WAYNE, W.Va. — After having everything go their way in building 21-0 halftime lead, the fourth-seeded Frankfort Falcons had everything go wrong after the break and their season ended with a tough 27-21 loss to top-seeded and unbeaten Wayne in the West Virginia Class AA state semifinals on Saturday afternoon.

The victory sends Wayne into the state championship on Friday night at Wheeling Island Stadium against sixth-seeded Bluefield with a 13-0 record. Bluefield upset second-seeded and previously unbeaten Magnolia 13-10 on Friday night.

Frankfort, which dominated the game with big plays on both sides of the ball in the first 24 minutes, concludes the season with an 11-2 record.

The Falcons struck quickly after taking the opening kickoff as Joey Luciw got outside for a 51-yard run on a wingback sweep at the 10:17 mark. Logan Wolford kicked the first of his three extra points.

Wayne moved the ball to the Frankfort 12-yard line with the aid of a penalty. But Wes Riden came up with a key stop for a loss and the Pioneers were called for an intentional grounding penalty that gave Frankfort the ball at its own 35.

The Falcons used 12 plays to go the 65 yards with fullback Daniel McCormick scoring on a 3-yard run on the first play of the second half.

With Riden making another big tackle for a loss on fourth down, Wayne gave up the ball on downs after driving to the Frankfort 37.

Area passing leader James Jones, who completed 8-of-11 passes for 128 yards, had key completions of 25 yards to Luciw and 28 yards to Wolford. Jeremy Miltenberger capped the 11-play, 63-yard drive with a 2-yard run with 5:17 left in the half.

After being stymied by an aggressive and swarming Frankfort defense in first half, Wayne started to display some of its powerful offense that was averaging 345 yards a game.

Held to only 84 yards rushing and 38 passing in a scoreless first half, the Pioneers pounded out 243 yards on 33 runs in the final two quarters.

The Pioneers also provided an argument for teams to try more onsides kicks as they recovered a pair to start scoring drives. They also kept the ball away from the potent Frankfort offense for the entire third quarter.

Getting the kickoff to start the second half, Wayne went 71 yards on seven runs with quarterback Adam Frazier going in on a sneak from the two at the 9:15 mark of the quarter. Allen Bryant booted the extra point.

Jake Barr broke loose on a big 22-yard run on the second play of the drive and a facemask penalty moved the ball to the Frankfort 27. Then, on a crucial fourth-and-two, Corey Damron demonstrated why he was one of the state’s leading rushers as he went 17 yards to the two to set up the score.

Wayne coach Tom Harman decided it was a good time for an onsides kick and the gamble worked as Frankfort failed to cover the ball after it went 10 yards.

Damron, who entered the game with 1,403 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns, capped the ensuing 7-play, 49-yard drive with a 1-yard run with 5:14 left in the quarter. The 5-foot-9, 168-pound senior went on to finish with 136 yards on 21 carries.

Harman went to the onsides kick again. This time it bounced off a Frankfort player and the Pioneers got the ball at midfield.

The Pioneers used 12 runs to go the 50 yards with Barr getting outside on a 6-yard sweep for the touchdown at the 11:56 mark in the final quarter. Bryant’s third successful kick tied the score 21-21.

Getting the ball for the first time in the second half, Frankfort moved the ball into Wayne territory before turning it over on downs when quarterback James Jones was sacked at the Falcons’ 49-yard line.

Frazier then broke outside on a quarterback keeper and raced the 49 yards untouched for the winning touchdown with 7:16. The missed extra point left the door open for Frankfort to come back but a costly penalty and a sack ended the Falcons’ final possession.



Bluefield 13

Magnolia 10

NEW MARTINSVILLE, W.Va. — Marcus Patterson shrugged off two would-be tacklers on the way to a 57-yard, third-quarter punt return as No. 6 Bluefield shocked No. 2 Magnolia (12-1) Friday night.

The Beavers put the game on ice when tailback Jake Lilly went 30 yards for a touchdown, carrying a defender the final 10 yards, on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Magnolia, the defending Class AA runner-up, outgained Bluefield by a 142-7 count in the first half but went to the locker room in a scoreless tie because of a botched snap on a field goal attempt and a lost fumble.

thanks to a couple of miscues. The first was a botched snap on a field-goal attempt, and the other occurred when Lilly took the ball away from Blue Eagles running back Dillon Jackson as Magnolia was driving.

The Beavers will face either No. 1 Wayne for the title, next Friday night in the Super Six at Wheeling Island Stadium.