Man's size will test the Dons

There have been few state championship games featuring teams withnicknames as tied - perhaps negatively - to the geography of theirschools like the Class A football title game scheduled for Saturdaynight in Wheeling.

Blue Dons? Hillbillies?

Politically correctness can be chucked out the window, the tiltbetween No. 1 seed Madonna (13-0) and No. 2 seed Man (12-1) shapesup as a potentially classic finale to the Super Six.

Madonna suddenly finds itself as an insider on Wheeling Island,having played in two title games this decade but coming up on theshort end of losses to Wheeling Central (2004) and Williamstown(2008). Man, a former power in Class AA, has not played in the SuperSix since 1984, when the event was at Laidley Field.

"I tell you, it's kind of a hectic place here at school," ManCoach Harvey Arms said. "We've got the secretary tied up andeverything else. This is a new experience for me."

The teams played in the first round of the playoffs in 2004, withMadonna claiming a 47-0 win in Weirton. Arms said he sees plenty ofsimilarities between that Madonna team and this year's model.

"They don't look to be of great size, but they look really quickand aggressive on defense," Arms said. "I'm sure they're a realdisciplined team, and that they'll read their keys and get to theball. We played them in the first round in 2004, and found that tobe the case."

Madonna's speed will be pitted against the Hillbillies' size, ofwhich George Washington High Coach Steve Edwards Jr. said was equalor greater than that of many schools in the Mountain State AthleticConference.

Man scrimmaged GW in the preseason.

"I think size played a big part for us because our game is theground game, and we've been able to move people around in every gamewe've played so far in order to move the ball," Arms said.

"For us to be able to scrimmage someone like GW. It gave us achance to see what level we could compete on. That's been a goodthing for us the last couple of years."

The Hillibillies' offensive line, consisting of senior centerManny Gibson (5-foot-10, 244 pounds), senior guard Tyler Dunigon (6-0, 247), junior guard Zack Underwood (6-2, 222), junior tackle ChrisToler (6-1, 290) and junior tackle Zack Asbury (5-11, 264) pave theway for a four-pronged running attack. Running backs Michael Lomax(5-11, 206, sr.), his brother Derek Lomax (5-11, 182, jr.) splittime with seniors Brandon Plymale (5-11, 170) and Andrew Hale (5-8,170). The system of rotation has paid off in spades, Arms said.

Senior quarterback Ryan Crum (6-0, 165) has also figured heavilyinto the Hillbillies' running attack.

Plymale led the Hillbillies with 796 yards rushing in the regularseason.

Crum followed with 403 yards. Michael Lomax had 402 yards andDerek Lomax 398.

"That's been great for us. We've had a couple games where we'vehad players have to sit our because of being banged up, and itreally hasn't held us back any," Arms said. "The level that we'vebeen able to put on the field has been as good as what we hadinjured."

Arms added that the 48 players Man has on its roster is anabnormally large amount.

"There were a lot of times when we were double-A that we didn'thave 48 players," he said.

CRAIG CUNNINGHAM/DAILY MAIL Man senior center Manny Gibson (74)has helped pave the way for the Hillbillies running backs, includingAndrew Hale (18). Man is 12-1 entering the Class A statechampionship game Saturday at Wheeling Island Stadium againstMadonna (13-0).