Published: November 20, 2009 03:19 am      

Best of luck, Polar Bears, in chase for state crown

Fairmont Senior High School is now one-quarter the way through to a state championship.

That victory over Parkersburg South last week was an excellent one. The Polar Bears showed strong offense when it was needed in the final quarter and shut the Patriots down — prevailing by a two-touchdown margin, 35-21.

Now it’s round two of a four-round battle — with University High providing the opposition. The Hawks have already been met — and defeated. The Polar Bears won that battle by a close 10-7 margin in double overtime. But that was then — Oct. 2 to be exact. This is now. That victory means nothing now, and everyone knows that University High is very anxious to avenge that loss while advancing down the same playoff trail that the Polar Bears have their sights on.

Teams don’t meet twice in one season that often. It’s rather rare. Only when the playoff schedules calls for it to happen does it happen. Baseball teams meet multiple times; basketball teams usually meet twice on a home-and-away basis. But football. Just once.

Polar Bear coach J.L. Abbott is well aware that the Hawks held the Polar Bears to their lowest point total of the season — not counting the seven points the Bears managed in their lone loss of the season to Bridgeport. That 10-7 game was a real nail-biter. The Hawks are known for their tough defense. The Hawks tossed four shutouts this season in compiling an 8-3 record to date. And last Friday night they upset the state’s fourth-ranked team — Spring Valley — by a 23-0 score. And this was at Spring Valley’s home field, no less.

This is an excellent Polar Bear team in case you haven’t seen it. Fairmont Senior has one of the best quarterbacks in the state in Logan Moore, who has passed for more than 2,300 yards and 30 touchdowns while throwing just seven interceptions. Those are great figures. Moore has an excellent supporting case with such players as Remington Skarzinski, who gained 130 yards rushing in the victory over Parkersburg South; Aaron Fetty and Ryan Sevier, who caught 12 passes between them last week with Fetty grabbing eight of them; and a host of other good players who have bonded into a strong football power.

There is no doubt that coach J.L. Abbott has assembled another football power — one that is quite similar to his 2006 team that was also seeking a state title at about this same time. That team made it to the semifinals. We hope that the fans turn out en masse at East-West Stadium tonight to help cheer this Polar Bear team to its second playoff victory and a berth on next week’s state semifinals. The Polar Bears’ only state title came way back in 1946, and it was voted upon then by state sports writers. It’s been 63 years since that last title. The Polar Bears are about due and this would be a good year to do it.

Goooo, Polar Bears!!!