Weir, Brooke meet in county line clash
Red Riders look to lock up home field, Bruins a winning season
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WEIRTON -- The annual county line clash between Weir High and Brooke always has a lot of bragging rights on the table.
This year, both teams are playing for even more than the bragging rights.
On the Red Riders side, coach Frank Sisinni's club enteres the contest with an 8-1 mark, riding a five-game winning streak and sitting ranked No. 4 in Class AA. They also lead the OVAC Class 4A rankings.
Within reach, if not already locked up, is locking up a home game in the opening round of the playoffs, a home game that would be the first at the new Jimmy Carey Stadium.
"It's a game we all look forward to, it's a backyard brawl kind of game," Sisinni said. "The county line runs through Weirton and there's a lot of relationships between the players, coaches, families and fans.
"This one has implications for both teams. We're excited to play in another big game.
"There are a lot of playoff points available to us if we take care of business … we have some goals in front of us we can accomplish. Hosting playoff games and winning the OVAC championship would be huge for the program because those are things that go back to the Weir High football tradition."
On the Brooke side, the playoffs may or may not be out of reach as the Bruins enter the game at 5-4 and No. 19 in Class AAA, three spots outside the cut line.
However, any chance they do have requires a win over the Red Riders, which would also clinch a winning season and a third-stright finish at or above the .500 mark.
"I think our playoff chances are pretty slim after the loss to Park (last week), but the thing about a game like Brooke-Weir is whether or not the playoffs are in play for either side there is still a lot on the line and a lot to play for," Brooke head coach Mac McLean said. "It would give us a winning season and that would mean a lot."
The recent history of the 54-year-old series has belonged to the Red Riders, with Weir High winning each of the last seven meetings.
Last year's Red Rider win locked up a return trip to the playoffs.
"It would mean a lot to this group to get one back in the Brooke column," McLean said. "I think it would mean a lot to us to go out as a winner and with more Ws than Ls and with a win over our rivals."
If the Red Riders are going to make it eight straight against the Bruins, one would be safe to assume senior tailback Corey Lyons will play a big part in it as he has racked up 23 touchdowns this season and averages better than 100 yards per game.
Senior QB Malachi Stromile also had a four touchdown night in last week's win over East Liverpool as well.
"Their big play capability is the thing that jumps off the page the most about them," McLean said of the Red Riders. "I've seen several of their opponents on film look like they're doing a good job of slowing them down and next thing you know they hit a big splash play for 40-50 yards.
"They're a multi-faceted offense, coach Sisinni does a good job with them."
While the Bruins are coming off of a tough loss at high-powered Wheeling Park in which they were held to six points, they did put up 47 and 49 points in the two games prior, giving Sisinni's defense a lot to prepare for as well.
"They stumbled last week, but that was against a very good Wheeling Park team," Sisinni said of the Bruins. "But, they put up 40-plus points the previous two weeks, so we know they are capable of exploding.
"Keeping their system in check is going to be our challenge. I know they have some injury issues at quarterback, we're getting ready for both (Braelyn and Ty Sperringer)."