Published: November 18, 2008 12:06 am            

Russell-Belfry clash sooner this season

That Russell and Belfry are meeting in the Class 3A playoffs is hardly news.

That the teams are meeting in the second round is.

The powerhouse programs who met in the state semifinals from 2004 to 2006 will play an early game of playoff survival on Friday night at Central Appalachian Mining Stadium in Belfry.

“We went for a long time, from ’89 to 2004, where we didn’t play at all,” said Russell coach Ivan McGlone. “Then it seemed like we were playing them every year.”

The teams met with the stakes high for three consecutive seasons. The game in ‘06, which Russell won, is the only time the Red Devils have been on the new stadium turf at Belfry.

“You have to move the ball against them because they’re going to move it,” McGlone said. “The last two times we’ve played them have been a different kind of mode. The last time we threw the ball against them — we threw three touchdown passes.”

Russell (7-4) will be a decided underdog against the undefeated Pirates (11-0), who come in top-ranked in Class 3A. Both teams had lopsided victories in their playoff openers.

“Oh yeah, we’re the underdogs, whatever that means,” McGlone said.

Russell was a district runnerup to Mason County this season, thus the earlier-than-usual battle with the Pirates. But if the Devils and Pirates had advanced to the regional finals, the game would have still been at Belfry.

McGlone said Belfry doesn’t look that much different than seasons past.

“They’re good, that’s all I know,” he said. “You look at Belfry and it’s Belfry. They do basically the same thing. They’re just good.”

Ivan Lee and Thomas Varney have combined for more than 2,000 yards rushing and 30 touchdowns out of Belfry’s wishbone attack. The quarterback, Andrew Elkins, has thrown for nearly 600 yards.

Senior Drew Abrams, who has more than 1,300 yards rushing, is Russell’s feature back.

“They move the football,” McGlone said. “It doesn’t look fancy, but they move the football.”

As for the keys to winning, McGlone said the Red Devils must move the football and hope the Pirates make a mistake or two.

“We have to play well and get a break here or there,” he said. “Our effort the last couple of games has been pretty good.”

Coach Philip Haywood says much the same about Russell.

“They’re a good football team,” he said. “In some ways, a typical Russell team. They have good size again and always have that one big back that keeps pounding it at you. They mix the pass in well and always have that quarterback who can run and throw, always have a favorite receiver they like to get the ball to. It seems like they roll them out the same every year.”

Russell defeated Pike County Central 41-14 on Friday night. Belfry downed West Carter 48-27.

“West was ahead of us 14-13 in the second quarter,” Haywood said. “That wasn’t our best game, by any means. Our kids may have been a little flat. We didn’t play well in the first half, not to take anything away from West Carter. They came in with a good game plan and played well.”

The Russell-Belfry series has been a special one for the schools.

“It’s not like it’s one-sided or anything,” McGlone said. “It’s probably been an even split since I’ve been here.”

Belfry’s 2004 state champions that defeated Russell 39-17 in the semifinals is the best Pirate team in McGlone’s memory.

“There’s not going to be a whole lot of surprises on Friday,” Haywood said. “We both know each other pretty well.”

MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.

        

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