CHARLESTON Ƶ Yes, Martinsburg has developed a dynasty. And, yes, the Bulldogs are now aiming squarely at history. But on Saturday night, they were taken to the limit by their upstart neighboring rival.
Quarterback Koi Fagan broke off an 80-yard touchdown run with 1:46 left in the game as Martinsburg survived a back-and-forth final quarter to scrape out a 24-17 victory against Spring Mills in the inaugural Class AAAA title game.
An estimated crowd of 1,500 was on hand at chilly UC Stadium at Laidley Field to cap the first set of state championship games in Charleston since 1993. It matched the top two playoff seeds, who hailed from the same Eastern Panhandle area and are separated by about 8 miles.
Fagan, selected as MartinsburgƵs MVP in a media vote, guided his team through thick and thin, carrying 27 times for 333 yards and two touchdowns and also throwing a scoring pass. But it was his 80-yard burst that washed away all the BulldogsƵ previous mistakes Ƶ including four turnovers, seven penalties and a blocked punt.
ƵI just knew we had to persevere,ƵƵ Fagan said, Ƶand as soon as we came back on that field in a tie game, I knew I had to make a play. The line blocked amazing; the receivers blocked amazing. I just ran.
ƵI believed in them the whole game. I saw a lot of daylight. I just had to get through that first line of defenders, and it was great.ƵƵ
Spring Mills (12-2), the No. 2 seed, never led, but tied it three times, at 7, 10 and 17. The final knot came with 1:58 remaining in the game when senior quarterback Max Anderson scored from 3 yards out. His 46-yard run to the Martinsburg 13 was the key play in the drive.
The Cardinals looked dead just a few moments earlier when MartinsburgƵs Ty Ricketts intercepted an Anderson pass Ƶ Spring MillsƵ lone turnover Ƶ giving the Bulldogs the ball at the CardsƵ 42 with 5:25 left and holding a 17-10 edge.
They got that edge on an incredible effort play by Fagan on third-and-goal from the Spring Mills 3 with 6:05 left.
The snap sailed way over FaganƵs head and he somehow scooped it up on the bounce and evaded a heavy rush at the 20 as he rolled right. Just before he stepped out of bounds, he heaved the ball into a group of four players in the end zone and Boston Todd managed to pluck it out of the air for a touchdown for a 17-10 lead.
ƵWhat heƵs brought to our program, heƵs made us better,Ƶ Martinsburg coach Dave Walker said of Fagan. ƵWe made a bunch of [mistakes] Ƶ we did the same thing last week, too. I still donƵt think we played a perfect game all year, but thatƵs me, thatƵs coach talk, I guess. To overcome some of the stupid mistakes we made is just a testament to these guys and their effort.ƵƵ
On the other side, Anderson mirrored FaganƵs excellence, gaining 175 yards on 31 carries with a pair of TDs and completing 12 of 25 passes for 121 yards. He was voted the CardinalsƵ game MVP.
ƵHeƵs a kid I wish I could have year in and year out,ƵƵ Cardinals coach Marcus Law said of Anderson. ƵNot just on the field of play, but the work ethic and how he goes about it. A game like this, I called MaxƵs name, MaxƵs number any day of the week when the gameƵs on the line like that.ƵƵ
Martinsburg led 7-0 at halftime with a gritty performance by its defense, which held Spring Mills out of the red zone until the final minute of the half, and then Brayden Miller blocked a 22-yard field goal attempt on the last play to keep the Cardinals scoreless.
The Bulldogs had several solid scoring chances of their own, but lost all three of their first-half fumbles Ƶ at the Spring Mills 1 and 13 and their own 42. They also had a hurry-up punt blocked, giving the Cardinals the ball at the Bulldogs 46.
Martinsburg finally broke through with a 58-yard scoring run by Fagan with 7:09 remaining in the second quarter. They began that possession at their own 29 after stopping what had been the CardinalsƵ deepest penetration of the game.
ƵIt comes down to players making plays,ƵƵ Walker said. ƵKoi Fagan, everybody who hadnƵt seen him play watched him play tonight. HeƵs special.ƵƵ
Spring Mills had no turnovers in the first half, but was flagged seven times for 64 yards and saw a pair of punts travel just 39 yards total. The Cardinals had one partially blocked in the second half.
Still, they hung around a lot longer on Saturday than many expected against title-laden Martinsburg. The CardinalsƵ lone loss in the regular season also came to the Bulldogs, 17-12.
ƵI tip my hat to my seniors,ƵƵ Law said. ƵThatƵs one of the things we talked about before we started [as coaches] four years ago. I know weƵre a young school, but no one knew Spring Mills. We were getting beat up on and these guys here [the seniors] are the ones that stuck around and guided us to where we want to be. Now, we want to set expectations.
ƵI tip my hat to Martinsburg Ƶ an elite class, great program. ItƵs one of those things where youƵve got to climb to get to the top. Last year, we get to the second round. This year, making it to the final, gives us a taste of where we want to get to.ƵƵ
Top-seeded Martinsburg, perhaps fittingly, becomes the initial champion in Class AAAA, a division that began this season after the Secondary School Activities Commission expanded to four classes in several more sports.
The win also gave top-seeded Martinsburg (13-1) its 11th state championship Ƶ all coming since 2010 Ƶ and allowed the Bulldogs to match Parkersburg for the most SSAC-recognized football titles in West VirginiaƵs biggest division of competition.
Bridgeport has also captured 11 state crowns (coming in three different divisions), Bluefield has claimed 11 (six in AAA, five in AA), Ceredo-Kenova 11 (in AA and A) and Wheeling Central owns a dozen in AA and A for the most overall championships Ƶ a goal Martinsburg can shoot for starting next year.
In addition, Walker tied Carl Ward of Ceredo-Kenova for the most state championships won by a coach with his 10th. Walker was coaching at Concord University when Martinsburg captured the 2021 title.
Walker was also quite aware of another piece of history the Bulldogs carved out on Saturday by claiming victory at Laidley Field, one of West VirginiaƵs most storied prep football venues.
Despite all its recent success, Martinsburg had never won a single game there before Saturday Ƶ going 0-5 at Laidley Field with playoff losses to Capital (2014, 2015), South Charleston (2008, 2009) and St. Albans (1979).
ƵI know it, I know it,ƵƵ Walker laughed out loud. ƵThe odds were in our favor, right? I coached in the North-South game here a few years ago and won that one. WeƵve not fared well here, but weƵve always been on that [visitors] side. We hadnƵt been on this [home] side.ƵƵ
Ƶ if all of that wasnƵt enough, Martinsburg also owns the stateƵs longest winning streak of 57 games (2016-20).
Martinsburg 24,
Spring Mills 17
Spring Mills 0 0 7 10 -- 17
Martinsburg 0 7 3 14 -- 24
Second quarter
M Ƶ Fagan 58 run (Collins kick), 7:09
Third quarter
SM Ƶ M.Anderson 3 run (Uth-Smith kick), 8:06
M Ƶ FG Collins 25, 4:29
Fourth quarter
SM Ƶ FG Uth-Smith 24, 10:33
M Ƶ Todd 3 pass from Fagan (Collins kick), 6:05
SM Ƶ M.Anderson 3 run (Uth-Smith kick), 1:58
M Ƶ Fagan 80 run (Collins kick), 1:46
Team statistics
SM Mart
First downs 16 16
Rushes-yards 41-215 37-400
Passing yards 121 14
Passes 12-25-1 4-11-1
Total yards 336 414
Fumbles-lost 1-0 4-3
Penalties-yards 10-91 7-85
Punts-average 3-15.3 1-0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING Ƶ Spring Mills: M.Anderson 31-175, Sanders 8-36, Taylor 2-4; Martinsburg: Fagan 27-333, Dick 8-63, Todd 1-5, Team 1-minus-5
PASSING Ƶ Spring Mills: M.Anderson 12-25-1-121; Martinsburg: Fagan 4-11-1-14
RECEIVING Ƶ Spring Mills: Mills 5-59, X.Anderson 4-31, Sanders 2-3; Martinsburg: Bunny 2-7, Todd 2-7.
