three touchdowns on 19 dashing makes an attempt.
It is the primary state championship for Morgantown head coach Sean Biser in his profession, and the primary for this system in twenty years.
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“This has been a very long time coming, and we have labored so onerous to make it so far, ” Biser mentioned. “It is not simply me, however these assistant coaches, our households, everyone. It is not only one particular person in relation to this program, and to have the ability to get that win feels superb.”
Martinsburg opened the sport with an early mistake, as its second play from scrimmage led to a fumble recovered by Morgantown on the Bulldogs’ 45-yard line. The Mohigans transformed a Third-and-10, however a fourth-down run got here up brief on the 13.
Martinsburg responded with a gradual, run-heavy drive behind Boston Todd, pushing the ball to midfield earlier than stalling on a long-yardage scenario and punting.
Pinned deep, Morgantown flipped the sphere immediately when Twigg discovered Carter Cooper for a 62-yard achieve to arrange the primary rating of the evening. Two performs later, Twigg powered in from 20 yards, placing MHS forward 6 — 0.
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Martinsburg’s subsequent collection was marred by penalties, together with consecutive false begins, forcing one other punt. Morgantown closed the quarter with a 6 — 0 benefit, pushed by 124 whole yards from Maddox Twigg alone.
“I believe we had been extra able to play right this moment than the primary time we noticed them, ” Twigg mentioned. “We did not begin too scorching final day out, and I believe the distinction right this moment was simply how onerous we labored and devoted ourselves to successful this recreation. I could not do any of it with out my brothers.”
The Bulldogs blended Todd and Dick successfully on an 11-play, five-minute march that reached the objective line. After two stops, Dick broke by way of for a 1-yard landing, giving Martinsburg a 7 — 6 lead with 3:05 left within the half.
Twigg wasted no time answering. Ranging from his personal 10, he transformed two third downs along with his legs earlier than firing a sideline strike to Tanzer George on Third-and-10. On the subsequent snap, he hit Jayden Smalls for 32 yards to the two, then scored his second dashing TD of the half, pushing Morgantown again in entrance 14 — 7 with 22 seconds remaining.
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Martinsburg then fumbled the following kickoff, and Morgantown capitalized instantly as Twigg linked with George for a 21-yard landing with three seconds left. MHS took a 21 — 7 lead into halftime with 15 unanswered factors within the ultimate 22 seconds.
“That was a terrific swing for us, it is onerous to beat a crew that comes out of the locker room scorching within the second half, ” Twigg mentioned.
Morgantown picked up proper the place it left off to start the second half, as Cooper returned the second-half kickoff throughout midfield. Twigg transformed two short-yardage conditions on the bottom, together with a 14-yard burst, then briefly exited with an harm earlier than returning to complete the drive himself. His 9-yard landing run (his fourth TD of the evening) prolonged the result in 28 — 7 on the 7:07 mark.
Martinsburg lastly discovered a solution when Dick broke free for a 28-yard scoring run, reducing the deficit to twenty-eight — 14 with 3:41 left within the third after a earlier future was worn out by holding.
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The Bulldogs’ protection compelled a punt on Morgantown’s subsequent collection, however the Mohigans returned the favor, stopping Martinsburg on Third-and-6 and surviving a muffed punt that they finally recovered.
Morgantown carried a 28 — 14 lead into the fourth quarter.
“We needed our guys to come back out and maintain taking part in how they at all times do, ” Biser mentioned of his message to the crew getting into the fourth quarter. “Play this play. Don’t fret concerning the subsequent play till it comes ; simply maintain taking part in this play, and don’t fret about successful. That is what we have informed these youngsters from day one. Block and deal with, child.”
The Bulldogs minimize the Morgantown result in one rating, 28-21, with 4:30 to go. With 1:52 left within the recreation, the Mohigans punted the ball away, giving Martinsburg simply over 90 seconds to both lengthen or finish the sport.
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The Bulldogs drove all the way in which to the pink zone earlier than the fourth-down spike by Dick that turned the ball over on downs, and Twigg took a knee to finish the sport.
“It feels superb, ” Twigg mentioned. “Initially of the 12 months, we actually felt a little bit shaky coming into the season, however after the primary week or so, we actually knew we had a terrific soccer crew, and one that would make it so far. I am proud to be part of this crew and might’t wait to have a good time with my brothers.”
BOX SCORE Morgantown 28, Martinsburg 21 MART 0 7 7 7 — 21 MORG 6 15 7 0 — 28 SCORING SUMMARY MORG — Twigg 20 run (PAT no good)
MART — Dick 1 run (Paige kick)
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MORG — Twigg 2 run (2pt good /Twigg run)
MORG — George 21 go /Twigg (Petsko kick)
MORG — Twigg 4 run (Petsko kick)
MART — Dick 28 run (Paige kick)
MART — Cofield 3 run (Paige kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING: Martinsburg — Dick 26-95-2TD, Myers 3-25, Mcdonald-Gibson 6-19, Todd 3-9, Cofield 3-8-TD, Ricketts 1-0. Morgantown — Twigg 19-135-3TD, Lockett 3-6, Thompson 6-(-1), Cooper 3-(-14).
PASSING: Martinsburg — Dick 13 /18-177. Morgantown — Twigg 7 /17-181-TD.
RECEIVING: Martinsburg — Todd 11-136, Walley 1-36, Ricketts 1-5. Morgantown — Cooper 4-99, George 3-82-TD.
