Doddridge County falls to Williamstown in playoffs for 3rd consecutive year

As a team, Williamstown rushed for 496 yards and passed for 67 yards for a total of 563 yards of total offense. The Yellowjackets totaled 19 first downs.

“When you have the best player in Single A and one of the best players in the state back there catching the snap on every play, that’s No. 1,” Doddridge County coach Bobby Burnside said when asked of the challenges of stopping Williamstown’s offense. “But, they execute, they have a very good front five, they’re surrounded by good players that have been there — Maxwell Molessa, Lynken Joy, Aiden Corbett. They have a very good team.”

On the other hand, Doddridge County amassed 134 yards of total offense.

It also was the second time in three weeks that the Bulldogs fell to the Yellowjackets, as Williamstown defeated them 55-0 on Oct. 27 at Williamstown.

Williamstown scored on all of its possessions in the first half, beginning with an 8-yard touchdown run by Louis Goodnow. A successful two-point conversion run gave Williamstown the 8-0 lead.

After a quick three-and-out by the Bulldogs and a short 3-yard punt, Williamstown took over on the Doddridge County 34-yard line. Five plays later, Molessa scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, which gave the Yellowjackets a 14-0 lead after the two-point conversion pass was intercepted by Doddridge County.

Molessa completed 9 of 12 passes for 67 yards. He also ran 13 times for 164 yards. Rex Anderson rushed six times for 99 yards.

Maxwell’s next touchdown run went for 55 yards — a run up the middle and to the right, giving the Yellowjackets a 22-0 lead with 34.7 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Following another quick three-and-out by the Bulldogs, it only took the Yellowjackets five plays to score again. On second-and-9 from the 11-yard line, Molessa hit Danner Hooper in stride in the middle of the end zone for the touchdown. The extra point by Brylee Jones increased the Williamstown lead to 29-0.

Showing Williamstown’s depth, Lynken Joy scored on a 4-yard touchdown run that stretched the Williamstown lead to 36-0 with 5:44 remaining in the second quarter.

Doddridge County finally got on the board with four minutes remaining as Brysen Dixon hit Aiden James in the middle of the field where the Williamstown defender whiffed on his tackle attempt as James ran 72 yards to the house for the score: 36-6 Yellowjackets.

Dixon completed 6 of 19 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.

“Aiden James, a kid that had played JV most of the season — we had somebody moved up,” Burnside said. “I think he’s a junior, has potential to be a playmaker next year for us. I’m glad to (see) a nice ball by sophomore Brysen Dixon. That was nice; that was a nice play there in the first half.”

With Doddridge County’s new-found momentum that not only was a result of the scoring drive but the Yellowjackets beginning their next possession with their worst field position of the night — on their own 12-yard line — Doddridge County had a glimmer of hope.

But it quickly disappeared. The Yellowjackets marched all the way to the Doddridge County 3-yard line, a drive that was aided by a 25-yard run by Maxwell. On first-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Joy scored his second touchdown of the game: 43-6 Yellowjackets at the half.

Joy ran 15 times for 153 yards.

Later, Williamstown didn’t wait long to add to its lead. On first-and-10 from the 12-yard line, Maxwell connected with Hooper again, this time on a pass to the right corner of the end zone. The extra point was blocked.

Doddridge County finishes the season with an overall record of 6-5.

“First, I want to give credit to our senior class,” Burnside said. “We had a hellacious schedule this year, and they gave us good leadership. We were very inexperienced at the beginning of the year and we had a lot of young players throughout the season that gained it. They got the wins they needed to get to give us this opportunity. They had great attitudes. We had players with more injuries than I’ve ever had in one season this year, and I want to give my hats off to them.

“I am very excited about the future. We had a lot of young (players), probably the youngest team as far as the most sophomores I’ve ever started, and freshmen. I think the future’s bright with a good offseason and all that good stuff. It’s an honor to be the coach of Doddridge County, and I’m proud they were able to make it to the postseason for the seventh year in a row.”