SHORT GAP, W.Va. — For the third time in four years, a spot in the Class AA state championship game will be decided in Short Gap, West Virginia.
Top-ranked Frankfort continues its quest for a second straight title when the 12-0 Falcons host No. 5 seed Doddridge County (12-0) in a battle of unbeatens on Friday at 7 p.m. in a Class AA state semifinal.
Pundits across the state had already penciled in Independence, which was ranked Nos. 1 or 2 in the class for much of the season, as Frankfort’s semifinal opponent, but the Bulldogs didn’t get the memo, knocking off the squad 38-27 last week.
“They’ve got to be a good team,” Frankfort head coach Kevin Whiteman said. “You’re not 12-0 just by a fluke. Watched them on tape this week. Watched them live on the computer last week while they were playing their game down at Independence.
“They’re a good football team that has a lot of weapons.”
Frankfort dispatched Mingo Central, 50-15, in its own quarterfinal, pushing its winning streak to 26 games — all by double digits and 25 by 20 or more points.
That equalled the Mineral County record for most consecutive wins, originally set by Keyser’s Fred “Tack” Clark, whose Golden Tornado won 26 straight during a stretch from 1955-57.
Frankfort can stand alone with a victory over Doddridge County in a contest that will serve as a first between the schools.
“Anytime you’re mentioned in the same breath with Tack Clark, what he did at Keyser, it’s a nice thing, but we’re not focused on that at all. We don’t even talk about it,” Whiteman said.
“That’s the honest of God’s truth. We’re talking about winning football games, winning playoff games. We’re talking about winning against Doddridge County. I know the kids see it and read about it on social media, in the newspaper and stuff, but we have not talked about that streak. Not one time.
“Our ultimate goal is to win the state championship, and we’re doing everything we can to do that and not worry about any kind of streaks.”
The Falcons have hosted three semifinals previously and have a 2-1 record in those games. They defeated Westside, 49-16, in 2014 en route to a runner-up finish and Williamstown, 49-7, last year.
Frankfort’s lone loss was to Herbert Hoover, 17-10, in the 2022 semifinals.
“That’s awesome, just something to be proud of,” Whiteman said of hosting a third semifinal in four years. “The goal when I took over, just like the previous coaches, was to be a contender. We want to win state championships. We want to be a team that throughout the state of West Virginia, when they hear about Frankfort, they know they’re going to be in for a football game. … I take pride in that.”
Doddridge County brings a reputation of consistent success of its own, having made nine consecutive playoff appearances under Bobby Burnside.
Eight of those berths came as a member of Class A, however, as the Bulldogs were reclassified to Class AA this year under the state’s four-class system.
The two teams have three common opponents, and Frankfort fared better against all three.
Doddridge County defeated Petersburg, 21-7, Mingo Central, 34-20, and Williamstown, 40-26. Frankfort beat Petersburg, 51-0, Mingo Central, 50-15, and Williamstown, 49-7.
Frankfort has scarcely been tested in its quest to return to the Class AA championship game, a stage where it pounded Roane County, 49-14, last year for its first title.
Frankfort set a school record in 2024 scoring 623 points, a 44.5 per game average. The Falcons are on pace to eclipse that, as their 537 points correspond to a 44.8 average.
Doddridge is averaging 41.7 points per game.
Comparing the defenses, Frankfort surrenders 10.5 ppg, and Doddridge is allowing 12.0.
Braydn Tyler can become just the third Frankfort player in school history to eclipse 30 touchdowns.
Tyler enters the game with 29 — 19 on the ground, five through the air, three on returns and two on defense to go along with 1,668 all-purpose yards.
Travis Lynch scored a school record 35 touchdowns in 1997, and Julian Pattison found the end zone 30 times last year.
Tyler’s running mate, Carder Shanholtz, has 897 yards and 16 touchdowns on 88 carries.
Blake Jacobs has completed 38 of 59 passes for 697 yards, nine touchdowns and on interception.
Doddridge’s defense has been disruptive, sacking quarterbacks 30 times. Landon Thomas and Jacob Britton lead the team with eight each on a defense that’s forced 19 turnovers.
“We know they’re going to pack the box against us,” Whiteman said. “Getting down to the semifinals, you expect good, tough ball games, and that’s what we’re expecting Friday night.”
Frankfort’s defense has been even more disruptive with 27 takeaways — two of which went for touchdowns last week on a 37-yard pick six by Tyler and a Knox Kimble fumble recovery in the end zone following a high snap.
Anthony Smith and Gunnar Bradshaw top Frankfort with 69 tackles each, and Cole Shanholtz has 68 stops.
Doddridge is led by senior quarterback Brysen Dixon and sophomore back Lyric Blake.
Dixon is completing 61% of his passes for 1,737 yards, 28 touchdowns and two interceptions, adding two more scores with his legs.
Blake has rushed for 1,244 yards and 16 touchdowns on 140 runs, one of three ball carriers with at least 500 yards along with Brycen Eidel (621 yards, 10 TDs) and Caleb Hall (574 yards, five TDs).
Hall, a senior, has missed seven games to injury but is now healthy, returning on Oct. 24 with a 100-yard performance against Williamstown in his first outing.
Hall transferred to Doddridge County as a junior after accumulating nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards at Gilmer County. He rushed for just 209 yards last year, playing in just three games.
“They remind me a lot of how Northern plays, and they’re well-coached,” Whiteman said. “They’re just going to come at us. It’ll be a mix of running and passing. They use multiple formations. When they run the ball, they come downhill. They get in what looks like a Power I-type look, and they just come right at you with those three guys.
“The quarterback runs and throws well, he throws a nice ball, threw some nice passes last week.”
Frankfort has won 17 consecutive games at Frankfort Stadium, last losing to Mountain Ridge, 24-14, on Sept. 29, 2023.
Whiteman is hoping for a good crowd on Friday, as he always does. Frankfort has earned as much in the midst of its historic stretch.
“I’ve talked to other people and you can tell that they’re a physical, aggressive football team,” Whiteman said. “They always say Frankfort is an aggressive, physical football team, too. We’re not going to back down. We’re not going to shy away.
“We’ve got a great shot to win the game and we’re going to go out and play our football, which is physical, hard-nose strength football. We’re not intimidated.”