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As Donavan steps out, little brother Sebastian looks to step in

FAIRMONT — As one era closes at Weir High, another is just beginning.

Senior and first-year quarterback Donavan Spencer wrapped up his football career with Saturday’s Class AA quarterfinal loss at Fairmont Senior.

“It stinks,” he said. “It hurts that it’s over and it’s going to sting for a long time. I just hope to move on to bigger and better things.”

The 30-15 setback against the Polar Bears saw two Spencers on the field, as was the case for most of the season for the Red Riders.

Donavan threw the passes, while little brother Sebastian returned the kicks.

“We’re best friends,” said Sebastian, a freshman. “We were inseparable this summer. We were working on things together and he helped me get better.”

Along with older brother Bryant, now 28 and living in Morgantown, the Spencers have grown up together playing in the living room and backyard. So, seeing time together at Jimmy Carey Stadium this season was a dream come true for the brothers.

“It was the best thing I could have asked for,” Sebastian said. “I couldn’t wait to make it to the varsity level to play with my big brother. As a freshman, I knew I had to prove myself and Donavan pushed me each time out in games and practices.”

Donavan was the top rusher at East-West Stadium on Saturday with 126 yards on 16 carries.

He had seven rushes of 15 yards or more and threw for another 36 yards on five completions.

While the Red Riders came up empty-handed on 11 possessions against the Polar Bears, Spencer led an offense that punched it in the end zone on its final two drives of the game.

Spencer handed the ball off to fellow senior Domenick Murphy who scored on a 1-yard run at the 4:28 mark of the fourth quarter and a 4-yard run with 35 seconds left in regulation.

“It was bittersweet,” Donavan said of the final score on his final high school drive. “It makes it all feel a little better. It would have just been better if we won.”

The Red Riders also lost to Fairmont Senior in the regular season. Again, at East-West Stadium, the Polar Bears picked up a 20-3 victory against Weir in Week 7.

“It was the same tough, big and physical team,” Donavan said. “They’re so good and disciplined.”

That doesn’t mean he didn’t want to play the Polar Bears. Quite the opposite, actually.

“I love playing them, honestly,” Donavan said. “They were probably the two most-fun games of my life. Of course, we wanted to win them and we believed we could. It was just a challenge each time out.”

Fairmont Senior, led up front by another pair of brothers, Division I recruits in Darius and Dante Stills, put pressure on the Weir backfield all day. The Polar Bears had four quarterback sacks and forced three turnovers.

“I was trying to make something happen each time I touched the ball,” Donavan said. “When I dropped back and felt pressure, I knew I had to be ready to move. I had to scramble and go. I did the best I could.”

Added Red Riders coach Tony Filberto, “They’re good up front, but they’re good beyond the front in a lot of places.”

With the end of the fall season, most of Weir’s athletes move on to other sports. That includes Donavan and Sebastian.

“I can’t wait for track season,” Donavan said. “I want to repeat down in Charleston. I want to win states again. It won’t be easy but I’m determined to do it.”

Sebastian will be in action earlier with basketball season right around the corner.

“I’m already running and hitting the gym to get bigger,” he said. “I’m working on my shot.”

He knows he has a shot on next year’s football team, too.

“I’m going to be a factor on the team,” Sebastian said. “We graduated a lot of great senior leaders, but we have some good young talent here.”

Donavan has plans to become a student-athlete in college. What sport he’ll play and where e’ll go still remains to be seen. He’s leaning on refining his sprinting career at the next level, but he doesn’t want to stray too far from home.

“I’m already worried about going away to college,” he said. “I’m going to miss Sebastian so much. I don’t want to leave him.”

What he does leave in Weirton are a legacy to protect and big shoes to fill.

“I want to carry on what Donavan did,” Sebastian said. “I’m just trying to do all I can do.”

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