Pivotal test awaits: Doddridge meets Frankfort in semifinals | News, Sports, Jobs

Doddridge County players celebrate after a big play during a game against Williamstown earlier this season. (Photo by Nikki Allen)

WEST UNION — Doddridge County head coach Bobby Burnside felt like his team proved something to the rest of the state last Friday night.

The fifth-seeded Bulldogs made the three-hour trip to take on fourth-seeded Independence in the Class AA state quarterfinals and came away with a 38-27 victory. Despite entering the matchup undefeated, not many people expected DCHS to make it past that game.

“I feel like we answered a lot of tests,” Burnside said after the game. “I just know they have a lot of heart.”

Now, Doddridge faces an even tougher test. At 7 p.m. today, the Bulldogs will try to knock off top-seeded and defending state champion Frankfort for a spot in the championship round.

Doddridge has advanced past the state semis just twice (1978 and 2019) in program history.

The Falcons are a load, though, as Williamstown (49-7) and Mingo Central (50-15) found out in the first two rounds. Doddridge also owns victories over both those teams in the regular season, though the scores were much closer (Doddridge 40, Williamstown 26; Doddridge 34, Mingo Central 14).

Doddridge has an explosive offense, but it will probably have to keep Frankfort from scoring 40-plus to have a shot. The Falcons surrendered more than 20 points in a game just twice all season, but never gave up more than 25. The Bulldogs haven’t scored fewer than 34 since a 21-7 win over Petersburg on Oct. 3. Since then, DCHS is averaging 42.3 points per game.

Frankfort possesses a plethora of weapons out of the backfield. Quarterback Blake Jacobs manages the game well and can make big throws when needed, but the ground attack is what separates the Falcons from other teams. Behind a powerful offensive line, the running back trio of Braydn Tyler, Carder Shanholtz and Cole Shanholtz have been tough to stop for opposing defenses this season.

For the Bulldogs, one of the things that makes them special is the number of ways they can hurt a defense. It starts with quarterback Brysen Dixon, who is 97 for 158 this season for 1,737 yards, 28 touchdowns and two interceptions.

With 36 catches for 517 yards and 10 touchdowns, Landon Thomas is Doddridge’s clear No. 1 target in the receiving game, but Jerod Trent (11-368-5 TDs), Brandon Davis (13-265-3 TDs), Joshua DeHaven (12-230-4 TDs) and Lyric Blake (10-179-5 TDs) all can do damage through the air.

On the ground, Caleb Hall has emerged as one of the top players in the state since getting healthy. In just five games, he’s amassed 574 yards and five touchdowns on 67 carries.

Blake leads the team with 140 attempts, 1,244 yards and 16 scores. Brycen Eidel (57-621-10 TDs) and Davis (79-432-6 TDs) are also options on the ground.