There will be no conference championships on the line, no unbeaten seasons and no jockeying for playoff positions Friday night when Wetzel County rivals Valley and Paden City hook up at Berger Field.

However, pride and a victory against a heated opponent will be at stake as Coach Tom West's 3-5 record Lumberjacks and Coach Brent Croasmun's 4-5 Wildcats do battle once again.

Both teams are coming off lopsided losses with Valley dropping a 35-6 decision to Bishop Donahue last Saturday night and Paden City coming out on the wrong end of a 42-18 score the previous Friday against visiting Beallsville.

"This is always a very big game for us with the closeness and both teams being in the same county," West said.

"And it is always a tough game."

"I think it is a pride thing for the kids," Croasmun added. "We always like to see who the best Class A team in the county is and we have both already beaten Hundred so it comes down to this game Friday night. That is always good inspiration in a rivalry game like this."

The Wildcats bring one of the finest small-school athletes in the Ohio Valley into the contest in senior quarterback Malakai Anderson, who also doubles as the team's leading rusher. Anderson, who scored a rushing touchdown and recovered a fumble in the endzone last week, has ran for 867 yards and seven scores while throwing for 600 yards and five touchdowns.

Sophomore speedster Taylor Still, who missed action with an injury earlier this season, has added 500 infantry stripes and five scores and chipped in an 81-yard kickoff return of a touchdown against Beallsville.

"There offense can be very dangerous," West continued. "They have a quarterback who can both run and throw the football very well and a good running back. We will have to work hard to contain them. They have a little better record than us and it will be a tough game ahead."

Junior Garrett Ueltschy is the Lumberjacks' triggerman, when they do decide to pass, while classmate Cody Bates is coming off a solid 95-yard, one touchdown performance against the Bishops last Saturday.

"It's a typical Valley football team that likes to run the ball between the tackles and then try and catch you off-guard with a pitch to the outside," Croasmun said. "It is the same thing it has been with them under Coach West for years, you have got to be able to stop the run to be successful."