Weir has another big game at home
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WEIRTON -- The last time Weir High played at home, it had a big match up with a lot of Class AA playoff race implications.
That will again be the case for the Red Riders on Friday night when they return home to host Keyser.
Weir High, which had been as high as No. 4 in the rankings after defeating then-No. 2 Frankfort, suffered its first loss of the season last week in a close game at Union Local and now sits at No. 9 in the rankings.
The Golden Tornado, which bring a 3-1 record to Weirton, are ranked No. 12, setting up another battle of teams in the the thick of the playoff race.
"It's another big game for us with some points on the line," Weir High head coach Frank Sisinni said. "It's another tough challenge for us. It's homecoming week, we've got to be focused and ready for the task at hand because this is another strong opponent coming in here.
"This is another game we need to perform in if we're going to get to the playoff scenarios we want to be in."
Aside of also being a team in the playoff race, Keyser is similar to Frankfort in the style it plays.
"They're nearly a spitting image of Frankfort with the Wing-T system," Sisinni said of the Golden Tornado. "They're very methodical in what they do, they do a great job of running their offense. It's more of a tempo offense that jumps in and out of some spread looks.
"This is the third Wing-T offense we have faced, so we're familiar with it. We've had success against it and it starts in practice. Our scout team had a feel for it and has been running it because of the opponents we've faced so they've given us some good looks and helped us do the things we want to do defensively."
The Red Riders offense was slowed a bit in the 20-13 loss at Union Local. For the season, the Red Riders average 30 points per game. The Red Rider defense is holding opponents to 13.6 points per game.
"We feel like we left one down there," Sisinni said of the loss. "We were driving down on the 10 and fumbled it. If we're going to be a championship team, or even a playoff team, we have to finish those kinds of drives.
"There were a lot of mistakes that we made. That was part of the process this weekend, we got together as a staff to correct what we need to work on going forward.
"Give a lot of credit to Union Local and their staff, they had a great game plan and executed it."
Senior QB Malachi Stromile is averaging a little more than 100 passing yards and just under 50 rushing yards per game and has accounted for nine touchdowns. His dual-threat ability has expanded as the season has gone on as he carried the ball a season-high 12 times last week. He's ran the ball 25 times in the last three games after rushing just once in the first two games.
Tailback Corey Lyons averages over 100 yards per game and is among the top-15 of OVAC rushers so far this season, finding the end zone 10 times. He had 130 yards in the loss to Union Local and averages over six yards per carry.
When the Red Riders go to the air, Devan Colson is the leading target with a team-leading eight catches and at least one catch in all five games. Colin "G" Cross is the leader in yards (125) and touchdowns (two) in the receiving corps.
The Golden Tornado also have an offense that has been successful, averaging 31.8 points per game. On defense, Keyser allows a nearly identical total to the Red Riders at 13.3 points per game.
Keyser has defeated Robert C. Byrd 28-0 at home and Berkeley Springs (58-14) and Hampshire (38-14) on the road. The Tornado dropped a 25-7 decision to Hedgesville in Week 2 at home for its only loss.
The Red Riders are 3-0 at home.
The Golden Tornado have won the last four meetings between the teams, the last of which occurred in 2019. However, the schools are no stangers in other sports, especially in the post season.
"Keyser is a school that, with the way Region 1 is laid out, we have seen at Weir High in a lot of different sports, whether it's been basketball, baseball, softball, and now football again," Sisinni said. "We have a relationship them and the schools out in the Eastern Panhandle. We're happy to have them back on the schedule."