SHORT GAP, W.Va. — For Frankfort to get to where it wants to be, it first has to go through a battle-tested Bluefield squad coached by one of the best to ever do it.
The Falcons (11-0), tops in Class AA, welcome a 5-5 Beavers squad, seeded No. 8. Don’t let the record fool you, Bluefield is dangerous.
Bluefield has played arguably the classification’s most difficult schedule, and coached by Fred Simon — winner of more than 300 games across 39 seasons — the Beavers will likely have a trick or two up their sleeve.
Still, the Falcons feel like it’s their year, and they’ll have a chance to prove it again today in the Class AA state quarterfinals at 4 p.m.
“They have a coach who’s been coaching them for about 40 years,” Frankfort head coach Kevin Whiteman said. “Great tradition, winning tradition. Five state championships since he’s been the coach. Always wanted to coach against him and Bluefield, and we’ve never had the opportunity.”
All told, Bluefield has 11 state championships, and Simon has been at the helm for five of them, part of his 305-149 career mark. The Beavers most recently won the AA state title in 2017.
But Whiteman was quick to remind that Frankfort has a winning heritage of its own.
The winningest coach in Frankfort history has a 121-48 mark in 15 seasons, and his Falcons have reached the Class AA playoffs 12 times in 14 years.
Frankfort, unbeaten in the regular season for the first time since 2014, is aiming to get back to where that campaign ended — in the state title game.
The Falcons were runner-up that year, semifinalists in 2009 and ‘22 and quarterfinalists in 2010, ‘12, ‘19 and ‘21.
“We know their tradition,” Whiteman said. “There are a lot of people who are looking at us to get bumped off Saturday, but Frankfort has a great football tradition too.
“One of the things I’m most proud of at Frankfort High School, they battle, battle through adversity. We don’t always come out on winning end, but we play hard, and the kids love the game.”
Bluefield brings a squad to Short Gap that has won 4 of 6 games to get back to the playoffs despite a 1-3 start.
Frankfort, meanwhile, has outscored its opponents 498-74 (45.3-6.7) and has yet to play a game decided by fewer than 20 points.
“Oh man, we’ve seen as good of teams as we’ll see and I’d rank Frankfort right there,” Simon said in an interview with Lootpress. “They’re no better than a Beckley, and a Princeton and a Graham.
“They’re a very good football team, but we’ve seen some good football teams. We’ll have to tackle better than we did last week and we’ve got to tackle our butt off as far as getting to them.”
That’s no easy task with a senior-laden offensive line and a duo of ball carriers pushing 1,000 yards.
Jullian Pattison has toted the ball 94 times for 957 yards and 21 touchdowns, and Carder Shanholtz has posted 79 rushes for 921 yards and 15 scores.
Frankfort has also displayed an efficient passing game. Quarterback Uriah Cutter has completed 54 of 74 passes (73%) for 880 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.
Bluefield does have Wing-T experience, having run the offense on the way to a state championship in 2009.
“Defensively, we’re thinking we’re going to see a four-front,” Whiteman said. “Defensive line is their strong point. Our offensive linemen are going to come out ready. We have to show them early that we’re physical and that we mean business.”
Bluefield will be without its leading rusher Willis Wilson, who has 931 yards from scrimmage, for a second consecutive contest. Wilson tweaked his ankle in a 28-20 loss to James Monroe in the Beavers’ final regular season game.
Ty Patton stepped into that role and rushed for 168 yards in a 20-18 victory over South Harrison in the Beavers’ playoff opener, doing so in a wind chill of 16 degrees.
Quarterback Max Simpson has completed 60% of his passes for 1,251 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. Jeff King is his leading receiver with 428 yards and five scores.
While Bluefield’s offense has been middling, averaging just 20.3 points per game, it’s shown big-play ability.
“It’s going to be huge for us to have long, sustained drives,” Whiteman said. “Gotta be able to move the clock. We just can’t give up big plays. I’ve had numerous coaches around the state talk to me about how they can score at any time, how dangerous they are. Big kickoff returns, big pass plays for touchdowns.
“They’re going to make some plays, we just can’t let them make a bunch of them. We have to be physical from the start.”
Frankfort’s defensive leaders are Jett McCullough (67 tackles, nine TFL), Pattison (55 tackles, six TFL), Daniel Marley (34 tackles, 12 TFL), Jacob Nething (five interceptions) and Keiton Nester (four interceptions).
Whiteman hopes the friendly confines of Frankfort Stadium aid in the Falcons’ quest to knock off a storied program.
“We’re No. 1. We’re undefeated. On paper, people are going to say that Frankfort is the favorite,” Whiteman said. “It’s going to be about six hours all told for them to get up here. Coming up on Saturday. They’ll get off the bus and it’ll be 22 (degrees) wind chill weather, frozen field. That’s probably going to make it difficult on them.”