FRIENDS OF COAL FOOTBALL CLASSIC LIVE BLOG 09.01.08

 

Colin Dunlap | Monday, Sept. 1, 2008

WHEELING, W.Va.

2:47 p.m. -- First off: Glenville 34, Thomas Jefferson 13 FINAL

Some game highlights: Robert Walton ran for 134 yards for Glenville, Brian Baldrige led TJ with 78 yards rushing. The biggest stat: Glenville amassed 416 yards of offense, TJ mustered 274.

All in all, and Bill Cherpak said it in the postgame press conference, TJ won't see a team all year in PIAA Class AAA competition with the mixture of size and speed that Glenville had.

2:10 p.m. -- Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick .... Glenville is chewing up the clock, putting together first down after first down via the ground. Looks like it is just a matter of time.

             Glenville 28, Thomas Jefferson 13 -- 4:56 left in the 4th quarter

2:05 p.m. -- While Thomas Jefferson is still in this game, their chances are dwindling by the second. They just got nothing on another offensive possession and had to punt. Glenville now has the ball on their own 25 with 8:06 left...if they score here, it is over.

2:00 p.m. -- Truth be told, TJ is still in this game, even as it looks as if they have been grossly overplayed.

             Glenville 28, Thomas Jefferson 13, end of 3rd quarter

1:44 p.m. -- And there is the counterpunch. And the TJ fans just got reeeeeeeeaaaaaaal quiet, reeeeeeeeaaaaaaal quick. After the TJ score (and iffy call on the ensuing kickoff), Glenville stormed right down the field. The drive was capped off by a short run from Ethan Cargill for the Glenville score.

            Glenville 28, Thomas Jefferson 13, 5:26, 3rd quarter

1:38 p.m. --- Kind of an iffy call on the kickoff just after the TJ touchdown. TJ's Steve Licht came up on the cover team and hammered the Glenville returner, popping the ball loose at about the 20. But the officials said the ground caused the fumble. Did it? Didn't it? I can't say yes or no, I mean, I am sitting way up here in the press box. But I will say that TJ coach Bill Cherpak was furious with the officials for not ruling a fumble. Take that for what it is worth.

1:35 p.m. --- TOUCHDOWN THOMAS JEFFERSON. Brian Baldrige just punched it in from the 3 over the left side of the line. We have a game, ladies and gentlemen. TJ refuses to fade. Now, if they want to win, they need a stop (or two, or three).

          Glenville 21, Thomas Jefferson 13, 8:41, 3rd quarter

1:30 p.m. --- Second half kickoff. TJ receives.

1:09 p.m.

HALFTIME

21

 

6

 

12:53 p.m. -- When it looked like TJ was about to draw even -- or at least closer -- the Jaguars were done-in by a bit of a bad decision. TJ had driven deep into Glenville territory, and had a 2nd-and-goal on the 6. The play broke down and, rather than throwing it away, the competitor in Tyler Wehner kept the play alive (to his credit) but he scrambled, threw off his back foot and threw an INT in the end zone.

Just a few plays after, Glenville made them pay. Michael Edwards caught a 47-yard TD, the point after was good and here we stand:

             Glenville 21, Thomas Jefferson 6, 1:15 2nd quarter.

12:47 p.m. -- TJ has Glenville on their heels now. Total momentum shift. The Jaguars have the ball on a first-and-goal on the Glenville 6 with 3:06 to play before halftime.

To be quite honest, Glenville is having some trouble defending TJ tight end Brock DeCicco, who even when he doesn't catch the ball, is drawing a large amount of attention.

12:43 p.m. -- To their credit, TJ has their feet under them now and the Jaguars have not been frazzled too much. They are moving the ball on this offensive series and have broken into Glenville territory. With about 7 minutes left, TJ has a first down on the Glenville 38.

12:34 p.m. -- End of the first quarter, Glenville 14, Thomas Jefferson 6.

Some thoughts:

*It is very clear that Thomas Jefferson is the team playing in its first game of the year, while Glenville has a week under their belts. Glenville is, flat-out, sharper.

*Speed, speed, speed. Glenville has so much, they look like a team from South Florida.

*TJ quarterback Tyler Wehner is still working to grasp the offense.

If you have a comment or question about today's games, or just a general comment or question, e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

12:26 p.m. -- BAM! Just like that Glenville shows that while everyone talks about its size, it is probably their speed advantage that is their biggest upside against a team like TJ. Michael Edwards ran a deft post-route leaving TJ corner Dan Virgin fooled (and playing catch-up). It all ended up with a Glenville 39-yard score.

     Glenville 14, Thomas Jefferson 6, 2:29 1st.

12:15 p.m. -- Good news, bad news for TJ. QB Tyler Wehner threw a masterful ball to Dan Virgin on a fourth down play for a 14-yard touchdown to narrow it to 7-6. But, that is where it stayed because kicker Mike Wainauskis pushed the point after wide. 

            Glenville 7, Thomas Jefferson 6 --- 6:21 1st.

12:07 p.m. -- TJ is rallying back nicely after the initial shock of getting scored on. The Jaguars have pushed the ball across midfield on their first series. As it is now, TJ has a second-and-5 at Glenville's 44.

12 noon -- Bad news for TJ, already. On the very first offensive play, Glenville QB Terrence Owens hit Shane Wynn for a 50-yard gainer. Then, three plays after that RB Ethan Cargill punched it in from the 2.

               Glenville 7, Thomas Jefferson 0 --- 10:54 1st.

11:59 a.m. -- About to get it underway. TJ will kickoff to Glenville.

11:31 a.m. -- As I watch pregame warmups, what roars through my head is, well, what was expected --- Thomas Jefferson's opponent, Glenville, Ohio, is big, VERY big. On our Varsity Video show this week leading up to the game, I picked Thomas Jefferson to win. I'm sticking with that, but, uh, I don't know.

11:22 a.m. -- We are here in Wheeling. The first thought: what a beautiful stadium, tremendous place. As our Post-Gazette contingent walked in (myself, Mike White and Bob Schwerin) we were met by Thomas Jefferson coach Bill Cherpak. Immediately Cherpak said, "This would be the perfect kind of venue for a state championship."

Indeed.

If you have a comment or question about today's games, or just a general comment or question, e-mail me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.