Rivalry Remains Between Cavs and Mavs, Even in Reclassification

CHARMCO – In recent years, no high school rivalry has been more intense than the one between Greenbrier West and James Monroe. Regardless of the sport, the matchups have been chock full of storylines. Conference honors, sectional battles, quarterfinals, semifinals, and state tournaments, the stakes are always high.

In 2022, the football rivalry gave us not one, but two matchups. Greenbrier West lost only two games that season, both to the Mavericks. James Monroe would eventually land in Wheeling competing for a Class A state championship. In 2023, the theme reversed. James Monroe lost only two games, both to the Cavaliers. Greenbrier West also advanced to the Class A championship game. These two schools bring out the best in each other, and sports fans in West Virginia are better for it.

With the reclassification of schools this past spring, this rivalry has taken a bit of a turn. The Cavaliers remain in Class A while the Mavericks have moved back into the Class AA ranks. That ensures there will be only one meeting a year between the schools on the gridiron for at least the next four seasons. Forgive football fans across the state if they’re a little upset by this development. Even with only one clash, the stakes will be high. Greenbrier West sits at #15 in the latest WVSSAC Class A playoff ratings. James Monroe occupies the #16 spot in the Class AA ratings. The winner of this game will solidify their playoff position in their respective classification, and the bragging rights will be safe for a year.

The Cavaliers stumbled out of the gate in 2024 but recovered to the tune of four straight wins, three on the field with a forfeit victory added in. Last Friday, West hosted a solid Fort Frye, Ohio squad and struggled to get a lot going in their favor. The Cavaliers did muster a fifteen-play drive before halftime that narrowly missed the endzone, so the night was not a total loss. If anything, the loss magnified areas the Cavaliers need to shore up down the stretch.

Brandon Poticher had a more than capable effort at tailback, rushing 19 times for 75 yards. Evan Vandall logged 17 carries from the quarterback position but found the sledding a little tough with only 34 yards. Vandall did escape a serious injury when he went down in the fourth quarter from a hit to the arm. Tests were negative and Vandall will be ready to go Friday night. Joevan Robinson got his first career start at fullback and adapted well to the new duty.

The receiving core really shined with Colton Dunbar topping all receivers with four receptions for 37 yards. Kamden Sams pulled down three catches for 37 yards while Ben Butler had a three-reception, 36-yard evening. That’s great balance from the passing game and was especially effective on the aforementioned 15-play, near-miss scoring drive versus Fort Frye.

James Monroe opened their season with back-to-back losses. Wheeling Central upended the Mavericks in week one 28-6. The Maroon Knights tallied 352 yards of total offense, including 254 on the ground. In week two, Shady Spring erased a 13-0 halftime deficit with 20 unanswered second half points to win 20-13. The Tigers got a strong effort from their backup quarterback and five players combined for a 100-yard rushing effort.

The Mavericks got in the win column in week three and haven’t looked back. Four consecutive victories have positioned James Monroe at #16 in the Class AA playoff ratings. The Mavericks crushed Pikeview 54-6 to begin the win-streak. Senior quarterback Layton Dowdy threw for 160 yards and a touchdown while running the ball in for two more scores. Dowdy did his part again in a win over Liberty when he passed for 108 yards and rushed for another touchdown. Brock Parker added a pair of scores for James Monroe.

The season took a bit of a twist for James Monroe when their September 27 matchup with Narrows, Virginia was postponed and rescheduled three times, eventually being played on Tuesday, October 1. The Mavericks mashed the gas on their interstate rivals with a 34-6 win. James Monroe rolled up 220 yards on the ground on 40 carries. Four different Mavericks found the endzone with a fifth score coming on a punt block. Only three nights later, the Mavericks continued their rebound with a 54-8 thrashing of Summers County. Dowdy once again left his imprint on the game with a 124-yard, three-touchdown night. For good measure, Dowdy added 85 yards through the air.

Greenbrier West smothered James Monroe’s running game in 2023, holding the Mavericks to 96 yards on the ground in both games combined. The Cavalier linebackers harassed Dowdy and kept the Maverick signal caller hemmed in. Dowdy has assumed a larger role in the James Monroe offense this season, so limiting his output will be crucial. The Mavericks are never a one-trick pony, and they have a capable supporting cast. Junior Ryan Mann has been productive, and the duo of Wilson Boggess and Benjamin Comer have provided pop from both the wing and slot positions. Kadyn Hines is a good target at 6’2” from the wideout position.

Brady Baker is the anchor of the linemen in Lindside. At 6’2”, 295 pounds, Baker gets a lot of attention. He’s a downhill run blocker and a gap stopper on defense. Christian Ogle is no slouch at 5’11”, 253 pounds. Ogle moves well and downfield blocks nicely.

The Cavalier line will be led by Peyton Ford and Logan Berry. Berry has established himself as one of the area’s better big men with footwork and speed that rivals the best in the region. Head coach Kelly Vaughan uses a heavy rotation to keep his big guys fresh throughout the game. Expect a rotation that involves Randy Keener, Jon Painter, and Emory Sanford. C.W. Sturgell made a widely successful move to right tackle last week, springing Brandon Poticher for his big gainers.

If you’re a fan of rivalry games, you’ll want to get to Lindside Friday night for this heavyweight battle. Radio coverage begins at 6:30 on Rock 95. Kickoff is at 7 P.M. A pay-per-view streaming option is available and will be produced by the Greenbrier Valley Channel. Go to www.meridix.com and search for James Monroe High School.

The post Rivalry Remains Between Cavs and Mavs, Even in Reclassification appeared first on West Virginia Daily News .