Mookie Collier ran for 293 yards on 17 carries with four touchdowns as Bluefield remained unbeaten with a 37-14 dismantling of Bridgeport in the Class AA semifinals Friday night in Bluefield.
With the win, the No. 2 Beavers (13-0) advance to the Super Six title game for the first time since 2009 next Friday night at Wheeling Island Stadium, where they will play the winner of Saturday’s Mingo Central-Fairmont Senior semifinal.
No. 3 Bridgeport (11-2) opened the game by going on an 18-play drive that lasted 11:10 but failed to put any points on the scoreboard after a 20-yard missed goal.
Collier broke loose for a 55-yard touchdown run with 9:20 left in the second quarter and added a 68-yard TD scamper with 3:31 remaining to give Bluefield a 12-0 lead.
Jake Bowen plunged in from a yard out for Bridgeport late in the first half to cut the deficit to 12-7 at halftime.
Collier scored his third touchdown on a 25-yard run with 9:45 left in the third quarter.
Truck Edwards scored on a 2-yard touchdown run for a 24-7 Bluefield lead before the Indians scored on a 1-yard run by John Merica to cut the deficit to 10 with 1:26 left in the period.
Bluefield tacked on two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to provide the final score on a Chandler Cooper 20-yard run and Collier’s fourth TD on a 45-yard scamper.
Class A
St. Marys 27, East Hardy 21: Jaiden Smith rambled for a 17-yard touchdown run with 1:25 left in the fourth quarterto break a tie and provide the game winner to give the Blue Knights the road win in a Class A semifinal.
With the victory, No. 5 St. Marys (11-1) advances to the championship game, where the Blue Devils look to defend their title from last year. St. Marys will play the Wheeling Central-Summers County winner, to be played Saturday.
Trailing 27-21, No. 1 East Hardy (12-1) advanced the ball to midfield, but St. Marys held on downs after an incomplete pass on fourth-and-10 with 21 seconds left to hold on for the win.
East Hardy led 13-7 at halftime.
Both teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter for a 21-14 East Hardy lead before Smith tied the game on an 11-yard run to tie the game with 10:21 remaining.
Looking to take the lead, East Hardy missed a 22-yard field goal with 5:03 remaining before St. Marys drove down the field for the game-winning TD run from Smith.