SHORT GAP, W.Va. — Frankfort and Northern know what to expect from one another tonight: A smash-mouth, hard-nosed, physical football game.
That’s the way those two programs have been brought up under Kevin Whiteman and Phil Carr, both the winningest head coaches in their schools’ history.
It’s been an even split over the last eight meetings, but Frankfort has won 4 of 5. The second-ranked Falcons (3-0) are favored again this year against No. 4 Northern (2-1) tonight at 7 p.m.
Even so, Whiteman knows exactly what he’s going to get from Northern.
“It’s going to be a dogfight,” he said. “Phil (Carr) is a great coach. He does a great job and is a great friend. You look back over the years, we’ve had so many great ball games. Even though the last four years, we were fortunate to win three by a touchdown, the other year they physically beat us up.
“It’s always back and forth. Close games. Two teams that play physical football, run the football and don’t throw a lot of passes.”
Each head coach is a pillar of local football.
Whiteman surpassed Greg Phillips last year as the winningest Frankfort coach in history and enters tonight with a 113-48 career record in 14-plus seasons.
Carr is 80 wins clear of anybody else who’s coached football at Northern and is the only one who has coached multiple seasons with a career winning record. He has a 140-128 mark in 28 years going into tonight.
It’s unsurprising, then, that not much has separated the two area squads when they’ve met on the gridiron in recent years.
They’ve split the last eight meetings, though Frankfort has had Northern’s number of late. The Falcons won 28-21 in Accident last year, 35-25 in ‘22, 28-21 in ‘19 and 14-6 in ‘18.
Northern broke up that stretch with a 28-6 victory in 2021.
“We hope it’s that typical Northern-Frankfort game where it’s a battle the whole way,” Carr said. “Some years when there’s a favorite, the other team finds a way to keep it close, make it a good football game.
“We have to focus on details. Coach Whiteman and his staff do a heck of a job. They’re very fundamental. They don’t beat themselves. It will take everything we’ve got and more to upset these guys, especially at their place.”
Frankfort enters tonight rolling through Moorefield (28-7), Hampshire (56-21) and Weir (51-0).
Northern dropped its opener to three-time defending Class 1A state champion Fort Hill, 42-7, and has rebounded with wins over Albert Gallatin, Pennsylvania, 31-21, and Hancock, 49-6.
If there’s one area where Frankfort has a decided edge, it’s on the line of scrimmage.
Frankfort starts a host of three-year starters and as many as six seniors up front when healthy in Caden Whitacre, Brayden Shipway, Bryer Michaels, Daniel Marley, Lane Lease and Jett McCullough.
Carson Feaster has also filled in while Lease has come back from an injury.
That unit has made holes for an offense that averages 331.3 rushing yards per game. Julian Pattison has rushed for 294 yards and four touchdowns on 23 carries, and Carder Shanholtz has 240 yards and three scores on 13 gives.
“We’re going to have to run the football and churn the clock,” Whiteman said. “Key for the style that we play. Keep the ball out of the other team’s hands. Have to get some stops. Force them to punt the ball.”
Northern will try get to the outside with the difference in experience and strength in the interior.
It will help having a healthy Evan Graham back in the mix to join Luke Ross (136 yards, five TDs), Liam Stewart (96 yards, three TDs) and Caleb Hinebaugh (122 yards, 1 TD).
“We’re young up front,” Carr said. “One good thing is, we’re all healthy. Got Graham back at linebacker and fullback. That’s a big boost in a game of this magnitude. We have to use our quickness because they’ll have us in size. Hopefully that can overcome some of the strength and size issues.”
Both teams look similar on film as they have in the past — Frankfort in its Wing-T and Northern with its variant of the wishbone.
Carr, however, highlighted the Falcons’ improved passing game as an area of concern. Uriah Cutter has been efficient through the air, completing 16 of 22 passes for 245 yards. Jacob Nething has hauled in seven of those for 93 yards.
It will also be vital for Northern to shore up its kick coverage. Nething took the opening kickoff against Northern last year 88 yards for a touchdown, and the Falcons’ Luke Robinette had multiple long returns in the 2022 game.
“We can’t turn it over, and we have to be really good in special teams,” Carr said. “Two years ago at Frankfort, special teams cost us down there. Last year with the opening kickoff. ... We’ve been trying to practice as much as we can on kickoffs and punt returns.”
Northern does have the edge in game experience through three weeks, having to come back to beat Albert Gallatin and facing an uphill struggle against Fort Hill.
Frankfort boasts an average margin of victory of 45-9.3.
The Falcons aren’t looking at that as a negative. It’s an opportunity.
“We know every year going into it, it’s a nice challenge,” Whiteman said. “It’s going to be a hard game to win. Weir is down a little bit. It’s a rebuild for them. So it’ll be nice to play a team that would be a tough win for us.”
Alex Rychwalski is a sports reporter at the Cumberland Times-News. Follow him on Twitter @arychwal.
