BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — The Tug Valley Panthers football team will play Saturday afternoon in the first round of the West Virginia High School Class A playoffs.

Tug Valley is in Class A and will travel to Tucker County for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

Injuries hit the Panthers hard in the final weeks of the regular season. After ranking as high as No. 3, two losses at the end of the season dropped their points ranking to No. 9.

The top eight teams host first-round games in the Mountain State. Tug Valley narrowly missed hosting a home game.

Coach Hady Ford and his staff are hoping to have some players back for the playoffs. However, there still may be a couple of players out for the game.

Last season Tug Valley hosted a couple of playoff games. The Panthers reached the semifinals before being eliminated.

Class A playoffs

No. 1 Wheeling Central vs. No. 16 Tolsia — Wheeling University, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m.

No. 2 Wahama vs. No. 15 Man — Bachtel Stadium, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m.

No. 3 Clay-Battelle vs. No. 14 Ritchie County — Clay-Battelle High School, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m.

No. 4 Pendleton County vs. No. 13 Greenbrier West — Slusher Field, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.

No. 5 Sherman vs. No. 12 East Hardy — Riverside High School, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.

No. 6 St. Marys vs. No. 11 Wirt County — Bill Hanlin Stadium, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m.

No. 7 Cameron vs. No. 10 Meadow Bridge — Dragon Stadium, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m.

No. 8 Tucker County vs. No. 9 Tug Valley — RH Armstrong Memorial Field, Nov. 15 at 1 p.m.